Friend of Julie: My New Best Friend

My new best friend is my Fitbit - it not only helps me track my daily walking goals, which it measures in steps and in distance, but also because I'm accountable to eight other Fitbit friends. I set a goal to walk 10,000 steps every day in the month of April and no matter what else was going on in my day, I've met my daily goal.

Daily statistics in steps April 1-11.

Daily statistics in distance April 1-11.

My Fibit keeps me motivated and inspired to meet my daily walking goals. I've had it for months, but now I'm using it as it was meant to be used: to set goals and see them through. Plus, having upped my game, by creating a daily goal, I'm ahead of a few of my Fitbit buddies. A little competition is a good thing, as it inspires us all to keep moving. 

I usually walk after work with my friend who got me into using a Fitbit. Some days we walk at lunchtime and other days we walk at the end of the day. We're looking forward to the muddy trails drying up, so we can meet at sunrise and walk along the reservoir once again. It's incredible to start the day in nature before heading off to work.

Some days are harder for me to get in my steps than others. This is especially true when my walking buddy is traveling, as she was this week. It's all about setting my mind to it, getting out of my own way, ignoring my whining thoughts "but I'm so tired, blah, blah, blah," putting on my sneakers, and just walking. After about a minute, I'm so engaged in my walk that I wonder what all that whining was about.

At the end of a long day last week, I was really tired and I wanted to skip the walk and just go home. What saved the day for me was having parked my car far from my office that morning. The five minute walk to my car, which used to take me fifteen minutes, was just enough distance to warm me up and inspire me to keep walking until my goal was met.

There were a few times that I synced my Fitbit, at the end of the day, only to discover I had not walked my 10,000 steps. On those nights, I walked up and down the stairs in my house until my goal was met.

I've learned to plan for success. Some mornings I go up and down my steps ten times to jump start my day. I park far from my office as much as possible. I check my progress during the day and make sure my daily goal has been met before I get in my car. I've found that when I am walking alone, I can catch up with friends and family on my cellphone and finish getting in my steps.

An essential part of achieving success is to reassess one's goals along the way. I set three exercise goals for the month of April: 10,000 steps daily, 30 squats daily (3 days on and 1 day off), and five minutes of upper arm exercises. I met my walking goals on days 1, 2, and 3, but I didn't do the squats or upper arm exercises. Each day that I didn't do the other two exercises, I felt like I was failing. Walking 10,000 steps a day is not failure.

On day four I reassessed my exercise goals. I realized that adding three new habits into my daily life wasn't realistic. I let go of the other two goals, so I could keep my focus on walking 10,000 steps daily. Reassessing my goals was a great idea!

Are you ready to up your game? Are you ready to get into the game? What exercise goal can you set and meet for the rest of this month? Remember that diet you said you would start tomorrow, only tomorrow never came? You own your commitment to healthy eating, so isn't it time for you to own your exercise commitment too? Keep it simple and start today.