My love-hate relationship with fitness trackers...& the 6 reasons they're sometimes a necessarily evil

The leaves are rustling, the birds are chirping, the stream is trickling on by. It’s quiet, peaceful and serene in the shady spot that I’ve chosen to cool off in. But a pang of guilt begins to wash over me, prompting to keep moving. Stopping means no steps counted. No steps equals no progress documented. Once I resume moving, as if to confirm my failure, I hear a robotic voice:
 
“Time: 20 minutes. Distance: 1 mile. Pace: some variation of, “you are basically too slow…Step it up”! So off I went again...

Though not unexpected, I still have not gotten used to this voice without a face talking to me at random intervals during my otherwise quiet walks. I’m fully aware of the fact that I can turn off this voice feature and just check my stats at the end of my walk. But this doesn’t really matter because I still know that I am being tracked. And since I am being tracked I also feel like I am being judged, even if it is only I that's doing the judging in the end.
 
“Join us in our walking group! It’ll be fun!” they said. And so began my love-hate relationship with fitness trackers. Some of my friends were embarking on a journey towards wellness at around the same time that I decided I needed to walk more. The timing of this group coincided nicely with my new fitness goals.

So on my first day I excitedly ventured out with my app in tow and I began marching along. Each step felt different, as if it actually counted towards something (they really did now!). I felt like I was on a mission and that I was being immensely productive.

My enthusiasm quickly waned when much to my dismay I got home and realized that the app froze on me halfway through my walk (I later found out this was user error, and not at all the fault of the app). Despite feeling great after my walk, I felt like I accomplished absolutely nothing.
 
My biggest problem initially with fitness trackers and apps is that they are just another way for us to measure ourselves. This can be good or bad. There’s this idea in our society that if we aren’t being productive at all times then we’re wasting our time. You’d be crazy to just go out for a walk and wander around! The only way to justify a stroll around the park would be to measure, record, and document it. This way, we can prove to ourselves and to others that we did not in fact waste any time.
 
We are already under so much pressure all the time. We already feel so time-constricted. Studies are showing the benefits of digital detoxes. There are benefits to unplugging our electronics and tuning the world out for a bit. Studies demonstrate the benefits of mindfulness and of being attentive to the present moment. So then why do I continue to feel compelled to track my workouts like this?
 
That first week our group goal was to take 5,000 steps a day. Being a lifelong dog owner, I figured this would be easy for me.  Only when I began paying more attention to the ticker did I notice just how much I had been overestimating my daily movement.

Distances that I assumed must have been at least a mile turned out to be half a mile or less. Hour-long workouts turned out to be only 30 minutes of actual activity when frequent stopping was accounted for (I own a beagle so sniffing is just part of the deal). These early realizations are what made me begin to see the benefits of using a tracker. So I kept using it. And then I had even more realizations. 

I'd like to share with you the 6 reasons that I’ve begun to love tracking my workouts. If a person like me can enjoy these tracker tools then perhaps you might too!

1.) You hold yourself accountable.
I don’t know about you but I always feel a bit of guilt when I don’t make at least some daily progress towards a goal that I set for myself.  With an app that is keeping close track, I can actually see when I’m making progress and when I’m not. Gone are the days I can easily fool myself!

 2.) You become more honest with yourself.
Sometimes it’s easy to miscalculate or misjudge distances. A tracker won’t let you get away with that. You either walked the complete mile or you didn’t. You were either  active or sedentary today. You can’t justify, make excuses, or have delusions about how active you are or aren’t. The numbers speak for themselves.
 
3.) Apps can create a sense of belonging.
Even during my solo walks, I still feel like I am part of something larger. I belong to a walking group and we are all walking our way towards achieving a common goal. This makes me feel like I am doing my part and contributing to a mission bigger than just my own fitness goals. We celebrate together and we check in on each other’s daily progress. Being the human beings that we are, seeking a sense of belonging comes naturally to us. Joining a fitness group is just one more way to connect with other people. If you are a bit of an introvert like I am, it’s also one of the less intrusive ways to connect.
 
4.) Motivation can come from others.
Because I belong to a walking group on my fitness app, I feel like I can’t let them down. If I see that someone else made it out on a rainy day then there is no reason that I can’t also. On our group’s lazy days, I sometimes pound out a couple miles to stimulate group activity and to motivate them to get moving. Then on my own slow days, I can see their miles adding up and I end up lacing up so as not to fall behind them. Is this not the literal definition of healthy competition?
 
5.) You can look back on your achievements and be proud.
When I reflect back at the end of the week, I often can’t believe that I walked over 70,000 steps or more! And this isn’t even counting the regular day-to-day steps. These were “only” my intentional walking steps. Seeing the numbers on a screen makes them feel real and therefore makes me feel proud.
 
6.) You might just push yourself a little harder
You don’t have to be part of a walking group to push yourself. Just seeing a slower-than-usual pace can sometimes be a gentle reminder for you to push a little harder. Of course, you should always listen to your body. If you just aren’t feeling it one day then cut yourself some slack. But if you have it in you, use the app to check in with yourself and realize when you are being lazy. Then go and give it your all.

Final pointers
If you're like me and are hesitant to track your workouts because you just want to enjoy the moment and not be distracted, I get it. There are ways to not let technology dictate your life. Turn the app on and then forget about it until the end of your workout. Resist the urge to check it compulsively. Use it as a tool and glance at it periodically in the beginning when you are learning about distances. Then consult with it at the end to check your pace and see if you need to push yourself to go a bit faster the next time. Let it be your guide but don’t feel shackled to it.
 
Overall, fitness trackers can be most useful at different points along your fitness journey. They're great when you’re beginning a new workout routine and need to get real with yourself. Maybe you need to learn distances, your average paces and your general baseline. Apps and trackers are great for this. I have a FitBit but I also like using Map My Walk or Pacer apps. But there are many to choose from and individual preferences will vary.
 
Eventually you fall into a routine and you begin to stick with what works for you. You just know that you’ve had a good workout because now you can feel it. I find apps less useful on those days and that’s okay. Sometimes I’ll still turn it on out of habit but over time I've become a bit less reliant on trackers. Often I’ll rely on the trackers again when I feel like I’m not progressing anymore or when I want to challenge myself. This is when I may need it to get real with myself in order to set new goals.

Takeaway
Regardless of which app you use or which fitness group(s) you belong to, the most important thing to remember is that it is okay to stop and smell the roses once in a while (literally and figuratively). Your “time” doesn’t matter nearly as much as your real time. It’s why I stop at the creek to cool off and it’s why I no longer feel guilty about doing so. Because in the end, life is about so much more than checking and tracking numbers.