Rockin' and Rollin' and Whatnot

Instead of making resolutions for the new year, I tend to make goals. I call them 'goals' to take some of the pressure off myself when those 'goals' don't get met. Or, as is more often the case, it takes a lot longer to reach those goals than I anticipated.

One of my goals each year is to move. Yes, you could say 'exercise' or 'get in shape,' but if I tell myself I will move more, it makes me feel like that rush about I do on a daily basis as a mom is actually achieving something. That's why I was so excited about the fitbit, which is a small wearable device that calculates the steps you take, the calories you burn and the miles you've traveled. By wearing it, I feel like I'm more active than (perhaps) I really am, but it validates the constant scamper I run at. There's also a very appealing flower icon that grows as you become more active. (I really love it when the flower has 10 leaves on it!)
The fitbit also calculates how much sleep you've had and of course, when it syncs in to your online account, will tabulate all of your data so you have more informed picture of your health. If you want to add more data online, you can manually enter foods eaten, maximum heart rate, blood glucose levels and even your mood for the day.

I think it's a great tool to help you realize where you're at on a day to day basis, giving you more information to help long term goals. However, just when I got into the routine of remembering to wear it all day (and night), glowing in the number of leaves on my fitness flower, the display went dark. Apparently, there is already a software update/fix for the PCs, but as a Mac user, I'd have to wait.

I wanted to take the time to wear it, sync it, and base all my information on what appeared online. I wouldn't have to peek at how many steps I took between breakfast and lunch, right? But it was like carrying around an iPod where you could only hear your favorite playlist when you were plugged into the computer-far less gratifying than I wanted it to be. So, I'm returning the fitbit. A bummer, but a lack of display combined with its questionable durability make it necessary to find other alternatives.

I'll have to search for an alternative immediately because I signed up for the Seattle Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon and I need a reliable training partner.

Getting the Digits

Remember when my husband brought home a scale? Well, I didn't mention before that he's also monitoring his caloric intake, keeping an Excel spreadsheet and looking at online options to help improve his physical fitness.

I think improving one's physical fitness is admirable. I admire him. He is fit.

But I still want to weigh less than him. Even if it's just a pound or two.

When he shows me a new gadget or tracking system, I do the kindly, "That's nice, honey," and turn in a wifely way to the dishes in the sink or the brownies that need to come out of the oven. But now that I'm running more, and will begin to cross train on my non-running days (yes, I just found out what a 'burpee' is), I've been doing some physical fitness monitoring of my own.

The first, is keeping a running log. I started writing down the distances of my runs -- now that I think about it, I should probably be writing down the times --  how they went (easy, tough start but went okay, had to walk, etc.). While browsing around online, I came across the fitbit. I love the idea of tracking your rest as well as your activity. I know I don't get enough rest, but a constant reminder might be a good motivator to even the stats out. I also like that it tracks moderate activity, not just calories burned or mileage, but the activities that parent might engage in that could count as 'staying active.' Like playground time, or chasing a ball together, or hula hooping.

After surfing around the site, I realized hubby had shown me the fitbit months back. I'm not sure if I was doing dishes or eating brownies at the time, but I'm pretty sure I nodded. Now I want it. Maybe if I suggest his and hers...