250 steps at a time
2/2/22 12:53![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
darkemeraldsCW exercise/fitness
At a conference late in 2019 I noticed a colleague's smartwatch--specifically, that she was getting text messages on it. That seemed cool, so when I got home I bought myself a Fitbit and started getting MY text messages on it. (Honestly, I'm like a baby with toys.)
The device's primary function of fitness tracking was meaningless to me because I couldn't walk. Then I had hip replacement number one, and, six weeks later, hip replacement number two, and, six weeks after that, a pandemic that prevented me from completing all the physical therapy I needed.
Walking around was just about the only thing I could safely do, I couldn't do it--at least, not without pain.
So what with one thing and another it wasn't until six months ago that I finally started paying attention to the Fitbit's little hourly nudge to get out of my chair and take 250 steps.
It took only a couple of successful days (12 hours, 250 steps each) to notice a difference. My brain worked better. I had slightly more energy. Shortly after that, the half-mile walk to the close grocery store became pain-free.
Then the one-mile walk to the farther but better grocery store became possible.
One day while I was out and about somewhere, the Fitbit gave a burst of haptic feedback and pretty colors, congratulating me on 5000 steps. I started trying to make it do that every day. When that got too easy, I upped it to 6000. A couple of weeks later, 7000.
My average is up to 7750, and I can do the 9000-step round trip to my mother's house with little discomfort (though the rest and cup of coffee in the middle is helpful).
Now I just wish it would stop buzzing me about text messages.
At a conference late in 2019 I noticed a colleague's smartwatch--specifically, that she was getting text messages on it. That seemed cool, so when I got home I bought myself a Fitbit and started getting MY text messages on it. (Honestly, I'm like a baby with toys.)
The device's primary function of fitness tracking was meaningless to me because I couldn't walk. Then I had hip replacement number one, and, six weeks later, hip replacement number two, and, six weeks after that, a pandemic that prevented me from completing all the physical therapy I needed.
Walking around was just about the only thing I could safely do, I couldn't do it--at least, not without pain.
So what with one thing and another it wasn't until six months ago that I finally started paying attention to the Fitbit's little hourly nudge to get out of my chair and take 250 steps.
It took only a couple of successful days (12 hours, 250 steps each) to notice a difference. My brain worked better. I had slightly more energy. Shortly after that, the half-mile walk to the close grocery store became pain-free.
Then the one-mile walk to the farther but better grocery store became possible.
One day while I was out and about somewhere, the Fitbit gave a burst of haptic feedback and pretty colors, congratulating me on 5000 steps. I started trying to make it do that every day. When that got too easy, I upped it to 6000. A couple of weeks later, 7000.
My average is up to 7750, and I can do the 9000-step round trip to my mother's house with little discomfort (though the rest and cup of coffee in the middle is helpful).
Now I just wish it would stop buzzing me about text messages.
(no subject)
3/2/22 02:43 (UTC)Great going with the walking. I'm doing my best to keep moving with the knee (5 minute walk x 3 per day so far) and actually a lot more than that as getting around the house and now the Ranch. It would be really tough to do all this again with the other knee in 4 more weeks!
I think you have to access setting for fitbit on your phone or computer. I've got one, but quit wearing it mid-summer. Step counts were not accurate when I'm working and using my arms, though they did give a reasonable accounting of overall activity - my fitbit just didn't understand that I was using the post pounder to slam a t-post in the ground, not swinging my arm for a step...
(no subject)
3/2/22 04:43 (UTC)Congratulations on your knee progress. My two joint replacements in the shortest possible interval turned out to be a really good idea. I hope you have similar success, getting both knees done close together, and that you're back to your preferred level of activity as soon as may be.