Fitbit and Me, DIY Widow’s Blog

While out shopping with my Daughter-in-law and Grandson a few days ago, a conversation came up about getting fit.  Having always been a person who likes to workout, I have gotten lax on doing just that.

Since I have started sharing blogs and chapters of the book I am writing on this website, my exercise routine has suffered some, make that close to “nil”.  I seem to get lost in writing and learning about how this website works then realize I have been sitting in front of the computer for hours.  Seems the only things getting exercise are my fingers.

Anyway, the discussion got around to talking about FitBits which are devices that fit on your arm like a watch but let you know more than the time.  You can keep track of how many calories are in what you eat, how many steps you take during the day, your heartbeat, and more.

Typing and Fitbit

My favorite thing that the Fitbit keeps track of is my sleep cycles.  It lets me know what rem of sleep I was in all during the night which is supposed to tell me if the next day will be good or bad.  Frankly, not sure that I want to know because it is always better to be surprised.  Right?

A decision was made to buy the Fitbit and my Grandson could not wait to get to my home to set it up for me. This is a sample of our conversation while he set up my Fitbit while I was typing on a new chapter of my book.

Grandson:  “What do you weigh?”

Me:  “It depends.  Do you want what my scale says or what the ‘lying Doctor’s scale’ says?”

Grandson:  “The official scale at the Doctor’s office.”

So, I told him then he asked my height, calorie intake, how many steps I wanted to achieve per day, and how long I sleep at night.  I gave him as close as I could to truthful answers.  Of course, that would not be the end of the conversation.

Grandson:  “This thing is so cool!  It hooks to your phone and even scrolls text messages across the face of it.  It says you can set it up to monitor from different devices.  I’m gonna see if I can set your cell phone up to relay to mine so I can monitor you then I can make sure you are following your program when I get back to Saudi Arabia.  I bet I could even make it nudge you.”

Me:  “You do know that you all are nine hours ahead of when you are in Saudi, right?  Not happening.  Give me my cell phone.”

Grandson:  “I need your cell phone while you are asleep tonight  so I can monitor you while  asleep.”

Me:  “Why?”

Grandson:  “Well, I can tell if you are sleeping well, what your blood pressure is, and who knows you are old, you could stop breathing or something.”

Me:  “Give me my cell phone.  I am not that old and if anyone is gonna stop breathing or have a near death experience it will probably be because I tackled you and took back my cell phone.”

Well, the Fitbit is all set up and even has an every fifteen-minute buzzing my wrist with a text scrolling across its face  saying, “Wanna take a stroll?”

Always nice to get one of those reminders when you are eating lunch but so very special when you are in the bathroom.

The Beautiful Patterns of Sleep in Living Color

The night sleep function is a real hoot too.  Seems I have bursts of near waking from sleep and blood pressure increases during the night.  Wondering if it might happen to have something to do with the trains going down the track, going eighty miles per hour, shaking the windows by my bed, and blowing their horn at the railroad crossing five blocks from my home. Time seems to correspond with the trains and their schedules.

The Fitbit will actually be good for me because it has now become one more of my brilliant Artifical Intelligent devices to talk to, read what it says, and, if need be, holler loudly at, but all kidding aside it will remind me to take a break, walk outside, and stop to smell the roses.

Visits: 387