Make Money with Your New Fitbit, And Some Tips

Today in the paper it announced that the Fitbit app was the most downloaded app on Christmas Day. That means lots of people are going to start tracking their steps and hopefully get healthier. I got a fitbit early this year and have enjoyed the confirmation of my daily steps and it is one of my apps I check almost daily. The cool thing is you can turn your daily steps into money by linking your fitbit with some reward programs and other apps.

If you've got a new fitbit, here are some tips.

• Wear it and forget it. If you take it off, you may forget it and miss out on your tracking.
• The unit charge lasts several days, it charges on a usb port on PC or wall charger. charge it while sedentary reading or watching tv, or overnight.
• Track specific workouts by tapping twice. then you can check the data on your PC to see expanded view of your activity progress.
• Log sleep manually if you forget to tap twice before you lay your head down.
• Link your fitbit to My Fitness Pal app to automatically add your steps to that app. Go to settings on your MFP app and click add devices, it will take you to website to allow fitbit to access your account.
• If unsure of accuracy compare to cardio trainer app, or Moves app to validate movement. Actually if you don't want to buy a fitbit, the moves app will track activity without an additional device, just have your phone with you. Won't work for swimming or yoga, but would work for biking. The Moves app also can be linked to your www.ShopYourWay.com account to earn you points and $2 each week at Kmart or Sears.
• Join higi.com to make money from exercising, android app. Link your fitbit and moves app to higi to earn even more. There is usually a new Challenge every month where you can win gift cards by logging in at higi stations (blood pressure machines) in Publix stores and other retail pharmacies.
• Join www.Fitstudio.com and link it to your www.ShopYourWay.com account (at Kmart and Sears) to earn 2000 points each week you walk 15 miles. The points expire quickly within the week, but we've used it to get stuff almost every week.
• Download app and join Google Fit which you can link to GoodCoins to earn points. Not really sure how many points you need or what they are worth.
• Fitbit comes with a small and large wristband. Its good to have spare. If you don't like your color you can buy a fashionable band. They even sell leather and metal ornaments to make it look pretty.

Enjoy!

Mobility Matters

So we're planning on going to Kinetix again this weekend. It's a fun outdoor show at Busch Gardens in the center of the park. It requires a bit of planning to get there on time since there may be lines in the parking lot, bag checks at the front entrance, ticket scanning issues at the gate, and then of course the half mile trek back to the area where the concert is. For the able bodied person it takes at least a half hour to complete all those steps to get seated in time for the event with the fantastic party starters and dancers.

But now some friends are considering going too, and one person is not functionally mobile. It is a complication that could be remedied but there is some denial that there is an issue by the immobile party. I'm not being unsympathetic to this person, but the mobility problem is just an effect of some bigger health issues. We've experienced the issues of managing a person's ability to move around when DH was injured in a motorcycle accident a few years ago. It required a lot of patience and extra planning, and especially extra time. It also involves extra effort from the caretaker making extra trips to get equipment needed or securing proper seating ahead of time. But I didn't mind because it meant we could share time together doing things besides sitting around with a leg propped up.

From my experiences, the problem with dealing with mobility issues is that the affected party usually feels like they are  not really disabled and immobile, so they refuse help from strangers and their friends. They insist they don't need the wheelchair, or the walker or the cane to move about. So they stumble along in pain, whimpering from the stabbing aches and breathing hard like they are going to die. Or they insist that they are well enough to go along with the event and refuse to discuss accommodating their immobility. They know they are an extra bother and its true. But guess what, the caretaker or friends want to attend the activity bad enough, so they are willing to make the sacrifice to make sure the immobile party can attend to. Because unfortunately in some relationships if the hobbled one stays home, everyone must stay home.

My mother is dealing with immobility issues as she ages and has had some serious injuries from falls. She definitely needs assistance with her mobility. But she doesn't want to admit it. She feels like it is an admission of being old, which she is. She doesn't want to give up her independence and be reliant on others for her mobility. She wants to go for nature walks and go to the gym for an aqua class but these activities are beyond her ability now. She does not want to accept this. So she tries to go for walks outside by herself without a walker or cane, and falls. It is sad.

Mobility does matter. To all of us. But when you are immobile you need to admit it. Accept offers of assistance from friends, family and strangers to help you get through that heavy door, or up that ramp, or by taking their seat on a bench. You are doing no one any favors by being the difficult one who refuses to get in a wheelchair. If putting you in a wheelchair will improve the activity for others, then sit your butt in the chair and shut up. They will gladly push you around and if its a public event you might even get front row seats for the handicapped seating area. You will allow your caretakers to leave you seated comfortably at all times instead of panting and breathing heavy after you've walked 100 ft and can't find a bench.

The point being is that it's not all about you. Just because you can't walk doesn't mean you can't live. The world we live in today is very accommodating to people with mobility issues and you can do almost everything an able bodied person can do. So quit complaining and get the proper equipment you need to be mobile. Then live your life. 

35,000 Miles

I was just reading my RSS feeds and this blog Bits of Wisdom shared some trivia that the average person walks 35,000 miles in a lifetime. So of course this got me wondering if I'm average. I walk for exercise, along with biking - as they are both low impact activities good for old people like me and dear. The 37F air this morning made me feel old because it appears that this will be a no ride month for the bicycle. I have not had it past the driveway due to the cold weather. Quite depressing. Also our walking  has been curtailed due to the "boot" that dear is still wearing 13 weeks after his motorcycle collision.

 

So, normally in the good old days we used to walk 10,000 steps a day which is about 5 miles. We did this an average of 5 days of week, so 20 days a month at 5 miles is about 100 miles a month. However, it has decreased to about 40 miles a month the last 3 months, so this year the total will be close to 1000 miles walked for me. That means it would take 35 years for me to walk 35,000 miles. I figure I probably have been active since I was a teenager so I probably already have my 35,000 miles under my belt and am on my way to walking more than the average person. This does not surprise me, as I live a healthy active life. In addition to my walking 1000 miles this year, I have also ridden my bike 1500 miles to work this year. Its not quite as much as I would have liked to, but acceptable and an improvement over last year.

 

So, 1000 miles walking and 1500 miles biking is a lot of self propelled mileage. But where the heck did that get me? You would think I would be skinny by now with all that exercise. But one thing I've learned for sure, is that I get hungry when I exercise. I consume a lot more food and enjoy it. However, due to the decline in exercise the last quarter of the year, I have gained some weight and this is not good. The evil scale will make a reappearance next year I'm sure as I chronicle my efforts to once again get back into those petite jeans.

 

Anyway, it would be interesting for you to figure out how much you walk and if you're above average, or if you need to start hoofing it.