Bought my hubby a Fitbit for Christmas. Turns out, it's the gift that keeps on giving.

[Baitball Blogger]

We're both at that age where we're slowing down and we're both looking for ways and reasons to fight the urge to get sedentary. It's easier for me to keep moving because there's always things to do in the garden. But I was worried about hubby until I came by a fitbit on Christmas Eve. Usually $129, Bed, Bath and Beyond had it on sale for $99 and with a 20% off coupon, it was a steal. It wasn't an easy sale for my husband. He was skeptical.

First time we went to the park I encouraged him to wear it. We learned that we can make 5000 of our 10,000 steps just jogging at the park, but we only do that once a week. He kept it on for a few more days and became hooked because all kinds of movement counts. Even when he mows the lawn! He now takes the dogs out to walk even when it's my turn, just to make his daily allowance!

And the best part, I learned that he's so determined to make his 10,000 each day, that when he's only a 100 steps away from his goal he's only too eager to get up and make me a drink when I ask him to.

Damn, I wish we had gotten into the fitbit craze sooner.

[dhol82]

1. Awesome!

[kimbutgar]

2. Got one for my husband at Xmas last year

He is obsessed with it and will walk in place to make his daily steps. He brought me one for my birthday but I only use it when I work. On vacations though we use his to gage our mutual steps. It is a great motivator to move.

[mr_lebowski]

3. That's cool ... my mom is mid 70's and she's shooting for 6000/day

And I spent the holidays with her and my stepdad, and heard her proudly announce her 'steps' each evening ... seems like a fantastic way to encourage folks to get in their exercise ... excellent use of tech, if you have a relative that's amenable ...

[Baitball Blogger]

4. I think it helps make people aware that movement, of all kinds, counts.

And, yes, that is very helpful especially to people who can't make it to the gym every day.

[babylonsister]

5. He's a keeper, and I need one!

Motivation is a great thing.

[avebury]

6. One of my co-workers wears a fitbit and I kind of question

just how accurate they really are. We drove to a regional office to take a co-worker who was retiring out to lunch. Now mind you this is a two hour drive each way and we are just sitting in a van (the person with the fitbit was not driving). The fitbit showed that she was getting exercise when all she was doing was sitting in the van. We thought it was really strange.

[Baitball Blogger]

10. My husband say he's going to try to rotate his wrist the next time he goes out for a long drive.

Worth a try.

[Brainstormy]

16. mine was accurate at all

but for the opposite reason. I could make ten laps around the dining room table and it said I'd made six steps. My husband said I was too smooth.

[Sherman A1]

7. I picked up an exercise bike last year

At Aldi and use my iPhone to track step count. Each morning I do 20 miles on the bike while surfing the net, reading or watching movies and I’m done.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

9. Hmmm. Pretty cool.

It sure helps to have encouragement to get ourselves active. Happy New Year Sherm.

[Sherman A1]

23. Happy New Year 🎈

To you as well.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

8. Nice when a gift really pays off. You don't know what you don't know, until you know it.

But now you do!!! Fit-Bits are so much fun. I like the night-time sleep monitor. Never knew I woke up so much. Anything that encourages movement. Do yourself a solid and get a Fitbit shell(?)/cover for it right away. It helps the rubber stay in place and generally extends the lifetime. Snaps right over the top of it. Good job on the choice of gifts. Happy New Year my friend.

[Baitball Blogger]

12. Thank you. Happy New Year to you, too.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

15. Those snap on covers are like 5.00 or less.

[targetpractice]

11. I once saw a woman shaking her Fitbit for a solid hour on MetroNorth...

...I asked her why she was doing this. She said there was an office contest for a prize, and she always wins.

[Baitball Blogger]

13. Atleast she isn't sedentary.

[targetpractice]

14. She was seated. Just kind of waggling her wrist.

That's cheating, right?

[Baitball Blogger]

17. Yup.

[Solly Mack]

18. Heh!

[apkhgp]

19. Whatever works for you.....

[dae]

20. My daughter wanted to get me one but I told her no thank you. Now

I may have to try one out.

[Boomer]

21. I've had one for several years

It's a really good way to track your overall activity level, which in itself is motivation when you see it's a bit low.

My favorite feature is the 250 Steps program. It buzzes if you haven't walked at least 250 steps in the last hour. When I pay attention, it's a great way to clear my mind at the office. Get up, walk around, come back ready to refocus.

When I see that I've stepped a lot more than my average, I'm also prepared for the next day, when I'll usually be more tired than usual. It provides context for slumps, which don't seem so random anymore.

[airplaneman]

22. I have been through two

Its interesting but only for a while.
Two reasons it stales out.
One the band fails.
Two you stop looking at it because you know what it is going to say.
So when the band wears out its not worth you time or effort to fix it because you have reached that point that you know what it will say anyhow.
Both were gifts to me - They are too expensive for me to buy myself.
-Airplane