Fitbitter

As with any Christmas, the holiday season always reveals what is hot in the world of retail.  This year was no exception.  The Fitbit was flying off shelves before we emptied our plates on Thanksgiving Day.  It shouldn't be a surprise.  We knew the year was coming to an end and it would soon be time for another set of resolutions.  Plus, it is easy to excuse our ravenous holiday eating as long as we have good intentions to get back on track after the new year.  But I have come to fully believe and understand the bible verse, "the spirit is willing but the body is weak."

I believe that most people do have good intentions.  They want to live happy, productive and successful lives.  But I also know the tricks of the devil like laziness, procrastination, and a long list of excuses.

Recent studies have now linked our newly acquired fitness obsession, the Fitbit, with depression.  If we are not the biggest bunch of whiners in the world!  Apparently people are getting depressed when they fail to reach their step goal of the day as determined by each individual.  Maybe they are just finally having to face reality.  Nevertheless, people are now depressed and upset and just like anything else in our lives that forces us to see what we don't like, we decide that it is bad for us and all Fitbit's should be burned at the stake.

Now I have experienced firsthand the tools and functions of the Fitbit.  It really is a cool fitness and sleep tracker.  But then again, that depends on what your definition of fitness is to begin with.  If you think walking 10,000 steps a day will put you on the path to great fitness, you are badly mistaken. Have they yet invented a watch that slaps us into reality?

I will spare you the lecturing about intensity.  And let me also say that for some people who have been extremely sedentary, overweight, or simply physically incapable, then walking is a good start. Is walking more a bad thing?  Of course not and it is definitely better than the alternative.  What I would rather focus on is people being honest with themselves.  For most people, walking is not making you fit by any means.  Not even close.  You may say that you are tired afterwards so it must be working. Well, I get tired sitting in a chair all day. It certainly doesn't mean I was getting fitter.

Be honest with yourself.  Don't be afraid to leave your comfort zone while exercising. Do things that you don't necessarily want to do.  Don't be afraid to breathe heavy, sweat, and hurt a little.  And certainly don't get depressed about whether or not you hit your 10,000 step goal of the day as long as you know that there was purpose in the steps you did take.