When I heard of the crazy trend of getting a FitBit, I thought it was a fad that will pass. It started with my family: My mom and her sisters all had them and even created weekly competitions. Then, my cousin got one and joined their battles. More and more I noticed that people around me started getting them, while also sharing links to buy colorful bands to accessorize their daily outfits. It was like an addiction and I couldn’t see myself getting involved.
Well, lo and behold five years later, they are still just as popular — and I just got one myself. I was surprised to see what Santa brought me for Christmas and was really hesitant about how absorbed I’d get into it, or how frequently I’ll use it. However, I quickly became obsessed with how it works and really committed to using it right to get more active.
Here’s why I recommend trying it:
It encourages you to get moving
On its display screen, FitBit shows you your step count for the day. Throughout the day it’ll send you mini-challenges to accomplish in order to earn badges (a.k.a. bragging rights and proof that you’re doing these tasks). I love the encouragements and little reminders when you haven’t gotten any steps for a while — it reminds you not to stay seated all day. These little boosts really encourage me to hit the specified number since I’m so competitive. Plus, it helps me stay fit throughout my day instead of sitting at my desk being lazy.
It’s helped with my back pain
I have a very poorly structured lower body — my tailbone especially. My chiropractor has always recommended me to get up and take breaks from sitting to relieve the pressure on my lower back. However, I struggled to keep it up, and when I actually did, I was in pain. Now, because of my FitBit’s reminders to start walking, not only do I feel compelled to take a break and get my steps in, but I also feel relieved from a lot of pain. I definitely recommend it if you also deal with back pain.
It’s helped with my sleeping
Arguably the best feature is the ability to track my sleep. I’ve always been a horrendous sleeper. Now, by wearing my FitBit to bed, I can actually see how long I’ve slept, how many times I stirred, or how long I was awake for between various sleeping stages. Although it’s not a selling point for most, I love this feature!
I’m more driven at the gym
Your FitBit also tracks your physical activity in addition to walking. So when I go to the gym, it tracks how long I’m on the elliptical, stationary bike, or stair climber. It also tracks how many days a week you’ve been physically active, so you’ll be able to know how good you are at actually going to the gym. It shows me that I am actually working out harder at the gym while also trying to get a lot more steps in at the same time.
The competition between your friends helps encourage you to do more
On the app or in your online profile you have the ability to add your friends who also have FitBits. On this platform, you are able to see how many steps they get in a day or week. You can even set up weekly competitions to see who gets the most steps, and everyone involved will get these notifications. It’s a fun incentive if you need an extra kick of motivation.
Overall, for competitive people like myself, I really find the mini-competitions available through my FitBit to be really helpful. I get that extra drive to want to beat other people’s numbers — including my own. I find that it motivates you in the right way. Plus, it creates a healthy push to do better without being in your face about it. And the easy monitoring makes it so simple to track your progress of whatever physical/health goals you’re trying to accomplish.
If you’re looking for a simple and effective way to start getting more active, a FitBit is a very easy way to start. Once you see your step count getting higher every day, you’ll soon become hooked too.
Featured image by Charlotte Karlsen on Unsplash.
