Me and the Fitbit

Do you ever get to the end of the day and feel like you’ve walked miles when you just went to work and maybe the gym?  I certainly do, and the nerd in me wanted to know some actual numbers. So I thought I’d try a Fitbit.  For those that don’t know, Fitbit is a company that makes “activity trackers.”  Their devices are something you wear and they act as a pedometer telling you approximately how many steps you take and the distance you cover with those steps.  I have a Zip model, the one that you clip to your pants.  This one will also track the number of active minutes and calories burned.

The main question I had was how close I am to the recommended 10,000 steps a day.  The answer, I found, is most days I am close to or over that number.  Little activities can really add up during the day.  Grocery shopping can be 1,000 on its own, same with cleaning house.

What surprised me is that having this tool has made me somewhat accountable for my activities.  I get into a competition with myself to see how high I can get that steps number.  It’s helped me stay motivated with my cardio workouts.  There’s something about syncing the Zip (you can sync the information to your computer or an app on your smart phone) and seeing how much work you’ve done that brings a sense of accomplishment.

It has great potential to be an effective weight loss tool.  If you HAVE to get those steps in, you are likely moving more than you were before, therefore burning more calories.  I’ve heard stories of people just pacing at night to make sure they got their steps in for the day.  No, this is not me, I swear, but it’s not a bad idea.

Here’s what I like about activity trackers, or at least this one: they are easy to use.  Clip and go.  You just have to remember to move them if you change clothes during the day, and to put them on in the morning.  Also, I personally like the distance feature, ie how far those 10k steps take me.  For those who are nerdy with numbers, you can make it a game to reach your goals, and the treadmill or stair climber seems less boring when you have an idea of the work you are doing.  Fitbit will send you a weekly email with your stats for the previous week, such as totals and averages for each metric. 

It’s time to get moving again…try one out and let me know how you like it!  Or if you already use one, let me know that too!  See you at the gym!