Fitbit Junkie

I've joined the Fitbit train, and man, oh man, am I enjoying the ride. Who knew? I've used RunKeeper to track my workouts the past couple of years, and while I love it, there is something addictive about tracking how much I move during the day, and reviewing the data and charts I get with my Fitbit. 

There are several product options, and after doing my usual exhaustive research and reading loads of reviews, I decided to go with the Fitbit One model. 

As you can see from the product info above, this tiny device measures steps taken, calories burned, distance traveled, stairs climbed, hours slept and the quality of sleep. It syncs via bluetooth to your smartphone or computer. I have an iphone 4, and the direct sync does not work with it - it needs a 4s or newer model, but this is not an issue as I can easily sync via my computer and I can view the data on my iphone 4 via a free app. 

Here for example is a screen shot of  my phone from yesterday. 

I love the hours slept and the quality of sleep function, and you can track additional information like the amount of water you drink (I do), and the food you eat (I do not).

I bought the device on July 1, and have set my daily target at 10,000 steps, which is about 5 miles, and I've hit or exceeded that target every day but two.

Does it work? It depends on the type of person you are. If like me, when you see that you are short of your target for the day and that gets you moving, then yes, this is for you. If you have friends who are kicking your butt and you are determined to catch up and maybe even pass them, then this is for you. If however you have a tendency to beat yourself up for failing at yet one more thing, then maybe this is not for you. Another bit of advice is to track what you actually walk in a day, and then set a realistic target depending on your baseline. Do not set yourself up to fail.

Yes, comparison is the thief of happiness, but in this case it gets me moving just so I can catch up to a friend who seems to be a jack rabbit.

A fad? Maybe. But 2 weeks later, I've walked or run about 84 miles. Not bad. Not bad at all. And a bonus side effect is that the kitchen has never been so clean! Yup, that is what I'm doing right before going to bed to get in those extra steps.

Are you a fitbitter? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and if you'd like a little friendly competition, let's be fitbit friends.