Getting in shape the geek way

I caught a Wired magazine article about Tim Cigelske. He is attempting to run a mile and drink a beer, every day for a year. While my days of drinking beer (nearly) every day are long past, the article inspired me step up my own workouts. I should note that I’ve been a runner on and off for a couple of decades, even completing a marathon in my thirties. So it isn’t a stretch for me to start running again.

Of course, like a true geek, I’m getting help from the Web with my training. I’m using FitBit to keep track of my exercise and diet. FitBit is a pedometer type device that is used in conjunction with their web site. The device is tiny, well designed, and stylish. I can wear it on my belt and it is barely noticeable or I can keep it in my pocket. There’s no bulky nerd case like those that hold phones (or calculators back in the ‘80s). It keeps track of your exercise by counting your steps throughout the day. You may also wear it at night to track your sleep patterns (I find the sleep data pretty intriguing).

The FitBit connects to a web site by syncing through a computer. The process of getting started is very simple, but you have to download a small software program and register on the site. FitBit walks you through this step by step. The device syncs via a USB cable that is provided and comes attached to a cute little stand. The software sits in the background, waiting for you to plug in device in; once plugged in, syncing data is automatic.

But then there’s the really nerdy part. The FitBit web site has forms to enter what you’ve eaten, types of exercise you’ve done, or your weight. Nutritional information has been crowd-sourced, so virtually anything you buy at a restaurant chain or grocery store is listed. Because it’s crowd-sourced, though, there are often many entries for the same thing, the trick is finding the most accurate entry. Of course, if you want, you can enter the nutritional information yourself. The web site also tracks daily weight, body fat, or measurements (like your waistline) and plots them on a graph.

So I am thirteen days into my running streak. Next week I’m off to camp with my son, so I may modify my goal to run, bike, or swim every day. My FitBit came yesterday, so I’ve only just started the geek side of my training. I can see that entering calorie and weight data could get tedious, especially if the graphs trend in the wrong direction. So I’m taking the step of connecting sharing by FitBit data on Facebook and Twitter. I’m hoping that public exposure will keep me motivated. Wish me luck.