I am sick to death of all these fitness trackers. They have officially flooded the market and jumped the shark. The one that put me over the edge is the pet tracker. A movement tracker for your pets. Has the world gone insane? Maybe it’s just me.
Is this really happening?
Before you start getting all cranky, I do realize that fitness trackers can be used for good. I’m very aware that they can be (and are) helpful to a lot of people and can do a lot of good. I am not one of those people. In fact, the very last thing I need to do is move more or start another a competition with myself to see how much more I can move in a given day.
I know that most of these trackers set step goals and then beep at you, or even talk yell at you, when you’re not moving enough. I’m all for that. However, I’ve seen evidence that the supposed “fitness tracker” does not accurately track running mileage. What? Are you telling me this thing that is constantly goading you to move, move, move, cannot keep up when you move faster then a walk?
The below side by side image is from a post Kim at A Day with KT wrote about how much she loves her fitness trackers (and I love you Kim) but this was from a day she RAN 10 MILES! This would kill me. Garmin is on the left and FitBit on the right – both horribly WRONG:
Don’t even get me started on the sleep tracking function.
I know that most people could just shrug off a few less steps here or there and perhaps even ignore a beep to “get up and move!” but not this woman. I would be constantly looking to not just reach my goal, but to overreach it. And, in my 40 until 40 effort to do less, that’s just counterproductive.
To that end, I recommend a move less campaign for those of you, like me, who could use a chill on all the fitness tracking.
If you want to move less, here’s what I propose:
Don’t have kids: It’s too late for me but there’s still hope for a lot of you out there! If you have even one child, I dare you not to move all.day.long just to keep up with their demands. The child’s age is not a factor.
Go to Disney World: Contrary to all the motorized scooters in the Magic Kingdom, there’s really not a lot of walking involved. Ok, there is a lot of ground to cover but most of the time you’re waiting in line, waiting for the bathroom, waiting for the motorized cart in front of you to get out of the way. You get the idea.
Make a lot of doctor appointments: Do I need to elaborate on this? I didn’t think so.
Don’t hydrate: If you know me, you know I’m a horrible hydrator. My husband, however, is an over-hydrator. He is constantly leaving half-full water bottles all over the house, has to use the bathroom more then the twins and is constantly seeking out more water to drink, especially if we’re (gasp!) leaving the house. It’s exhausting just watching him.
This idea could really takeoff. I’m envisioning the opposite of the ranch they send the Biggest Loser contestants too. My Shangri-La of FitLESS would feature 24-hour a day, 7 days a week of on demand massages, open bar, food service, endless television/movie options and car service.
Of course, you have to move constantly for 364 days before you qualify for your one-day stay.
Ultimately I think it boils down to common sense. Do you really need a tracker to tell you that you’ve moved enough today? If so, get up and move!
What are you ideas on moving less?
How do you feel about fitness trackers and would you get one for your pet?
hahah awesome! Yes, I actually do see what you are saying, and it is funny that recently I was made to feel inadequate because I didnt have one when I was in a group….my garmin was not enough. I dunno though, I feel like it is great for some people, but can be VERY dangerous for others, easy to fall down that trap of obsession, and as you know I want to stay well away from that!!! You are obviously the same, enough training, you dont need to add another 5000 steps to get a quota!
The day you are inadequate to anyone or anything is the same day hell freezes over! That is too much since a lot of people think a Garmin is overdoing it. This is why there’s something for everyone… 🙂 Thanks Tina!
This is too funny and I have avoided getting anywhere near a fitness tracker so far. Last night, Kevin asked if I wanted one for Valentine’s Day. I pretty much told him what you said above that I don’t need something to tell me how I moved in a day. So, your post today made me smile more then you know!
Great timing! Hahahaha – too funny. I hope you get something a lot better then a fitness tracker for Valentine’s Day.
The pet fitness tracker is actually kind of hysterical and I had not heard of it until today!! I don’t have any pets but the hilarity of it all night make me get one for sure hahaha. I have a Fitbit and I lurve it!! I’ve had it now for four years, does it make a difference in my working out? Nope. Do I love numbers and challenges and data geek stuff? Absolutely!!! I wouldn’t compare two trackers though because they are not built the same so I don’t expect the same result. I just take one tracking device and call it a day. I love that your hubby is a over hydrate like me! Half empty water bottles for the win!!!!
I know you love yours and you are so ahead of the trend my friend…I mean 4 years? Really? You are just too cool for school!! I have another friend who is all about the numbers too. After every race she would statistically break down everyone’s time and pace – it was awesome.
Reminder : Your first goal in the 40 days till 40 challenge: “less complaining” 🙂 LOL.
Counter reminder: Each word is only for ONE DAY. I’m not that crazy.
