Archives for November 2011

About four years ago pedometer challenges were really big in my workplace. Aiming for 10,000 steps a day, people did team challenges, take-the-stairs challenges, and all kinds of other things designed to motivate the unmotivated. I was training for my third half-marathon at the time so didn’t really feel the need to jump on board that particular bandwagon, but I tend to be sort of an organizational culture geek and I think getting involved is important. Plus, higher-ups tend to notice if you don’t participate in these sorts of things. Or maybe they just notice if you do. In any case, sticking a piece of plastic that can count on my waistband is worth it if it gets me on the good list. So that’s what I did.

One day at lunchtime as part of the motivational rah-rah, we had a speaker come to talk about how great tracking your footsteps is. At one point he asked the crowd to guess how many steps it takes to burn off one M&M. I can’t remember what the number turned out to be, but it was a lot of steps. Like, 439,000 or something. Okay, maybe not that many, but it was a seriously big number considering the goal was 10,000 steps per day. It gave me a newfound gratitude for those long runs I was doing at the crack of dawn each Sunday.

I played along for a while and then, as tends to happen, the collective enthusiasm for step counting petered out. One day I forgot to put my pedometer on and I came across it again several months later in the bottom drawer of my dresser. So much for that.

It didn’t really matter because I didn’t need it at the time. Shortly after that I got pregnant and when I needed motivation to exercise I had a very perky Denise Austin and her four pregnant assistants on DVD to keep me going. (Hey, it worked.) Then I had a baby and, when I had recovered from the c-section, started running again so I could run one of my favourite races – an 8K, which I ran when Connor was four months old. And I just kept going. Until sometime this summer.

I was fairly active while I was on leave because for me exercise has always been a critical part of not feeling crazy, but for some reason when I weaned off all meds except the anti-depressant I seemed to eliminate all motivation for exercise at the same time. And now I’m writing posts about needing maternity clothes when I’m not pregnant. I am now the unmotivated.

It’s time to do something about it, and as part of the Just.Be.Enough. team I have an opportunity I think will kick me in the pants. A few of us are going to try out a Striiv, described as a “sleek fitness device that fits on your keychain and counts every step you take.” Ah, but there’s more.

This device gives you little kicks in the pants throughout the day in the form of games, personal challenges, and opportunities to have donations made to charity. All of that is powered by physical activity, naturally, and if games and challenges aren’t enough to get me going, having each step count towards a donation to charity (at no cost to me) just might. Well, that or the fact that our JBE team has decided to do a little challenge amongst ourselves.

The other team members have their devices already but since I’m in the Great White North I’m still waiting for mine to arrive on my doorstep. (Note to Canada Customs – give it up!) When it does get here, well, if it weren’t counter to the JBE spirit to say I’m going to kick some butt I totally would say it. Kidding, of course. I’ll take motivation in whatever form it’s provided.

We’ll be writing about our progress weekly with a wrap-up post on Just.Be.Enough. every Wednesday. Feel free to follow along, and if I need a little extra kick in the pants you’re welcome to give me one.

 

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Here’s some info if you’re interested or want to get a Striiv for yourself so you can challenge us (bring it!).

Striiv features include:

• Walkathon in your pocket in which every step counts toward a donation to charity, at no cost to the user.
• Activity-based games where progress is based on walking, running, and taking the stairs.
• Daily challenges and trophies to reward activity.
• Charts and graphs to track progress. (Yes! I love charts and graphs!)
• TruMotion Technology which is always on and always sensing if you are walking, running, and even climbing stairs.

Find out more at www.striiv.com.

Share your thoughts on Twitter (@striiv) or Facebook.

Striiv videos can be found on their YouTube channel, including a new video of the device in use.

Striiv is available for $99 on www.striiv.com, or on HSN and HSN.com with an exclusive holiday bundle for $99.95.

 

I received a Striiv (or will) to allow me to participate in this challenge but was not compensated for this post. All opinions are my own, and if this doesn’t get me back to regular exercise I fear I’ll have to buy a new wardrobe.