Do the Math
The Biggest Loser star Jillian Michaels was in San Jose on April 12th speaking on her "Maximize Your Life" tour. She emphasizes how important it is to set a goal. Setting a fitness goal is easy: "I want to increase my endurance, I want a stronger upper body, I want to lose 10 pounds." But how do we map a road to success? We live in a technological age of gadgets that can measure our steps, our calories expended, the stairs we climb, and even our sleep.
What we can measure, we can manage; we can modify our behavior based on the information we glean. "In a 2007 analysis of several studies, people who used pedometers increased the number of steps taken by an average 2,491 a day and boosted overall physical activity by about 27%," cited in the Wall Street Journal article "Hard Math: Adding Up Just How Little We Actually Move" by Sumathi Reddy. Reddy goes on to say, "Americans on average take 5,117 steps a day, according to a 2010 study published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise."
A good daily goal, by contrast, is 10,000 steps, according to the American Heart Association. Walking a mile roughly equals 2,000 steps; climbing 10 steps is equivalent to taking 38 steps on level ground. We can do this easily by parking our car a few blocks away from our destination. One of my clients walks to work two days a week instead of driving to improve his numbers. Simple shifts in patterns can add those extra steps we need. Even a story on NPR, "How Exercise and Other Activities Beat Back Dementia" by Patti Neighmond, found that among highly functioning eighty-somethings, exercise is number one in keeping our brains healthy. Walking tones our internal organs and forces us to breathe more fully, getting more oxygen into our cells and our brains.
I have mentioned in previous blogs that I use both a heart rate monitor and a Fitbit pedometer. I park my car to walk a round trip of six city blocks to teach a yoga class in which I do not participate; I walk around the room giving instructions. According to my Fitbit I burn 737 kcal from start to finish and take 2,836 steps, three of those blocks uphill. I have successfully quantified a routine activity.
When I suggest a pedometer to clients, I hear the usual, "I walk around quite a bit during the day." Still the question remains: exactly how many steps, and how close is this to the desired 10,000? Using a pedometer such as the Fitbit, the Nike Fuel Band, or the Jawbone UP makes it easy and fun. You receive weekly reports, can keep track of calories eaten, and even track your sleep. The Jawbone UP can be programmed to vibrate when you have been sedentary for a preferred amount of time, so you can get up and move around.
My Fitbit gives me little messages: "Way to Go Laura!" "Bravo!" "Keep Moving!" These are endearing. On the website you can set up a group so that you can track and support each other's progress. Buddy systems are known to reinforce our fitness goals.
On the downside, some people don't like having any electronics on their person, and keeping track of the device can be challenging. I have heard stories of Fitbits slipping into the toilet or landing in the washing machine still attached to a garment. At $100 a pop, that can get expensive. The wristband is a simple solution since it is not attached to clothing. We are fortunate to have these products and their website support on our journey to health and fitness, one of our most important investments.
Whispers of the Breath Diva:
In this moment I can design my lifestyle. I am the author of my life! I am fit. I am healthy!