Keeping Track: 27,212 Steps

The fitbit phenomenon is "so 2011" and I thought I was "so over" the fitness tracking device fad. Rebelling against the plethora of bracelets, watches, and pedometers adorning the wrists and waistbands of my office mates and friends, I purposefully avoided re-entering that territory. I did so in part because I was terrified at how little I actually moved in my diplomatic jobs overseas. I felt constricted by the limited choices I had over my over-scheduled work travel, and I didn't want a step counter shouting in my face every night when I did not have as much choice as I would like (yes, there were gyms in many of the hotels where I stayed, although more often than not they were not, humid sweat boxes without proper ventilation and predominantly full of men). Excuses aside, I have not been tracking my steps until I recently installed an app on my phone. And I am so addicted.

Yesterday, we put in over 27,000 steps! The leisurely city-country walk around Linz was enjoyable in and of itself, but it was even more satisfying to know that we pounded out a record number of steps (almost 18 km and just over 11 miles). It's easy to be obsessed when a map is generated and you can read your own stats for speed, duration, and total activity time for the day/week/month... It got me thinking.

 It's true that my devices sometimes control me (rather than vice versa). Compulsive email reading, news feed checking, or tracking -- and I am not alone -- must be part of how we are wired. I did some googling and browsing and finally settled on reading an Atlantic article about health halos and fitness tracking:

It seems to start with the idea that fitness-tracking devices carry what’s known as a health halo. Wearing fitness trackers gives people a sense that they are doing something good for themselves, even if only subconsciously, by the very act of owning and wearing it.

Then comes bargaining. Someone who has credit for wearing the device might afford themselves more cake. There is even data to support the food decision. One might say, I moved 8,000 steps today, so I’ll have a grilled cheese and an entire bottle of wine.

Yup. That pretty much explains why 27,000 steps gave me permission to eat several pieces of cake, ice cream, schnitzel, and cider without feeling overly guilty!