The FastDay Forum

I watched the Horizon programme last night, about the various ways there are, now, to monitor every spect of health 24/7.
It really engaged me, mainly as I have been toying with the idea of some sort of activity monitor.

I've been getting slimmer, through following this WOE, but now is the time to promote my fitness. I used to cycle daily, swim 3 times a week and go to the gym. Then I had a series of operations and stopped. Now my new knee is 4 years old, it's time to start again, but pace myself and, like the weight loss, do it gradually!

I know several of you on here use Fitbit and that's what I thought I'd start with.

So, this post is reaally twofold:

1. If you missed last night's Horizon and have access to iPlayer, it's worth watching, especially to see the results on the 3 lovely ladies at the end!

2. To ask any Fitbit users for their advice on getting started. Is it really as easy as buying it, and clipping it on and walking? I don't want to part with hard earned money, only to find I've bought something that stays in the drawer. (I've not read the Fitbit posts as it all seemed to go over my head)

I have a treadmill, unused for about 4 years, which I can use to start me off and built up my stamina/fitness.

So, today, I'm finding the walking poles, dusting down the treadmill and checking the bank balance to see if I can afford a Fitbit Zip!

Hi Penny

I have a fitbit one and i bought it in early June - and yes its really simple to use and it is more or less a case of clip into the inside off my bra and go! All you need to do is link your fitbit to the fitbit website.

Of course you can link it to your android mobile or to my fitness pal so that you can track calories eaten against calories burned etc but this is entirely up to you.

I was VERY sendentry when i first got mine only walking average of 3000 steps per day - i set myself a target with fitbit and now i walk average of 13000 steps per day I also do several fitness classes too - I would not be without mine and love it alos wear it to bed at night to monitor my sleep.

Hi Penny,

I have a Fitbit Zip. and I LOVE it, it stays clipped to my bra all day. The newer Fitbit One does more - like measuring stairs and monitoring sleep. But the Zip is fine.

We have a group on the Fitbit Website - 24 members at last count and a couple of threads on here.
When Umleila started the group I though ..hmm ok... but has turned out to be quite competitive and even more of a motivator than the FitBit itself.
My advice - look under the sofa cushions, search the bottom of old handbags and treat yourself to one

I saw the Horizon program too, it was fascinating, but all the self monitoring will only help those who want to help themselves

Thanks to both of you x

I saw the Horizon program too, it was fascinating, but all the self monitoring will only help those who want to help themselves

I agree, Sian: I few months ago, I'd have switched it off! The timing was obviously right!

The treadmill is dusted off, tested and working. Fitbit zip has been ordered.

I *can* do this!

Good for you Penny, the Fitbit is really easy to set up and get working.

Are you able to set up a TV or something to watch while you pound the treadmill?

Not thought about that Sian! No doubt hub, being the techie that he is, could do that, but he will say, 'What's the point?'
At this moment in time, I'd have to reply, 'Dunno, Sian mentioned it!!'

As you have probably guessed I am originally from Wales too, Pembrokeshire/Carmarthenshire, Mum currently living near Tenby.

The point is treadmills are not very entertaining on their own. We have a Cross Trainer and my guilty pleasure is to watch Jeremy Vine while I work out, on the basis that however badly my day is going or how much the exercise hurts I can comfort myself that "at least I'm not on Jeremy Vine"

Alternatively if you plan a slower pace you could listen to audiobooks

Congrats on your new acquisition. I had a zip and that and 5:2 changed my life completely.
If you have a smartphone you can sync your stats in the go, but IMO the zip is the best and easiest for seeing your progress at a glance.

I hope you join the group. As SianS said, it is a great motivator along with setting your own personal goals and challenges.

I have the programme set up on iplayer to watch in a while and I have forwarded the link to others who I think will be interested. Thanks for letting us know pennyforthem and SianS x

[carieoates]

Yay Go for it Pennyforthem. I got mine last Wednesday. Bought second hand on ebay as I can be a bit tight sometimes. It's brilliant. And being on our own 5.2 forum is great as we can see how we compare. I'm aspiring to be as active as SianS.interestingly on Sunday I dragged my 12 yr old daughter out on a 4.9k walk to keep my step count up.

Yes, I take your point - thus all those monitors in the gym!
I think it's going to have to be music, unless we buy another freesat box to hitch a TV up - but even then, we have no aerial to that room. We are very boring TV watchers!
However, it's something I will bear in mind - thanks (diolch!)

Thanks, too, about the info on the group. I shall get my head around the zip/stats and then think about joining the group. It sounds a great motivator!

Penny, if you have a laptop you might be able to stream videos to help with the boredom. I made my way through The Thick of It while doing a daily bike ride (when I wasn't falling off the bike at Malcolm Tucker's swearing ).

Boppy music works for me. I have a Hi-energy playlist which I don't share with anyone - my musical taste stopped developing somewhere in the 70s and there are some disco numbers (those were the days!) on it that are downright embarrassing

IPod on, earphones in, and away I go. As the film title goes - Inside I'm dancing!

I had the fitbit and liked it alot, but I kept misplacing it and it went through the wash and dryer. It miraculously survived another year. Then I got Striiv. Didn't like that too much. I bought the new re-vamped Jawbone Up and am in love. It goes in the shower with me and I wear it all night. Its sleep monitor is way better and it has a buzzer that vibrates on your wrist when you want it to remind you that you have been sitting too long (you determine that time). Also, when I nap it automatically times my nap so I don't go into a deep sleep, about twenty min and it wakes me with a vibration. LOVE IT!

It's arrived and it's so small! How on earth can I keep it safe? I'm sure it'll go through the wash before too long, same as @milfrie!