My little Bug and me
By Tracy Mitton

Having heard about the Fitbug prize in the monthly draw at balance health clubs, I became curious. I looked it up on the web and thought maybe I should give it a go. I took the brave step to commit to a years membership, which knowing I am a person of some sticking power, worked out cheaper. I received my bug quite quickly and found it easy to set up. The first week was easy, no real targets to hit and quite interesting to see how many steps you average just on a daily basis. It did take me a little while and some research to find out exactly how aerobic steps are calculated, but once I’d done that and got over the fear that aerobic steps had to be earned through blood, sweat and tears (you actually gain more steps by walking rather than by running), then everything was fine.

At the end of the ‘observation week’ in which the Fitbug team analyse the data you feed into the website through a very simple to use USB connection, they then began to set my targets. My normal steps target was easy to achieve with general coming and going of daily life. The aerobic steps required a little more thought. By now the bug was beginning to bite and I now found myself finding excuses to walk places I would normally go by car. Since I now understood that you had to be walking continuously for ten minutes before the steps were counted as aerobic steps, it seemed easy to include ten minute chunks of exercise at a lunch or break time (I work full time as a teacher)

The motivational messages, which I began to receive made me laugh and spurred me on. I began to check my activity charts regularly to make sure I had as many pink (excellent) day as possible. Only three weeks later, when the team had increased my targets every week, did I find the odd green day appearing, which means you have not achieved your aerobic target for that day but every now and again you need a rest day.

Every Monday you are set new targets and receive a newsletter, either by e-mail or by accessing the website. I found it useful to see how well I had done over the previous week and follow the advice and suggestions given by the Fitbug team. The website also contains a very comprehensive recipe book and even has a selection of set menus if you need a little more help planning your nutrition. At first it was time-consuming to enter all the information into the nutrition section, but by setting up favourites, it soon speeds up the process. I volunteered to trail the new version of the Fitbug website and while still experimental, I can see they have taken into account the many suggestions from other members and have made it even more user-friendly.

All in all, I have found the Fitbug extremely motivational. My family suffering or should I say benefiting from my ‘fitbugging’ by far more walking than they have ever done. I have also recently bought a bug for my husband, ‘so let the competition begin!!’ Since using the Fitbug, and I am only now beginning week 8, I have lost over 3 kilos in body weight and around 2-3% body fat.

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