Fitbit for dummy

- Fitbit Noun from the Latin meaning: “Get off the sofa and go walk 10,000 steps.”

Couple of days before my birthday, my wife asked me if I would like a Fitbit. I didn’t know what it was and I wasn’t sure if she was joking. So I answered: “No thank you!”

She must have guessed my ignorance because she started to tell me what it does. I had said NO so I was not about to change my answer and look like she was right about me wanting one. A man has to assume himself!

Today we went to Costco and while she had her eyes examined I just walked through the store aimlessly, just browsing. In the electronic department what did I see? A gizmo that does something similar to the Fitbit, it’s a distant cousin, a Vivofit.

I looked around, my wife was no where in sight, so I approached the Vivofit to see what it’s all about.

Interesting, I thought, maybe it would be useful. Now that this is MY idea it must be a good one, right?

For those who won’t admit they don’t know what it is I’ll tell you what I understood. It’s like a pedometer, it measures the number of steps you take. You wear it around your wrist and keeps counting all day. It will help you keep track of your daily activities. You can set goals (like walking 10,000 steps) and when you reach your goal it will vibrate at which time you are free to use your sofa. It also tells you how many calories you burnt. The most advance one will also monitor your heart rate. Every thing is downloadable to your smart phone or PC.

My problem with it is that I don’t like wearing stuff… I don’t wear my watch; I don’t have bracelets, chains or any other piece of hardware on me except for the clothes I wear.

With all the research I did, I still couldn’t figure out if it also tells time. If you have to wear it all day it might as well have another purpose.

If you wear it in bed, well I don’t know if it will track all exercises but it will tell you how you slept. I’m at a lost on that one; I think I sleep with both eyes closed, that’s pretty much my only concern.

Do you own one? Does anyone you know have one? Do you (or they) like it or after a few weeks did it took a last step to the bottom of a drawer?