FitBit: Don't Break My Heart

Today has been pretty amazing in a 'rah-rah, look what I can do' way. I'll spare you the gory details, but after putting in some serious workout time at the gym, as well as shopping endlessly for those elusive new trainers, my BFF FitBit told me I had burned 2,200 calories.

Well, I just about burned my tongue on my non Starbucks Eggnog Latte, also known in certain circles as H20.

All the way home I kept staring at the tiny display in disbelief.

Was this some sort of cruel initiation trick FitBit plays on new customers? Would I soon get a message saying 'Ha Ha! Fooled you'. Did my new BFF perhaps misread my weight/height input? Did I manage to clip it on some fast moving part of my body, so it thinks I ran a 5K and then followed it up with an hour of Jillian Michaels' workout and one of Tae Bo? What gives, FitBit, what gives?

When I got home (okay, okay, limped home) I tested it out by walking up and down a few flights of stairs. FitBit logged them correctly. Then, I used trusty Spark to manually enter my exercises, including the endless shopping. Give or take 50 calories it was similar to the FB reading.

I immediately apologised to my new friend, explaining how I have trust issues. I mean, I own a heart monitor, a pedometer, several online tracking apps and now FB, but still I can't seem to grasp reality when it is blinking at me in the face.

So now I'm sitting here amazed and speechless. A mere few months ago, inactive me, who found it challenging to tie her shoes without getting breathless, is well and truly active. ACTIVE! And still alive to tell the tale.

But do I really need numbers to tell me that?

Sadly, yes. You see, these little devices are the silent witnesses to my progress. They're the ones cheering me on daily, saying, YES you can do this. Yes, you are really doing this!

Maybe one day it won't matter so much what they say and whether I burned x calories or walked up x flights of stairs. For now they give me the validation I so badly desire.

I know people say this shouldn't be a numbers game - but it is. From my blood work to my weight loss to the measuring tape on waist/hips ratio to the number of carbs I can safely eat. Of course there are other things. My progress is based largely on how I feel over how I look. And I feel fantastic! I am zippy, bubbly, energised and exhausted. I am also proud of my accomplishments. I am a big girl with big dreams. With every positive step I take, I'm getting healthier. Otherwise, how could I move around so much? But most times, no one sees the work put in - not even Mr Scale. I know I'll get there someday, but I am far from a finished product. For those of us who can't always see the entire picture objectively, sometimes feeling good isn't enough. I need more.

So I'm going to enjoy this small FitBit victory, as most likely tomorrow I will go back to mistrusting it - which is how it should be.