Keeping Fit

We've written before about keeping fit on the boat. David is so much better at a regimented exercise program than I am. I have all the best intentions, but I can always think of something better to do than sit-ups, push-ups, leg lifts and running in place. It doesn't take much to distract me. Walking, however, is a usually pleasure … especially when there's a place to walk to. It definitely makes sense as an exercise program for me when we're off the boat. A fellow cruiser was walking up and down the dock the other day at the boatyard and stopped by to chat for a minute. She said she was trying to attain her 10,000 steps for the day. I asked how she kept track and she mentioned she was wearing a FitBit and showed it to me. Its rechargeable battery only needs charging about twice a month. She raved about how it not only kept track of her daily steps, but the number of flights of stairs she climbed, her levels of activity, calories burned, miles walked and even sleep patterns, if she wanted. How many miles is 10,000 steps anyway? About five, she told me.

In the past I'd talked about getting some sort of an activity monitor or pedometer and always put it off. After some overnight thought and discussion and a little more research, I decided to order a FitBit. There are several different versions of the FitBit available, but since I'm a basic sort of girl, I ordered a basic FitBit One on Amazon.

Being back in the USA, we have subscribed to Amazon Prime for the first time ever and I had my FitBit the next morning delivered directly to the boatyard. Instant gratification is a wonderful thing.

I've been wearing it ever since and I have to admit, it's a positive influence and motivator to keep me moving and walking throughout the day. One of my New Year's resolutions for 2016 was to lose weight and exercise more. I've become a “chubbette” and I hate it. Admittedly, I have the same darned resolution every new year, but this year I've actually lost a few pounds already and aim to keep up the trend ... lose more and exercise more.

I check my progress during the day on the little monitor itself, but there's an app for phones and PCs that allows me to see how I'm doing on a weekly basis and tracking progress.

I also receive “badges” on-line and atta-girls for meeting certain goals. Some might find this motivating.… I find kind of girl-scoutish.

I think wearing an activity monitor like this one tends to be an incentive to keep moving and walking. I already find myself parking a little further from the store entrance so I can get in a few extra steps or making an effort to walk in the park more. For that matter, we actually walk to the store sometimes instead of accepting a ride or using the car. Progress!

Just a side note …

I'm writing about the FitBit because I really like using it and find it helpful in my efforts to keep fit. If you're interested, check it out on Amazon and if you order it (or anything else for that matter) through our link, Amazon will throw a few shekels our way and it won't cost you a cent more. It's one way of sharing information about products we use and like while helping the cruising kitty to stay healthy at the same time.