Easy Travel Tip ~ 10,000 Steps While You Travel

Last year I picked up a Fitbit Zip. My intention was to use it during the Snowman Trek. But I made an error and forgot to bring the little USB dongle that goes with the unit and wasn’t able to change the tracker to the local time in Bhutan. This would have meant the Fitbit would have reset back to zero at 2pm each day (midnight in Seattle) and I wasn’t willing to make note of my number of steps at 1:55 p.m. each day.

I had actually considered returning the unit but once I got back to a U.S. timezone after the trek (Hawaii), I started really enjoying tracking my steps.

I found that when I went for at least one walk or run a day (something that I do at home most days), I could easily reach 10,000 steps. If I took a long run in the morning and then a walk in the afternoon, I could easily reach over 20,000 steps.

So I got into a rhythm of taking a run (usually about three or four miles) from our hotel on Poipu Road in the mornings. I’d run until I reached a good turnaround point and then head back to the hotel. By that time Jon was up and at the hotel gym working out.

Then, by late afternoon, Jon and I were ready for a long walk before (or to) dinner. We might park the car at the local shopping area (Kukui’ula) and walk from there to the Spouting Horn and back. Since the Kukui’ula is where my favorite shave ice shop, Uncle’s, is located, our walks usually included a stop there – exercise be damned!

Now this whole step-tracking thing was getting fun.

Since being back in Seattle, I still wear my Fitbit Zip every day and I love it. I know that on my rest days–days when I’m neither weight-training nor running–that if I don’t take a walk, my steps will be in the 3,000 – 5,000 range just from my daily routine. But slip a three-mile round-trip walk to the store in and that easily tops me over 10,000. That’s a pretty good motivator to get me off the couch and stop me from watching another episode of The Good Wife.

On my long run days (my longest is 12 miles), I’ve hit well over 25,000 steps. How awesome is it to know that?

I have now traveled with my little tracking device to D.C., Chicago, Salt Lake City and Cabo San Lucas. Not that I wouldn’t have exercised if I wasn’t wearing the Fitbit, but there’s something really encouraging about watching those numbers increase. And knowing that by making a decision to take a little walk at the end of the day rather than a dozen other things I could make an excuse to do (turn on the TV, eat junk food, veg at the pool), I can hit my goal every day with relative ease.

It really doesn’t matter whether I’m in Seattle or Bangkok, the way I choose to spend my days all come from the same motivation–to stay in good health. Healthy choices I make at home spill over into my travels – otherwise I’m going to feel like S*%^ at my destination and won’t be as motivated to do things. The Fitbit is just now another good habit I’ve adopted.

Why This Should Matter to You

A really wonderful woman, Kim, was on one of my tours and told me how she had lost 75 pounds by walking more and tracking her steps. Obviously she made more changes than by just adding walking to her routine (big kudos to her!) but her activity tracker was the motivator to get her out every day for a walk. A trip to Bhutan with us was her reward when she lost that weight.

When I met Kim, having an activity tracker hadn’t even crossed my mind. I wasn’t trying to lose weight and I figured between my workouts, runs and near-daily walks, that I was getting enough steps/exercise into my days (and I’m sure I was).

But now that I have one, it’s extra motivation for me to hit at least 10,000 steps. This means I might choose to walk to do some sightseeing rather than take public transportation. Or I might take a walking tour of a city rather than Ride the Duck. Is it helping me lose or maintain weight? I dunno. But I am healthier, for sure. How can I not be when my muscles are moving more, my heart rate is up a bit and I’m burning calories rather than adding them?

Will you lose 75 pounds using an activity tracker? Maybe not. But it’s a great thing for daily use. And I betcha that for travel it’ll keep you moving more than you might have anticipated.

A Note About Accuracy

I have never actually done a count of my steps and compared that with what the Fitbit has tracked. I know it’s going to be a bit inaccurate. You can whine about this as some people have or you can accept the fact that this is going to give you a relatively good idea as to how you’re doing for the day. Once you get into the habit of using an activity tracker, you’ll see what a difference a walk or run every day makes. Whether it’s off by a hundred or more steps won’t be a big deal.

*****

By the way, this is not meant to be a review about this product. It’s simply a post to encourage you to give an activity tracker a shot.

The Fitbit Zip is available on Amazon for about $50 (depending on color). This makes it one of the more affordable activity trackers on the market and the reason why I bought this one myself.

Be Bold,

Beth

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Photo credit:
Walkers – Chris RubberDragon