PS – today’s word is WORK so I really shouldn’t even be responding 🙂
I seriously laughed out loud reading this! Two thumbs up! The FitBit craze is insane and for me, I need to remind myself to take a rest day never mind something to tell me to move more. And that watch is ginormous and ugly! I’d probably wake up with a black eye if I wore that thing to bed. My husband has the fancy FitBit surge and he likes it, but he’s in the Army and he keeps track of all that data so in a watch that’s great for him. I had a few coworker’s make the comment: you’re too fit for the FitBit! I smiled and replied, yep!! No pets, and NO!
I love that you’re too fit for the FitBit!! And I can totally see data and number geeks loving that thing. It’s just so not me and I’ve been inundated with them lately 🙂 Glad you can relate Tiffany.
Well, you know I’m slightly addicted to mine for some reason:) I did quit wearing 2 and now have Chris wearing one!!! I do get exactly your point and I think we should sign up for the same day for our 24 hours of massages, open bar and nothingness!!!
Yesterday was another example of how off the mileage is – I ran 20 miles and only got credit for 11 – mostly I like to wear the tracker on days I don’t run because then I have to work hard to get in steps!!!
That is great you have Chris wearing one!! My husband would probably love it.
I would love to have 24 hours of nothingness with you 🙂
So true about the kids!! I’d add don’t buy a house with stairs. We are up and down constantly. I’m not a fan of trackers for me personally but I agree that they can be helpful and motivating for some people, depends on your personality I guess!
Stairs is a good one! The amounts of laundry I carry up the stairs on a given day is enough steps for me 🙂
Next time Michael goes to the dr. Have him check for diabetes if he is overly thirsty..
He’s not thirsty, he’s nuts! He thinks he NEEDS to drink that much water. He’s also in love with Coconut water. Thanks for the concern Janey but it’s just an obsession.
I actually just ordered a fitness tracker to help me with my movement when I’m at work. I obviously don’t need to work out anymore AFTER work, but I am horrible about sitting down at my desk and literally not moving unless I have to go to the bathroom. I’m an overhydrater, like your husband, so I do go pretty often…but it’s only 10 steps away from my desk. I’m hoping the stupid tracker yelling at me will inspire me to get up every once in awhile, even just to keep me from getting stiff. I totally understand why you feel that way about them, though.
OMG that is too funny. You have to tell me what you think and if it’s motivating or just annoying. 🙂 Good luck!
I am laughing so hard at the pet tracker–seriously? and the Disney comment…another good one! I don’t have one, but I can certainly see how people love them and get addicted to them. Which brings me to my observation on Americans in general: we do nothing in moderation. It’s either all in or all out and right now, people are all in on these fitness trackers. I say check back in a few years and see how much they’re thriving.
Exactly!! I was thinking this same thing on my run this morning and wish I had included the point about it being not being sustainable. It’s a fad, like everything else and another desperate attempt at a “magic bullet” for some.
I’m so glad you get my humor 🙂
Ah…I am so not a fan of the fitness tracker rage either!!!!!!! I guess if you like it and it helps you then great, but lets be honest I think you have a pretty good idea without a tracker if you are getting enough walking in. The same goes for sleep. I know if I had a good nights sleep or not and I don’t need a device to tell me exactly when I wasn’t sleeping well. A while back I did get one for my girls (I figure just the fact that I have 2 kids and run 8 miles a day gets me enough steps :)) as something fun to motivate them to exercise….it was a total waste and I sold them after a week. It didn’t change the way they did anything and it just became a pain. I kind of think it is just one more thing to obsess over. My thoughts are that I want my kids to be active and healthy and do it because they like to and not be number crazy.
Right and right! I feel the same way about sports. I want it to be FUN for the boys because otherwise, what’s the point?
And I just have an addictive personality so I would totally go overboard with a fitness tracker!!
Hahaha, i love this especially since I bought a the FitBit Charge HR yesterday 🙂 LOL…..
Hahahaha!!! You have to tell me (and the world) how you like it. I cannot wait.
I so agree, I got the FItbit Zip for Christmas so of course i use it and I look at it all the time. By the way it doesn’t really count well during spin class, it’s really made for walking. It does not make me go to the gym more or move more. Just one more thing i have to look at on my phone.
Right!! I mean, I guess it’s good for awareness but do you really need one more thing? Probably not.
Thanks Donna!
I honestly will never get into the fitbit and all the tracking products. I think we have really gotten out of hand with all of the different trackers. A lot of them are honestly unnecessary.
Precisely. Glad we’re on the same page with this one Hollie!
I never thought I needed a tracker till I got one through a campaign. That was a competition. Of course that made me obsessed with getting as many steps as I could. Even if I was way over 10000 steps for the day, I would do laps in my house at night to make it higher. My husband thought I was nuts. And I was. But it was a competition so I had to win, right?!?!
