I’ve been using a FitBit for a few years now. It’s kind of fun to log my steps and try to hit the 10,000 mark every day.

My current FitBit is the kind you wear on your wrist. Not only does it keep track of your steps, but you can use it to make sure you’re up and walking around at least a few minutes each hour. This helps me because, as a writer, I often spend hours in my chair, drafting fiction and blog posts… or, you know, scrolling through Facebook.

Either way, if I haven’t logged at least 250 steps since the top of the hour, it will buzz me at ten minutes till, and remind me to get a move on. “10 minutes to get 73,” it will read, or perhaps “Just 102 to win the hour!” Once I’ve taken 250 steps, a dot for that hour will light up in the phone app.

So I strategize. For instance, if I’m ready to take my coffee cup downstairs but realize it’s 10:58, I’ll wait until 11:00 so I can get an early start on the next hour’s steps.

One day I walked into the grocery store about 1:00 and grabbed a cart. Roaming all over the store looking for stuff, I knew my 1:00 steps were a done deal.

At last, I got to the checkout and took my place in line.

My wrist buzzed. I looked at my FitBit in time to see the words, “10 minutes to get 240” scroll by.

What?? I’d been walking around for 45 solid minutes. How could I possibly have logged only ten steps? Then I noticed my hand, which I’d placed back on the handle of the shopping cart.

Light dawned. My feet had been taking steps, but my wrist (and thus, the FitBit), had been gliding along with the cart handle and not registering a thing.

Great. I hadn’t missed a dot all morning, and I wasn’t about to miss one now. Especially since I’d actually earned it.

So yeah, I marched in place while waiting, even though I felt like a doofus. Fortunately, I got checked out in time to head out of the store before 2:00. I took quick, mincing steps (like a runway model but without falling off platform shoes), vigorously swinging my right arm. I checked my app every few seconds, and enjoyed the thrill of victory when the dot lit up halfway to my parking space.

“Stepped and scored!” The FitBit congratulated me.

And now I make sure that when I’m walking, the FitBit is walking too.

Your turn: Does your fitness equipment ever hold out on you? I’m here to sympathize. Tell me your tale in the “Leave a Reply” box below.

Thanks for reading,
Jan