Walmart Is Our Fitbit Gym

Fitbit expert tip of the month.

We have recently been involved in a number of Fitbit challenges and as the season gets colder it becomes more and more difficult to keep our challenge step count high. Our solution - move our steps inside.

walmart map

target map

We have resorted to extending our standard shopping duration and pacing the various large stores. It's heated, level, stocked with drinking fountains and bathrooms, plenty of distractions to keep the mind busy, and most importantly free (beat that regular gyms!). As we trace through every single isle we can accumulate a couple of thousand steps each revolution.

walking map

10 Mindful Movements

On Monday morning how are you feeling? Frantic or peaceful? Each Monday spend 15 minutes practicing the 10 Mindful Movements. Open this PDF for instructions, or this PDF instructions and watch this YouTube video for a demonstration.

"The practice was introduced by a Zen Buddhist monk named Thich Nhat Hanh, and it’s based on basic yoga and tai chi movements. Each of the ten routines is designed to be easily accessible and can be performed by people of all ages and all body types, whether they’re familiar with mindful practices or not. They can be done before or after sitting meditation, at home, at work, or any time one has a few minutes to refresh both mind and body.

For those new to meditation, the exercises are an easy way to get acquainted with mindfulness as a complete, multifaceted practice. For current practitioners, the movements add a welcome physical element to a sitting meditation practice."

Matchup.io and Fitbit

So you have received an invitation to participate in a Matchup.io step challenge.  Now what?  The following are directions to configuring and linking your Fitbit with Matchup.io.

Fitbit Settings

1.  Purchase a Fitbit.  (eg. Fitbit One from Fitbit / Amazon ~$99)

2.  Create a free account at Fitbit.com.

3.  Setup your Fitbit and Sync with your Fitbit account.  Sync by downloading the Fitbit application for Android / Apple / Windows / Windows Desktop and connecting to device through Bluetooth.

4.  Be friends with your friends.  This is a social activity, so connect with your friends.  Everyone can help track everyone's progress and help motivate each other to reach their goals.

5.  Be friends with the creator of the step challenge.  The step challenge creator should have already sent a friend invite to you.  If they have not, send an invite to them.

6.  Change your profile picture.  Don't be the anti social friend.

7. Configure your Fitbit privacy settings to share your step count with friends.  Again don't be anti social, allow your friends to at least see your step count, activities and primary goal.

Matchup Settings

8.  Create a free Matchup.io account.

9.  Join the Matchup challenge.  The challenge creator should have sent you an invitation or the challenge URL.  If you haven't received this yet, ask the challenge creator again.


And that's it.  Now you just need to wait for the challenge to begin and remember to stepSTRONG^TM.

75K Fitbit Award

Woot Woot!

You've walked 75,000 steps today!

What an overachiever!

75,000 steps in one day?

We bow down to your awesomeness.

Stride Length vs Step Length - Stop the Confusion

Stride Length

I think the term "Stride Length" should not be used.  It appears to have morphed from being one's "gait length" now into one's "step length", which leads to confusion.  Poor Pedometer documentation (made in foreign countries?) I think is to blame.

Having been a boy scout and earned my Orienteering merit badge long ago, we all had to calculate out our "stride length" ("pace count", "gait length") and "step length" ("step count").  This is what I have always known these terms to mean.

Google dictionary definitions of "stride length", and they all tend to say:

"stride length: The distance between 2 successive placements of the same foot, consisting of 2 step lengths"

But then you look at calculating your stride length for a pedometer and all of a sudden "stride length" is now calculated the same as "step length".

Even fitbit appears to perpetuate this in their FAQ: How do I measure and adjust my stride length.

This is why I think the term "stride length" should no longer be used.  Thoughts?

Fitbit One

Fitbit One Wireless Activity + Sleep Tracker

I won a Fitbit at a company event, and have liked it enough that I picked up a second one, for my wife.

"Fitness means being active, sleeping well, and eating smarter - and Fitbit One helps you do all three. During the day, it tracks your steps, distance, calories burned, and stairs climbed. Come nightfall, it measures your sleep cycle to help you see how to sleep better, and it can even wake you in the morning without waking your partner. Your stats upload wirelessly via computer, or select mobile devices (like the iPhone 4S). Powered by your stats, you can set goals, and track progress with charts and graphs. Stay motivated by earning badges or connecting with friends for support or friendly competitions. Log food, work-outs and more. Bring greater fitness into your life - seamlessly, socially, 24 hours a day." (amazon)

MSRP is $99, but you can pick one up a black Fitbit One on amazon for about $86, or a burgundy Fitbit One for about $83.

Fitbit One Features:

• Tracks steps, distance, calories burned, and stairs climbed
• Monitor how long and how well you sleep
• Wakes you (and not your partner) with a silent alarm
• Syncs automatically to your computer or select mobile devices via Bluetooth 4.0/Bluetooth Smart
• Set goals, view progress with charts and graphs, and earn badges
• Share and compete with friends throughout the day
• Free iPhone and Android Apps
• Small and discreet - wear in pocket, on belt or bra
• Log food, weight and more on Fitbit's website or apps
• Sweat-, rain-, and splash proof
• Rechargeable battery