Source: © www.fitbit.com

Though not always one to jump on a bandwagon for the sake of it, when it comes to all manner of trends, I do like gadgets and totally love stats and analysing numbers.

The last few years have seen the launch of dozens of health and fitness tracking devices, from bands to apps and watches. You'll probably be aware, I've been making big changes to my lifestyle during 2015, in a bid to get healthy, lose a bit of weight and generally become a fitter version of me.

I've come a long way, but I'm always looking for the next aid, exercise or health food, to motivate me and keep me going; and with all my friends raving about the Fitbit band, I decided to take a look. You might have heard of the Fitbit Flex, but what exactly is it, and why would you need one?

Goal Setting...

Something I've found really helpful, while trying to lose weight, is setting goals (interim and long-term). Focusing on the end result has really kept me going when things got tough, and so with the Fitbit comes a new goal; walking 10k every day. I’ve already calculated I’m walking 5k a day, just by going about my normal daily routine, so to double that I reckon would be an achievable interim goal. I actually did a quick 3k run this morning (first in 3 weeks) so I could track how many steps it racked up (see how competitive you become – even with yourself!).

I'm conscious that some days I'm just not active enough (too much time in front of computer screens), and when trying to become fitter and healthier that's a big no-no!

Using the Fitbit, I'm able to track how far I've walked, as well as how many calories I've burnt, so I can ensure I'm consuming the right amount to meet my weigh loss targets as well as hitting my fitness goals. Strap it on your wrist and go about your business as usual, safe in the knowledge that every step you take will be tracked and logged. You won’t know sorrow until you’ve walked all day without your FitBit and you’ve wasted all those untracked steps.

Getting Fit with Friends...

The Fitbit makes accessing your stats really easy, as you sync it with your smart phone or computer (just once at set up), then it auto syncs throughout the day, making it easy to check you’re meeting your goals. I cannot stress how easy this tracker is to use, the Fitbit Flex’s greatest strength is undoubtedly its simplicity. I synched it ONCE and, because it syncs wirelessly to my iPhone, iPad and Mac, my stats are always accurate and up to date - it all becomes a little bit (READ: “at lot”) addictive.

Alongside being able to track your progress, you can also connect with all your Fitbit wearing friends...adding that extra competitive edge! This is so much fun, as you can check what your buddies are up to throughout the day.  Logging on and seeing my friends have moved more than me that day, or the realisation that one of them regularly logs a morning run while I'm still drinking my coffee, gives me that extra kick I really need, at this challenging point on my journey. 

A whole range of coloured straps are available which allows users to customise the look of the device to suit their own personality (I got the black one), and because the actual counter simply pops into the strap, you can chop and change with ease. And now fashion meets fitness, as you can transform your strap into a super chic accessory, with this exclusive collection from Tory Burch (drool).

I'm so excited to get started with my Fitbit, and see where walking 10k a day will get me - just 3 days in and I’m already hooked. You know one of those gadgets, where you can’t remember life before it – seriously addictive!

There are lots of styles of fitbits, but the one I purchased and talk about in this blog is the

Fitbit Flex Wireless Activity Tracker and Sleep Wristband Black. I bought it from Amazon and paid £64.99 (there are lots of other suppliers), but at the time of posting this blog, it has since been reduced to £47.24 (awww shucks).

I have a feeling this is a subject to which I’ll return, many times - seriously, the best £65 I have ever parted with.  So, do you think you’ll be joining me in the fitbit community? Let me know your thoughts, below.

 

 

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