Kids making us "step" up our game!

Two weeks ago we started our family journey of stepping together.  Our two oldest children challenged us that they would easily beat myself and my husband on a daily basis counting our steps. Our last blog we shared the details of how this started and today is our update.

The kids watches came in the mail on a Wednesday.  The first week they only logged three days officially. Our oldest racked up 59,163 steps in three days and our middle child, who had an ear infection and did not seem very active still managed to get 44,383 steps in three days. Considering that the universally accepted goal is 10,000 steps, my kids numbers were already starting to make my husband and myself a little nervous.  So much so that Tim and I found ourselves jogging in place like total weirdos when no one was looking. The first week the kids had their watches was the first week Tim and I both had more than 90,000 steps.  Up until the challenge with kids we both were averaging 75,000 steps but we didn't want to beat by kids!

Tim started to get really nervous the following week and started running in place all the time. I'm not sure if he was even doing it in rooms while seeing patients because he pulled out the big numbers week two.  He broke 100,000 steps to crush the spirits of the 10 and 9 year old children (and a 41 year old lady).  The children that did more laying in the pool and watching "Teen Titans Go" and they still managed to post steps in the 80,000.

I took a different approach to try and equalize the playing field.  I would pick kids up from camp and then put them in the pool while I ran around the pool.  Suckers!   While they were floating and hitting each other with noodles, I was sure to beat them right? Wrong, I still got my butt kicked by a 10 year old who does not like to lose!  Lily pulled up 1,000 more steps than me getting to 89,000 steps!

Now we are in week 3 of our challenge with 5 days left.  Our 10 year old came home from camp on Monday with 17,000 steps.  She means complete and total business this week.  So we did what every good parent would do.  We put the children to bed by 9pm, and Tim and I jogged in place for 5,000 steps each extra to beat her by 1,000 steps.  The next morning our daughter lost her mind and she vowed to beat us this week.  Our current numbers are here.  But this challenge truly has mad me move more than ever.  Moving like a child is hard and takes a lot of work.  I have even lost 3 pounds in the last week and a half, but this could be attributed to the late night snack being replaced by the weirdo running in place to try to surpass a 10 year old.

We are continuing to let our kids to inspire us and make us move more.   The watches we are using are the Withings Pop Activate, these watches are water proof and even log swimming, so I may have to keep the kids out of the pool if I really want to win! We have the scale below too that helps me stay on target! Happy stepping everyone!!!!!

Thanks Santa, for the gift that tells me how much I really do not move:) (Actually my favorite present ever)

After all of the Prime Rib and Turkey with all of the "fixins" and treats that come along with the holidays, sometimes having Santa give you a reminder that you need to move is good! On Christmas morning I awoke to three kids ripping through presents like they were on a mission.  The excitement of this day for a 3,8 and 10 year old is too much for them to contain themselves. Usually, after the kids are done opening their presents and have already moved into the "I need a screwdriver to put batteries in this sucker" phase is when my husband, Tim, and I remember that Santa brought gifts for us too!

Our gifts from Santa are almost always health related or clothes/ sneakers to do something health related.  This year he stuck to this theme but the gifts were just a little different.  Santa brought us a Withings Pulse O2 Activity, Sleep, and Heart Rate + SPO2 Tracker, which is in line with the Fitbit type tracker.  But Santa knew that we needed to have a screen, being very American and requiring instant gratification. Plus we wanted to be able to pass by each other and immediately tell each other who is working harder by looking at our wrist not having to go to our cell phone to get this information, by then we might be too lazy to brag about who works harder!

Santa also thought it would be a great idea to purchase a group gift for Tim and I, he got us the Withings WS-50 Smart Body Analyzer.  This was not a gift I think I would ever be excited about. Most women over 40, we don't usually do back flips over a gift like this, a fancy scale!  A fancy scale that talks to my phone through my WiFi and tells my phone how much I weigh, my body fat percentage, heart rate and continuous indoor air quality.  That last one, indoor air quality, I still don't completely understand.
There was an easy set up for the scale that was simple enough for anyone to figure out.  The scale becomes, a I think, an important component to the whole process.  It is like why programs like Weight Watchers are so successful, accountability, there right in your face, makes a huge difference in some peoples actions.

I would not usually review a product so quickly but in all honesty, in just one week Tim and I have broken many bad habits due to "the power of the Withings."  The features of the tracker are the following: it monitors all of my steps from the moment I get up until I set it to sleep mode at night.  It also tracks elevation, heart rate, distance, calories and is a watch. I have to say I was truly surprised my first day back at work at how hard it was to get past 5,000 steps.  I am constantly moving when I am at work, running from patient treatment room to treatment room.  So I thought by 5pm I would be over 10,000 steps, wrong! I was tired after my first day back  from Christmas vacation but my Withings said I only burned 150 calories and walked 5,000 steps so I had to show this watch who was boss and I got on the treadmill until I was over 10,000 steps.  Yes, this is crazy but if it keeps the competitive individual from getting lax then I am all for it.  My husband Tim not wanting to be outdone also wanted to show the watch who was boss, but his approach was a little different. Actually, he used the clip accessory and attached it to our dog, he says it was a joke but I will be suspicious if he starts doing 20,000 steps every day:)

Like any exercise program or diet the hardest part is sometimes just starting.  This is a great way to start something new and have some accountability.  Tim and I have a daily challenge of who has completed more steps and this is a friendly competition.  I personally have made better food choices as well, just in case the scale mixes up our weights and Tim starts getting my body fat percentage and weight.

So my thoughts are, no band will make you magically "fit".  Only eating right and exercising daily will truly do this but a fitness tracker like the Withings and the scale  is a nice way to have some accountability and maybe inspire those of us who think we are working hard to push ourselves just a little more to stay healthy. The App for the Withings is available on Iphone and Android phones and gives you the ability to challenge friends or spouses daily and lets you know who is winning, I am all about winning:)

I believe Santa may have bought these items on Amazon as he would have gotten the best prices. I included a link to both if you are interested in taking "steps" in the right direction for your health.

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