My Fitbit

It was probably a year ago when Bill brought me a free Fitbit that he picked up at a convention. A Fitbit is an exercise tracker, in bracelet form, that works with your computer to keep track of the number of steps walked in a day, how much sleep you get, how long you exercise, and how many calories you burn. Some models of the Fitbit do even more, but mine, as a freebie, is the most basic "Flex" model.

My new Fitbit sat in its box, on my nightstand, for several months before I asked Bill to help me set it up. (He reads fine print better than I do.) I had already been using the built-in health app on my phone to keep track of my steps, but it was only useful to let me know how far I went when I was purposefully walking for exercise, since I don't typically carry my phone around at home.

Someone has arbitrarily decided that 10,000 steps a day is a good goal for most healthy people. I don't know how many steps I accumulated when I was teaching preschool, but I suspect I came pretty close to 10,000 each day without much effort. Since I've retired, though, I knew I wasn't nearly as active as I had been while I was teaching.

More than a year ago, I started walking several times a week, mostly around my neighborhood. When I first started wearing my Fitbit, I was disappointed to find that I was walking 10,000 steps only one or two days a week. There is something about knowing exactly how many steps I'm walking that motivates me to try harder to meet a healthy goal, so it wasn't too long before my Fitbit was registering 10,000 steps, or more, four or five days in a week's time. Lately, it isn't unusual for me to reach my goal for seven or eight days in a row. On Tuesdays, when the grandchildren usually come over for the morning, I can rack up well over 10,000 steps without even trying. And, on the days I hike to the Monument or out at Bead Mountain with my friend, Deb, I can expect to accumulate 15,000 steps, or more.

The original band fell off my wrist once or twice, so I ordered a set of four, more secure bands on Amazon.
Now, I can color-coordinate my Fitbit to match my outfit!

I don't usually walk outside when the temperature is below 10 degrees, or when the wind is blowing a gale, because I don't want to trigger my asthma. For the same reason, I stay inside on cold, wet days. Inclement weather provides an excuse for a trip to Hobby Lobby, or even the dreaded WalMart, so I can earn steps toward my goal. Occasionally this past winter, I walked a loop inside my church, but I've avoided walking at the mall, so far. 

I try to choose the best time of day for a walk, depending on the season and weather. In the summer, I usually walk in the evening, after the temperature has moderated. In the winter, afternoon is the most comfortable time to walk. In the spring and fall, I watch the weather forecast carefully so I can walk when the weather is dry and warm, without being hot, and when there is the least amount of wind, usually in the late morning or just before sunset.

Late afternoon shadows.

I've found that the calorie counter is rather arbitrary on my Flex, tied directly to the number of steps I walk. I don't wear my Fitbit at night because, like others I've talked to, I have no desire to officially know how poorly I sleep some nights.

I have noticed that rocking my youngest grandson, Ari, counts as steps, with very little exertion, so I try to get in some extra, higher-quality steps on those days. Playing the guitar also adds "steps" quickly, but I let those count, because vigorous guitar-strumming is work.

I find that I feel much better on the days I meet my goal, so I guess I can thank my Fitbit for that. It is just a tool, but it works for me.

Isn't it amazing to see how God provides some little things that nudge us in the direction he wants us to go?


Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20