Important fact number one: I am not much of a gadget person. I use any gadgets that I have to use for their primary purpose only. The bells and whistles on my phone? No idea what they do. I can call and I can text and that’s good enough for me. So when our exercise physiologist, Beth Shepard (who I happen to adore), wrote a blog on fitness gadgets, I didn’t pay that much attention.
Important fact number two: I have a friend who has lost 120 pounds over the last two years. She went from 250 pounds to 130 pounds by eating healthfully and moving her body. It’s been remarkable to watch her transformation. To keep herself motivated through a recent weight plateau, she bought a Fitbit and told me excitedly all about it. Well, I was feeling a little lackadaisical about my physical activity and so decided to splurge on a Fitbit too. Two months later, I am a Fitbit devotee. I have worn simple pedometers on and off for years and I think they are great. But the Fitbit definitely packs more punch than any pedometer I had previously used. Now, I must say that I am in no way affiliated with the company, but if Fitbit asked me to be their spokesperson I’d gladly agree. Here’s why: the Fitbit is tiny, comfortable to wear and does not fall off. It is accurate and gives immediate feedback on steps taken, miles covered, and stairs climbed. And here’s the best part – it comes with a docking station which plugs into your computer. Every time you walk by your computer, your Fitbit website account automatically updates all of your data. So what does Fitbit do that makes it the Cadillac of health tracking devices? Fitbit tracks what you eat: You can track your food intake on the Fitbit website, and it is very easy to do. I have tracked a few times but have not done that piece consistently yet. This is a very important tool for people wanting to lose weight, as many studies show that keeping a food journal helps keep healthy eating on track.
Look up thousands of products on the Fitbit website to help track nutrition and calories. Image courtesy www.fitbit.com.
Fitbit gives you daily statistics in a simple format. Image courtesy www.fitbit.com.
