Steps...
I'm realizing something very quickly, this Fitbit 10,000 average daily steps is not going to be an easy goal to keep this year.
Why? While I've been coming close to maintaining at least 10,000 steps every weekday that I'm at work, it's not easy. Since this whole polar vortex garbage descended on us earlier this week, I'm not going outside for walks. This means I've been making walking circuits in the hallways and stairwells of public areas in my office. That gets tedious after a while, but I'm trying. However, my weekday efforts are often countered by pitiful weekends where we stay home because it's not safe for Nathan's health, or ours, for that matter.
Let's take a look at how I've done so far...
Week 1 (first three days were the end of 2013): 3,485 | 11,442 | 14,040 | 5,273
Average = 8,560.25 steps per day for the week
Week 2 (not yet completed): 5,438 | 10,318 | 5,372 | 11,529 | 10,089
Average = 8,549.2 steps per day for the week
I'm almost wondering if I should amend the goal to allow me a little leeway for weekends. I considered requiring 60,000 steps per week, which would amount to 10,000 per weekday and 5,000 per weekend day.
But another part of me thinks I should just suck it up and face the fail instead. It will change. The weather will improve. We will renew our gym membership this weekend. We will be able to venture back outside eventually. All this should dramatically improve my step count.
Should I stick to my guns or alter it a bit? C'mon, let me know.
Oh, I should also note that I've discovered my Fitbit is one tough SoB of a device.
The other night, I had it in the pocket of my shorts when Nathan threw up on me. The shorts, with Fitbit still attached, wound up in a pile in our bathtub while we cleaned up and I got him back to bed. Then the shorts went into the washing machine. The entire cleaning cycle was complete before I realized what I had done.
I ran downstairs, dug the shorts out of the washer, and found the Fitbit clipped on to my pocket. It was still ticking and has been running fine ever since. I didn't even need to give it a rice bath.
I'm a "keep going" kind of guy as far as goals go. If goals were supposed to be easy then why would we make them? They're supposed to challenge us each day to do something above our normal habits and that's what you're doing. Yes you're falling just a bit short but that doesn't mean that you amend them to fit what would be easier. Think about what you were doing before you started this goal and then try to tell yourself you're failing because you're "only walking 8,500 steps per day." There literally is no fail in this goal. Even if you don't meet your standards you're still killing it buddy. 8500 steps? That's still freaking awesome!
So keep going and do the absolute best you can. Eventually in the summer you will probably find yourself having days of 15,000 steps but you won't lament amending your goal to 20,000 steps, right? You're doing great buddy and don't get discouraged by a few cold weeks, just make up your steps when the weather turns. Overall you need 3,650,000 steps for the year.....be like Dory and just keep walking, just keep walking.
Posted by: Scott | Saturday, 11 January 2014 at 09:45 AM
I agree with Scott...keep going!! On the weekend, why not try going over to Charlestown Mall to walk. It's virtually empty and you could all go and put Nate in a stroller.
Posted by: Suzanne Kurtz Apgar | Saturday, 11 January 2014 at 10:08 AM
3,650,000? Oy. Yeah I'm keeping on keeping on. Thanks!
Posted by: kapgar | Saturday, 11 January 2014 at 10:19 AM
We were going to try Charlestowne last weekend but never got going. We should. That's a good idea.
Posted by: kapgar | Saturday, 11 January 2014 at 10:20 AM
Just got my fitbit. Have the force. Not going to change any of the goals and just work toward hitting them.
Posted by: Bob "Pappy" Richardson | Saturday, 11 January 2014 at 10:37 AM
As someone who has been tracking steps with a Fitbit since October, I say keep your goal. The past two weeks have been hell for all of us Fitbitters. Definitely well under average. Don't let the gross weather or a couple bad weeks deter you from trying to achieve your goals. If you do wind up with a gym membership again, try to work in 2-3 days a week when you can definitely get there if you're not able to walk outside at work. Also, I know how nice it is to cozy up inside with family on the weekends after everyone goes different directions during the week. But, see if during Nathan's naps, you can get outside to walk (weather permitting, of course) ... I've noticed that just walking with the dog for an hour pretty much guarantees that I will be able to meet my 10K step goal. And yes, as others have said, work Nathan into your workouts. If I didn't run with Gavin in the mornings before daycare/work, I wouldn't be able to workout on most of those days. He loves the stroller/outside time and I love getting in some activity! YOU CAN DO IT, TOO!
Posted by: Nilsa @ SoMi Speaks | Monday, 13 January 2014 at 11:24 AM
I know I can! I know I can! Thanks for the ideas.
Posted by: kapgar | Monday, 13 January 2014 at 02:53 PM
That is one impressive pedometer!
It's been rough for sure with this cold weather we've had (and you guys have had it WAY worse than us). You are doing such an awesome job though. Seriously, wicked awesome.
I'm not doing so great. I haven't even reached the 10,000 goal once yet since I got my fitbit and it just goes to show how sedentary my job is. Also I've had the car now for about 6 weeks since Matt has been home recovering from his knee surgery which means I'm not walking to metro (which is about 1.5 miles each way). That'll change this week. I have found though, (interestingly enough) that my flower on my fitbit grows immensely only when I go out for a run. And I only go out for a short run because my ankles hate life.
Keep doing what you're doing because it's working!
Posted by: Marie | Tuesday, 14 January 2014 at 07:58 AM
Flower on your fitbit? Huh? You'll have to friend me on fitbit.
Posted by: kapgar | Tuesday, 14 January 2014 at 09:34 AM
That's what I decided to do, too. It is possible, just not always easy.
Posted by: kapgar | Monday, 20 January 2014 at 04:18 PM
I am starting to realize the only times I'm going to make 10K steps a day is either go to the gym or walk around a trade show.
I now have a Fitbit One (thanks to a 50% deal from Fitbit support in trying to revive an older Fitbit Ultra device - it's dead). Will post on it here soon over on BL.
Posted by: Marty Mankins | Saturday, 25 January 2014 at 03:37 PM
It's not easy but I'm trying to make it work. Ultra?
Posted by: kapgar | Saturday, 25 January 2014 at 05:15 PM
Yeah, it was the older Fitbit device. I inherited it from my sister-in-law. It quit working months ago and I tried to revive it after I started seeing your Fitbit results.
http://reviews.cnet.com/wearable-tech/fitbit-ultra-blue/4505-34900_7-34536737.html
Posted by: Marty Mankins | Saturday, 25 January 2014 at 06:05 PM
I think Masterson had that one.
Posted by: kapgar | Saturday, 25 January 2014 at 07:23 PM