10,000 steps per day

We read somewhere about FitBit, and thought that sounded interesting.  A way of measuring your steps for a day.  Our goals had been focused on time, not steps, and we were curious how many steps we took during an average day.

Sean, my son-in-law, got one free at his work.  Based on discussions with him we decided to go with the lowest end Garmins. We didn't care about heart rate or any of that stuff. We just wanted to know how many steps we took.

WELL, that's been interesting.

It's brought out our non-competitive spirits.  When we play ping pong, and a ball goes off to the side of the table about equidistant from both of us we used to take turns getting it.  Not so now.  "I'll get it."

And we are always comparing numbers.  All the while saying we are not "competitive."  A typical conversation:

"I'm less competitive than you are."

No, I'm less competitive than you are."

No, I'm afraid I'm less competitive than you are."

We usually make our nightly sojourns to the bathroom at the same time.  On the first night I cleverly thought of walking to the one that is about 10 feet beyond the closest one.  HAH!  I THOUGHT. Got her.

When she came back to bed, she reported that SHE had walked to the bathroom at the far end of the house.  HAH!

Well, besides the fact that we have both learned that we are less competitive than the other person, what do we make from our first few days with our Garmin activity trackers?

1.  You don't get much credit playing ping pong.  All of the lunging you do from one foot to another isn't registered.  You have to walk a few feet before the instrument detects "walking."  In other words, you don't get much credit for one of our activities.

2.  You get horrible credit cycling.  Might as well not even bother. 

3.  Dancing is great.  Lots of steps in a short period of time, especially with swing dances that are faster.  Dancing is great exercise.  It's something everyone has known, which is why at dances the thermostats are typically set low.  Otherwise, you sweat.  And why about the most fit group of people on the planet are dancers.

We have yet to break 10,000 steps per day, but have cycled an average of 1 1/2 hours/day, played ping pong 1/2 hour per day, danced once 1/2 hour, and worked in the yard and on cleaning the cars (kind of decent work) 3/4 of an hour per day.

They cheat us!

What the devices are good for is showing us comparisons between days.  If we do no other type of exercise, and our numbers are low, it is a good reminder to get up and move.

And they work best if you are not in competition with anyone, like we are obviously not.

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