Getting Real Series - SMP Scalp Micropigmentation Final Results

About a year ago I had my first SMP (Scalp Micropigmentation) procedure and over the course of several weeks I had what would normally be my third and last session. After everything settled down I was not entirely happy with my results, the frontal hairline was not exactly the shape or sharpness I wanted and some of the SMP work had blown out causing dark enlarged spots rather than fine crisp hair-like dots.

The studio I went to (Studio Sashiko) was more than happy to continue working on my SMP until I was satisfied with the results. About the same time Studio Sashiko had just hired a new very talented SMP technician (Shannon Liddell - The Ink Barber) that I began working with to correct and adjust my Scalp Micropigmentation. I visited Shannon many times while he went over some of the trouble areas blending out the darker spots and also fine tuning my frontal hairline so that it was more natural and softer on the front edge. We even added some white pigment to a few of the darker spots to soften them and blend everything together.

My SMP journey for sure took a lot longer than I was expecting with way more visits to Studio Sashiko then we all had anticipated but the end result I feel is what I was expecting to get from the beginning and I can honestly say I have made some new friends over at Studio Sashiko.

My take away from all of this is that you really need to find a place that will stand behind their work and make sure that at the end of the day you are happy with your results. You also need to make sure that the you see before and after results from the actual SMP Tech that is going to do your Scalp Micropigmentation work, not just some photos the studio has on hand as you never know who actually did that work.

SMP can be a real life changer for a person that is conscious of their thinning hair and is looking for a permanent solution that looks great and is not going to break your bank account or cause you a lot of pain and suffering.

If you live in the Vancouver Fraser Valley area and are considering having SMP work done then for sure book a consultation with (Shannon Liddell - The Ink Barber) over at Studio Sashiko and tell him Mike from GetFitOver40.com sent you!

Koogeek Bluetooth Wifi Body Statistics Smart Scale Unboxing

I recently received a Koogeek S1 Wifi Body Statistics Smart Scale directly from Koogeek for the purpose of making a review for it. in this video I simply unbox the Koogeek S1 Scale and show you around it, I also show you how to pair the Koogeek Bluetooth Wifi Body Statistics Smart Scale to your smart phone and connect it to Wifi for the first time.

One major advantage of the Koogeek Bluetooth Wifi Body Statistics Smart Scale is it's price point compared to other similar products it competes with. It is about half the price and seems to compare in both features and esthetic to other higher priced Body Statistics Smart Scales on the market.

If you are interested in purchasing your own Koogeek S1 Smart Scale then make sure to use the link below along with the coupon code provided to save additional money.

• US Link Use Discount Code R4LLSZB7
• UK Link Use Discount Code 8IUTKIU7
• Canada Link Use Discount Code FW8OOUPD

Koogeek Bluetooth Wifi Body Statistics Smart Scale Main Specification:

• 8 Precision Body Measurements - Weight, BMI (Body Mass Index), Body Fat Mass, Lean Mass, Bone Mass, Total Body Water, BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) and Visceral Fat.
• Bluetooth & Wi-Fi Connectivity - Automatically upload your measurements via Bluetooth 4.0 or Wi-Fi, whether you are at home, or while on the road. Note: only be used on 2.4G network.
• Free Fitness APP - Lets you set achievable goals and monitor your health trends in charts and graphs whenever and wherever. (Available on iOS and Android). Use BIA method and "Step-On" technology.
• 16 Users Tracking Management - Through a simple set-up process, the scale can be programmed to automatically recognize up to 16 users.
• Weigh your Baby - Weigh yourself first, then step on the Scale holding your baby. Your baby's weight will be calculated and synced to the app automatically. Launch the Koogeek app to check your child's weight trend.

What I use to Track my Daily Activity and Workouts Apple Watch

This video is perhaps not so much a review but more of an overview of what I use in terms of Tech Fitness Gadgetry to track my activity and workouts day to day. Over the years I have had the opportunity to use a number of fitness tech devises from companies like Apple, Garmin, Polar, Fitbit, Jabra, iHealth, Mio, Skulpt and Atlas. At the end of the day you need to find a device that fits not only into what and how you do your fitness but also it needs to fit into your lifestyle and hopefully make that even a little better in some ways.

For a little over the past year I have been using a combination of hardware and software that are independent from each other but work fairly well together thanks to the flexibility of Apple's Heath Kit and Under Armours suite of Apps that offer connectivity with a host of other companies.

You really need to watch my YouTube video as I explain in detail how I use several independent hardware devices with some very flexible software to bring it all together and fit my fitness and lifestyle needs. Here is a list of what I am using with a short description of what each device and software program offers for me:

Apple Watch (Version 1):
My Apple Watch is great in terms of how it is kind of a personal assistant to what's going on with my iPhone. On top of that my Apple Watch tracks my steps and daily heart rate while acting as a go-between and heads up real time display for several of the fitness Apps I use on my iPhone.

Apple iPhone 7 Plus:
We all know what an iPhone can do, on the fitness side I primarily use Under Armour Apps for my fitness needs as I feel they offer me more detailed information and sharing capabilities than Apple's own fitness related Apps. I use the Under Armour Record App to track my daily activity and I also start and stop any workouts I do using the UA Record App. Since MyFitnessPal is also an Under Armour product both Apps share their information to each other so I can offset any food intake calories with exercise output activity which helps me stay on track when either maintaining weight, cutting weight or bulking.