This is exactly my point!! Hahaha. I would be doing the exact same thing. In fact, I remember when you were doing that and I was “OMG that would make me crazy!” But we’re not competitive at all, right? 🙂
I haven’t got one because I *know* I would get obsessed. And I remember when Kim wrote that post and I was horrified on her behalf that those 10 miles were just meaningless in FitBit’s eyes. What I do like is the idea of the apps that ding if you’ve been sitting for an hour, to get up and move for 5 minutes – that’s something I think would be more beneficial for people who are more active daily that they forget to throw in dome incidental movement when they’re sitting a lot.
So true!!
My husband sits A LOT because he works all.day.long on a computer…at home. I told him to just set the timer on his phone for every 20 minutes and then just get up and take a break, walk around, etc. Who needs a FitBit for that? We’re all already addicted to our phones so we may as well use what we already have 🙂
PS – He has yet to do this. I think his bathroom breaks work out the same anyway…
Haha this is hilarious. I bought a fitbit because I like using it a few times a week, especially on the weekends when it’s way easier to stay parked on the couch with Netflix than walking around. I totally agree with hydration and walking. Days when I haven’t walked to the bathroom more than once reminds me to drink more water!
So true about the hydration! I really am awful at it and at the end of the day I sometimes realize I haven’t peed since the morning!! Not good. Maybe there’s a tracker for that… 🙂
A FITBIT FOR YOUR PET?!??! Ummmmmmmmmmmmm NO. NO. NO. Just don’t feed your dog that CRAPPPPPPPP with all the wheat and shit in it. What did dogs eat in the wild? Other ANIMALS!! NOT PEANUT BUTTER and WHEAT GLUTEN. Ugh.
I used to wear a step counter way back when… And guess what? It led to some UNHEALTHY HABITS! I HAD TO STOP!
I knew you would agree with me on all points here. Thank you for reaffirming my affirmations 🙂
LOL! I think you make good points. I do plan on getting one this week. I know, I know, it’s nuts but here is my point. I know I am moving enough with the training that I am doing so that’s not even an issue. For me linking it up with MyFitnessPal will help me figure out within a close enough amount how many calories I’m burning vs. consuming. It can be exhausting and yes, I won’t rely on it exclusively to figure it out. I feel I will do better on my half marathon if I slimmed down more and I hope this will give me a better understanding of what I am doing. The pet tracker is just stupid.
I can totally agree with that. Once I started using MFP it was much easier to see the calories in vs calories out. They absolutely have their good points for the RIGHT people and that is you – using it as a great tool. Keep it up!!
I am dying laughing! I’ve had to use mine more as a guide… I know it’s not 100% right, but it does help me to move more since I have a desk job (and no kids). 😉
If I were you, I would just sit and eat more. Do they make a tracker for that? 🙂
You know how I feel about fitness trackers so I won’t elaborate here but you might be the only person I know to not need a fitness tracker at all!
I would disagree about Disney World though. My little one was 5 when we went and we walked everywhere. It was shameful to see how old some kids were in strollers though! OMG!
My iPhone has a step counter and I was dumb to look at it the other day – with my back strain the number was heart piercing. #banthefitnesstrackerstheyonlymakeyoufeellikecrap
Yes! You wrote a great post all about them and I loved it. I agree that perhaps they should be banned 🙂 And yes, Disney was a joke. There was so much walking that I didn’t even workout when we were there!! I was too tired to do anything when the boys napped and that has never happened on a vacation!!
I use my fitbit but I’m not married to it. I can do an hour of strength training and it registers nothing, but clearly I am working hard. I will also disagree about Disney – if you’re talking Epcot. Tons of walking – in between the waiting.
I really think it’s JUST for taking steps. Steps that are slower then a run. #weird
Totally joking about Disney. I walked my a** off when we were there!!
I love fitness trackers, but one for my dog?! GET OUTTA HERE! I think that the trackers are good for people like me who are interested in stats and motivated by them. But literally, I’ve stood next to my bed and jumped around to get my last 500 steps in for the day — embarrassing but true! Haha. I think that they’re also good for people who aren’t aware just how sedentary their lives are, or for people who want to lose weight… but I totally see your points, because sometimes they aren’t all that accurate, and lately they’re EVERYWHERE!
Everyone says the exact same thing about how they got in their “last” steps for the day. Wouldn’t it be great if we could get video of that and make one big montage? And YES they are a good starting point for people to realize they need to move more!! They are not ALL bad but definitely would be for me. Thanks Nicole!
I have to agree about Disney World. 13 hours there, pushing a stroller? Yeah. I lost weight.
I was just watching a movie and in a very obnoxious scene, a doctor grabbed his fiancee’s wrist, looked at her tracker, and said she hadn’t been very active that day.
Rude!
OMG it’s made it’s way into movies now? Definitely out of control!!
No tracking for me!!! I remember when the kids had those pedometers for school…it drove my husband nuts during soccer…all the girls checking them during practice. He finally told them they had to take them off!
Hahahaha – I mean, really? Of course you’re going to check it obsessively!!!…well, at least I would. That’s too funny because I can so see that happening with a group of teenage girls.