Even here, I’m wearing a FitBit.

A few years ago, my dad received a FitBit for Christmas. For several months after, he’d call me up and excitedly report how many “steps” he accumulated during the day. I had no idea what he was talking about. I’d listen, reflect back his excitement, and get curious about what these fitness trackers were all about. Then, my clients started getting them, tracking their steps, and wanting to talk to me about it. I became even more curious. Eventually I got one for myself, mostly to connect with the people in my life who were trying to increase their activity level and to gain a first-person understanding of what those numbers meant.

Thus began a mini-obsession with my FitBit.

The basic fitness tracker uses an accelerometer or GPS to detect movement and translate that into an estimate of steps taken and miles traveled. Some devices also measure things like elevation gained and heart rate. Most also attempt to estimate the number of calories burned throughout the day (whether you’re moving or not). These data are then supposed to influence your behavior regarding whatever goals you’ve set for yourself. For example, if your goal is to reach 10,000 steps per day, you can use the information from your fitness tracker to identify your current level of activity (in number of steps taken) and make changes to your routine to hit the goal. That might mean taking a walking lunch break, going to the gym after work, etc. Sounds like a great idea.

Theory vs. practice

Here’s what actually happened.

It feels good to reach a goal, right? When my FitBit wristband would vibrate and buzz when I’d hit my daily step goal, I’d get a little jolt of “woo hoo! I did it.” Sometimes it would buzz when I was halfway through a grueling hike, walking to the grocery store, or playing at the playground. Sometimes it would buzz while I was putting laundry in the dryer or reaching for my cell phone. So it didn’t exactly reinforce any particular behavior, and sometimes it just felt really silly. But the worst was when it didn’t buzz. I felt lazy, sluggish, and called myself a failure. “Really, I couldn’t manage to get a measly 10,000 steps today?” For an active person, 10,000 steps isn’t much of a stretch. I’d check the FitBit app and see several people on my friends list (mostly clients) than me killing me on the step count. That made me feel even worse. After all, I was supposed to be a bit of a role model here. But it didn’t motivate me to get off the couch and go for a walk.

And today, ironically, I forgot to put my FitBit on this morning. As I’m writing this, I feel like less of a person, argh! It’s so weird. Here’s the conversation going on in my head: “My steps aren’t being counted today, what a waste. I’m going to slip down the leader board.” This attitude sucks! Now I’ve got to wean myself off the device so I can get back into moving for movement’s sake.

When we outsource our mindfulness and motivation to a technological device, we lose some huge benefits of practicing movement.

Your step count is just the beginning

In the grand scheme of things, this is the pattern I noticed: I’d get 20,000+ steps on a day where I was out hiking, camping,walking to errands, doing fun stuff. Some weeks I’d get 2 or 3 days like this. Then, the next day I’d be down in the 5,000 range or something. Recovering from the big effort, getting back to work life, etc. That would somewhat mimic a hunter-gatherer movement pattern (if you’re into that sort of thing) and more likely be better than hammering your joints on a treadmill for 5 miles a day, every single day, or sprinting through the neighborhood after dinner because you were short of your goal steps.

Here’s my biggest beef. What the FitBit and other trackers focus on is the number of steps. It gives you no data on the quality and diversity of your activity. This is like going on a diet that counts calories but doesn’t consider macronutrients, vitamins, number of meals,  how quickly you ate your food, etc. Someone who has the same gym routine day after day might be number one on the step leader board for the week, but she could be missing many components of a smart, well-rounded movement practice. And this can create an inaccurate sense of one’s “fitness” for a person who, by that singular data point, is considered “healthy” (or healthier/fitter than their peers). Step count is one of many important fitness metrics. But so is objective strength. So is endurance. Adaptability. Mobility. Things that are a little harder to measure. So, is it all for naught?

Who are fitness trackers good for?

Nothing is inherently “good” or “bad.” So, who can benefit from wearing a fitness tracker? If you’re getting into exercise for the first time, or getting back into exercise, or if you have no clue what your current activity level is and you want to improve it, then a fitness tracker is a great way to get started. It’s important to understand what your baseline is before trying to make a change for the better. Here’s how:

How many steps to the top? What about the value of going barefoot, walking in the sand, being outside, socializing with friends…

Use a fitness tracker to record a typical week and observe your patterns. Is your activity level consistent from day to day or are there big peaks and valleys? What are you doing differently on your active days versus your more sedentary days? Was this a typical week? Keep in mind that tracking activity almost always changes behavior. Since you know you’re being tracked, you’re more likely to increase your activity level. This can be a good thing if being more active is your goal!

Once you establish a baseline, use that data to help set realistic goals. If you’re currently averaging about 4,000 steps/day then don’t reach for that 10,000 step goal just yet. Pick something more attainable. Let’s say you feel confident that you can add a 1 mile walk to your routine every day. This very roughly translates to another 2,000 steps. Then, your step goal for next week can be 6,000 steps/day. You can keep bumping up your goal by achievable increments until you reach 10,000 steps/day or whatever number you had in mind.

Then, when 10,000 steps/ day becomes the new normal, ditch the fitness tracker and focus on those other movement nutrients: walking barefoot, lifting and carrying, squatting, going outdoors, and doing all the other stuff the gym machines can’t give you. Mix up your routine. Run instead of walk. Walk barefoot instead of run. Walk grassy hills instead of flat pavement. Swing across the monkey bars instead of overhead pressing 3 lb dumbbells. Become a more adaptable human being.

Fitness trackers can be helpful for another demographic: the actively training endurance athlete. If you want to improve your speed or work on running longer distances in order to prepare for a specific event, wearing a fitness tracker can keep you honest about your progress. Look at the data regularly to assess your preparation in advance of the next race. I suggest keeping some subjective notes in a journal to bolster the objective data gathered on the device. For example, weather, surface conditions, pack weight, and other variables can influence your speed or endurance on any given day. Looking at strictly time/distance numbers can be deceptive.

After writing all this, I’ve decided I’m going cold turkey. It’s been real, FitBit, but I’m ready to return to simpler, more meaningful movement.

For more analysis on the pros and cons of fitness trackers:

The data you can and can’t trust from your fitness tracker on Lifehacker

The good, the bad and the bottom line of the fitness tracker craze on Breaking Muscle