Polar H7 Heart Rate Monitor (Chest Strap):
Most wrist based Optical Heart Rate Monitors at least for me do not work properly, they always end up missing my elevated heart rate activity so I miss this important information that is vital for tracking true calories burned during a workout. For this reason I can not depend on my Apple Watch's built in optical heart rate monitor to track my heart rate during a workout. My solution to this problems is to strap on my Polar H7 Heart Rate Monitor when I plan to do nay exercise where my heart rate will be elevated, this way I get very actuate heart rate readings and true calories burned during a workout. I have the option of pairing my Polar H7 to either my Apple Watch or directly to my iPhone, generally I pair the Polar H7 to my Apple iPhone since it is the most dependable.

Again make sure to watch my YouTube video below for a much more descriptive explanation on how I utilize all these products for fitness and day to day life.

Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless BT Earbud Earphones Review

Features:

• Pair and play with your Bluetooth® device with 30 foot range.
• 6 hour rechargeable battery.
• Premium sound in a lightweight design with flexible earhooks.
• IPX4 Sweat and water resistant.
• Take hands-free calls and adjust music with no-slip-grip RemoteTalk™ controls.
• Dual-driver acoustics power music through each ear bud delivering Beat’s signature sound for a great listening experience. 

In the Box:

• Powerbeats2 Wireless earphones with RemoteTalk™ wrap around cable
• Hard shell carrying case
• Universal micro USB cable
• Cable management clip
• Four (4) pairs of multi-sized/shaped ear tips
• Quick Start guide

Difference between Beats Powerbeats2’s and Beats Powerbeats3’s:

• Slight cosmetic changes.
• 3’s use new Apple W1 technology for extra battery life and easy setup.
• 6 hours versus 12 hour battery life.
• Fast charge 15 minutes for 1 hour versus 5 minutes for 1 hour of playback time.
• Price 2’s can be found lower priced on clearance (I paid $79) versus 3’s are around $199.

Sound Quality:
I will not go on record as saying the Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless BT Earbuds are the best sounding earphones I have tested to date but they are up there in the rankings. the Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless BT Earbuds have a nice flat sound with not too much high range, just the right amount of bass not to get annoying and a pleasant amount of mid range to warm things up and bring out the vocals in your music. When you crank up the volume they can actually get a bit too loud bet even so they do not seem to distort at all so you keno the drivers are more than adequate for the job.

Fit:
Fit to me is just as important as sound quality, if a pair of earbuds do not fit correctly in your ear canals than you can lose a lot of bas and even low miss which will make the music sound thin. When the fit is good, your earbuds will sodden full and they will even block out a lot of the background noises. I found the Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless BT Earbuds to fit really well for me when I use the largest buds on them. Once I have put them in my ears I never need to adjust or even think about them again till I am finished using them. I am sure the flexible earhooks also help to keep the Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless BT Earbuds in place when being very active.

Overall Quality:
I have only been using my Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless BT Earbuds for a few months but so far so good and they still work and look like new. They are light weight but well built and the rubber cord and overall exterior is holding up well from my gym usage.

Bluetooth Signal Strength:
I am very impressed with the Bluetooth signal on my Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless BT Earbuds, I get fewer cutouts and better range than any other BT headphone I have tested so far. I can even go as far as 60 feet away from my iPhone and still hear my music as long as there is a clear line of sight.

Battery Life:
Battery life on the is about average, not great and not bad, I get about 3 workouts in before I need a recharge which for me is about 5 hours of usage, Beats claims the Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless BT Earbuds can get up to 6 hours but that would be stretching it a bit when listing to music with a decent amount of bass at higher volume levels. For me this is good enough, I usually recharge after every two workouts to be safe.

Controls:
The con are pretty standard on the Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless BT Earbuds, you have a power button on the left earbud to turn them on and off and there is also a remote control on the rubber cable that has a built in mic for hands free calling along with controls that allow for volume up and down. There is also the standard pause, answer button for controlling muscle playback and answering and hanging up calls. Strangely enough when I long hold the + and - buttons to skip or replay a track this feature does not seem to be present on the Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless BT Earbuds like it is on many other BT Earbuds I have used. Not a deal breaker for me since I can always use my iPhone music controls for that.

Conclusion:
So far the Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless BT Earbuds are my favorite earbuds I have used. I love the fit, I love the sound and I love the overall quality of them. Would I have liked to get the newer Beats Powerbeats3 Wireless BT Earbuds? Sure but at over half the price my Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless BT Earbuds work great and get the job done in style!

Wacth my YouTube Video Review for the Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless BT Earbuds:

BCABBA Sanctioned Posing Seminar

As I mentioned in my previous video, I had planned to attend a BCABBA Sanctioned Posing Seminar, this was for last Saturday. Well I made it, did it, and even took some photos and shot some video to share with everyone :)

Keep in mind I am not at all in contest shape, more like hibernation mode ;) I have lost a few pounds since Christmas and I have a feeling I will lean up even more now that I am incorporating come Bootcamp / CrossFit type workouts into my training...

You may notice not too many of the other guys are really all that shredded, most like me also don't have shows till later on this year and this BCABBA Sanctioned Posing Seminar is really to pickup some pointers and make those small improvements that make all the difference in your posing routine.

I want to thank both Men's Physique - CBBF National Competitor Jeffery De Jesus and Men's Physique - IFBB Pro Nathaniel Werner for their help and tips at the BCABBA Sanctioned Posing Seminar!