This past Christmas my husband surprised me with a Fitbit. At first, I was uncertain, fearing another technical device that might pressure or control me in some way. Especially since I had just removed the FaceBook app from my phone because I found myself putting aside my night time reading for the latest FB posts and updates. However, we’d just come off a Disney World Vacation where I asked my daughters (wearing their Fitbits), “How many miles did we do today?” The answer was always astonishing to me, anywhere between 17,000 to 24,000 steps or the equivalent of seven to ten miles.
Two days after Christmas, my daughter put the app on my phone and synced it with the Fitbit. She explained how to manage my exercise, calorie intake, sleep pattern, and participate in challenges. “Wear it as a watch. Just remember to take it off when you shower. That’s the best time to recharge it, too,” she advised. She also added me to a competition with her college friends who were home for the holidays, too. The first week, I came in third place--not bad considering I hadn’t seen 19 (the ages of the group) in over thirty years. Each week, one of her friends would invite me to the “Work Week Hustle,” a Fitbit challenge (players can see the standings as they progress, goals met, messages, and achievements) and to see who can get the most steps that runs from 12:00 AM Monday to 11:59 PM Friday for up to 10 participants.
“How nice,” I thought, never refusing an invitation.
Perhaps that’s why they also invited me to the Weekend Warrior competition. I’d love to say I won at times, but that would be a blatant lie, though I desperately wanted to tout first place against this younger crowd. I did come in 2nd place, once or twice. At one point, I thought I had first place by a landslide. I went to bed feeling pleased with my accomplishment of beating out the “youngsters”. Of course, my bedtime is around 10 p.m. When I woke up the following morning, a Saturday, I was in third place. I jumped out of bed and kept pecking at my Fitbit, thinking it was mistaken. I checked the reading on my smart phone. Both the phone and the Fitbit read the same, 3rd place. Granted, the margin was narrow for second and third place, but still I was nowhere near the winner. Then it hit me. On a Friday night, this younger set of Fitbit enthusiasts readily accomplished the five thousand steps gap during those final two hours.
Perhaps it was the fact I’d been somewhat complacent remarking, “Looks like I have this one…kids,” that motivated them to get those steps in before midnight. Even the one who seemed to have stayed in bed all day managed to be on my tail.
Another time, I asked one girl who had been lagging one day but really gained steps the next, “How did you do that?”
Her reply, “My campus is 800 acres.”
Aside from being motivated by competing in the Work Week Hustle and Weekend Warrior (another Fitbit challenge designed for as a weekend competition) against my daughter and her friends, I also gave myself a daily goal of 12,000 steps or five miles. I’m no longer under the delusion (it took me a few months to realize that, yes, the age difference and their schedules are a factor) of getting first place. I like being in the thick of it and usually maintain 3rd place in our group of six participants. The others have all, at one time or another, taken first.
There are days when I achieve my step goal without much difficulty, but these are the days I clean, do errands, and the weather cooperates for a long walk with my dog. Proving my mother right when she used to say, “If you want exercise, clean the house.” I’ve realized a good housecleaning, dusting, laundry, vacuuming, etc. is good for 3,000 steps. Errands another 3,000 steps (especially grocery shopping and warehouse member needs) and walking the dog is 6,000 steps. However, on days when the weather doesn’t cooperate and I’m writing instead of doing errands, I have to spend more time on the treadmill than I prefer to get those steps in. The good news is that, since wearing my Fitbit back in late December, I have only missed my 12,000 steps three days--once when I was traveling and two other times when I was “under the weather.”
Recently, I earned a badge for walking 500 miles. What does one get other than a virtual badge? More energy is gained while the inches come off making for looser clothes.
On March 25th, Fitbit celebrated 10 years, according to the email I received from James Park and Eric Friedman, co-founders. Their growth is astounding with the popularity continuing to increase in over 65 countries and 60 million devices sold. Their goal of “helping people to live healthier more active lives” is being met daily as they keep enhancing the device for personalized achievements.
It’s important to keep the Fitbit in perspective. I read a blog where a man kept increasing his steps to the point of breaking his Fitbit and, while waiting for a new one to arrive, suffered high anxiety from not wearing the device. I say, keep it fun and within a healthy level of steps. If you get frustrated with it, then the device has not served its purpose. Stay active but don’t stay active in a manic state to achieve steps. That will result in an emotional letdown.
The Fitbit comes with instructions that advise the user start out with 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day. I encourage those sitting at a desk to go with the lower number because working up to a conceivable step goal number is very gratifying. You’ll soon discover ways to get those steps to add up throughout the day. My personal reward of late for making my steps is removing the Fitbit when I go out with friends. Wearing it in the movie theater allows for a buzz, buzz reminder that you’re sitting too long. Am I expected to walk about the theater while the Beast is wooing the beauty with his kind and caring ways? I think not.
Buzz, buzz time to put away laundry and gain some steps-nearly a thousand at that.