FitBit Data - Update #2

I now have three full months of FitBit (pedometer) data.  In October, I increased my step count by more than 10,000 steps.  In November, I increased my step count by another 3,000 steps.  I am also increasing the number of days where my step count is above 7,500 which is considered light active.

But, but, but, I still have quite a ways to go.  I still have too many days below 5,000 steps which is considered sedentary. 

Surprisingly, I often have low step count days during the weekend.  It would seem on days that are less structured, I should have more exercise opportunities but I don't.  Instead, I sleep in, hang out on the couch with my husband, maybe run a few errands but I don't schedule exercise and that means it doesn't happen, 

Onward and upward.

FitBit Data - Update # 1

Earlier I posted about my new FitBit and improving my fitness through data.

A week or so into using the FitBit, I've determined the following.  I am averaging about 5,400 steps a day which is well below my goal of 10,000 steps per day.  On exercise days, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, I obviously do better and approach 8,000 to 8,500 steps on average.  On non-exercise days (Tuesday and Thursday) I've improved a bit by watching my FitBit data, and I've moved my average step count from about 3,500 to 4,000 steps on average. Certain guidance I've found suggests a reasonable goal of improving week over week step numbers by 20%

Most surprising is my weekend step count which is dismal.  On days I have the most free time, it appears that I am stepping/moving the least.  I do know what happens, I get up and I go out to run errands (Saturday) which doesn't involve that much walking since I'm in my car.  On Sunday, I tend to either be at the office or relaxing at home.

Analyzing the tracking data from my FitBit also reveals that my activity level is color coded.  My exercise steps are coded as green, less active is orange and sedentary is red.  I can't find any information as to whqt the colors are supposed to mean, but I can guess.

I am working on setting up a TV/DVD player in the garage and I have a plan to do Zumba, which involves lots of steps, twice a week.  But, so far, I've been having technology problems.  Yesterday I had the video working but not the sound, then in trying to get the sound working I lost the video.  Mr. Sam said he would work on these issues for me today (I hope he does).

Otherwise, I need to walk Snarfle the dog when I get home each night.

Improvement Through Data - Fitness

As someone who has improved their finances by utilizing data, I am a fan of tracking data.  For our personal finances, we use Quicken to track our spending, easily downloaded from the Wells Fargo web site.  We also utilize an Excel spreadsheet to track our annual savings goals (when we were killing our $55,000 in unsecured debt we also used Excel to track our progress).

My employer has a fitness/health initiative (designed to reduce health insurance costs) and they recently offered use of a FitBit Zip which keeps track of steps, distance and calories burned through exercise.  I recently set mine up and it is illuminating to see how little I move even though I exercise regularly and make an effort to walk during my day.  On the days I exercise, walk 45 minutes three times a week, I accumulate about 7,500 steps which is considered light active. My goal is 10,000 steps per day which would push me into the active status

On days I don't exercise I only get about 3,500 steps although I do, already, take breaks during the day to get out from behind my desk and I try to take the stairs into and out of my office.  Under 5000 steps per day can indicate a sedentary lifestyle sedentary lifestyle and the associated risk factors related to same.

I think the idea of tracking my activities will make me more accountable, to myself, and is likely to increase my activity.  I know that I respond well to tracking my data and I'm interested in seeing how utilizing the FitBit can help me in this regard.

How about you, do you use any of these methods to track activity?  Does tracking work for you?  

Running Goals

It has been a while since I posted on our marathon training. We took a major break from training in July, August and part of September, just too hot in South Florida to be outside running.

Anyways, we are back on track and I'm back to running a full mile without stopping. We are presently training for a December 5k. The only present problem is the time change, it is not dark by the time I get home, so I'm trying to figure out how to deal with darkness.

30 Day Rule

Yesterday evening, I arrived home after 7:00 p.m. after putting in 12 hours at the office. Mr. Sam and I were scheduled to head out for a run (our goal is to train Sunday-Thursday), but he was working on another project and declined to go running with me. I sat down on the sofa, clicked on Seinfeld and relaxed for a couple of minutes. Snarfle the Dog hovered near me as he had not yet been fed by Mr. Sam. I easily could have just continued sitting on the sofa or made myself a spot to eat or finished laundry; but I got myself up, changed into my running clothes, fed the dog and headed out for a two mile session.

I am a big believer in the 30 day rule - it takes 30 days (why do you think rehab is 28 days) or a month for a new habit to become just a habit. We are five weeks into our training program and I credit the 30 day rule for getting me up and going yesterday. Training has become a habit.

Think about using the 30 day rule for a goal that you are working on, financial, fitness or otherwise.

Training Progress

We were out of town visiting relatives the week of Memorial Day. We tried to train every day during our week of vacation and as a result I am now up to a mile and a half of jogging with no walk breaks.

Week 3 Training

We are one day into our third week of training for the half marathon. At present I am jogging three blocks, walking one block, jogging, two blocks, walking one block and repeat for about half an hour (the Run - Walk - Run training method). Mr. Sam is just jogging for the entire half hour.

Our goal is to train Sunday-Thursday (every day) but work commitments and South Florida summer weather (rain and thunder storms) generally cancels at least a day.

Week 2 Training

I continue with interval training (the Run - Walk - Run training method) and this week I am jogging two blocks, walking one block, jogging two, repeat.

A New Topic

Today is the first day of training for Mr. Sam and me. We have decided to sign up for a September half marathon and we start interval training today. Neither of us are runners and while we are not out of shape our fitness regimen is pretty basic. I figure, like a debt or saving snowball, we will work on a physical fitness snowball. We will start out slow, jogging every other block or jogging every other minute, and each day out we will work on adding a few more steps or a few more seconds/minutes.

Our plan is to train Sunday - Thursday at 7:00 p.m.