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OUR YUCAIPA | JUNE 2015 15 It seems everywhere you look, people are sporting a Fitbit, that nifty little plastic bracelet around the wrist that tracks your daily steps, can record your calorie intake, track your sleep patterns and even tells you whose calling on your nearby smartphone. Most Fitbit enthusiasts try to walk, and therefore track, at least 10,000 steps a day. The benefits of walking are well known to reduce the risk of heart disease, improve blood pressure, maintain body weight, and stave off diabetes. In short, exercise keeps you healthy. Duh. However, experts say that while 10,000 steps is great, any amount of activity beyond what you're currently doing will likely benefit your health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends adults engage in 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, such as brisk walking, which translates to about 7,000 to 8,000 steps a day. Anything over that, of course, is even more beneficial. But can a fitness tracker really help you want to walk more? The answer seems to be yes. "I see many women in the gym wearing Fitbits, and it seems to keep them focused on an active mind set," said Jamie Riley, Manager at Revolution Fitness in Yucaipa. Riley said ideally she'd like to see people focus on keeping an active lifestyle rather than worrying about 10,000 steps a day, but that anything that trains people in healthy habits is beneficial. "If you can park farther away, or take the stairs instead of the elevator you should do it," said Riley. "And if counting your steps on the Fitbit contributes to that I'm all for it." Another feature of the Fitbit that seems to keep women motivated is the ability to see their friend's steps and physical activity throughout a seven day period through the app. They can even cheer, taunt or send encouraging messages to their friends through the Fitbit's app on their smartphone, encouraging good natured fitness competitions. Yucaipa resident Terri Nevins said she bought her Fitbit in March, and has increased her activity because of it. "I'm a naturally active person," said Nevins. "I thought for sure I would get in 10,000 steps a day and was surprised to find I only did 6,000 to 7,000 steps in an average day. It made me realize I need to do another 45 minutes a day of activity to reach my goal." Nevins said she enjoys the good natured camaraderie with friends while comparing their daily steps and said that it even helped her train for her first marathon. She completed the LA Marathon on March 15. "I did it with two other friends who had their Fitbits and we couldn't wait to see how many steps it was," she laughed. Turns out there are 59,000 steps in a marathon. "I think the Fitbit is something everybody can benefit from, from beginning exercisers to advanced. It's something to keep you physically active and accountable," said Nevins. Of course getting your steps in is the goal, and an inexpensive pedometer will count them too. The Mayo Clinic recommends that folks using a Fitbit or a pedometer first set short term goals, such as taking an extra 1,000 steps a day for one week, and then build up to the long term goal of 10,000. And Fitbit isn't the only name in the game. Wearable fitness trackers are also available from brands like Jawbone, Garmin and Nike. Business is booming on the little gadgets, with fitness trackers racking up $750 million in sales in 2014 according to rockhealth. com. Experts predict to see another 25 percent increase in sales by the end of 2017. Whatever works. Any activity you can do today will benefit you tomorrow. So charge up that Fitbit, challenge your friends, and get out there! Don't Be a Nit Wit, Get a Fitbit By Natalie Palmer HOW TO GET CLOSER TO YOUR 10,000 STEP GOAL Park your car far away from the store • Take the stairs Walk to Starbucks, don't drive • March in place while watching TV Walk your dogs • Take a 10 minute walk after dinner Jog on the treadmill for 20 minutes • Dance • Window shop Walk up and down the aisles of the grocery store March in place while cooking • Walk to the mailbox Let's do it together… You and me and the rest of Yucaipa. If you have a Fitbit, we can compete with each other! You don't know what a Fitbit is? What?!?

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