Fitbit(e) Me

Some consumer product fads are harmless.  Pet rocks.  Rubik’s cubes.  Bottled water.  Wait, check that, I’m being told that bottled water is still a multi-billion dollar industry…..go figure.

Regardless, I’ve been waiting in the weeds to complain about a new product fad that began as harmless, but has morphed into an annoying pastime for some.  It involves the Fitbit.

For the un-indoctrinated, a Fitbit is a wearable product (basically like a wristwatch) that uses sensors and wireless technology to calculate how much a person moves in a prescribed time.  While there are plenty of competitors (such as the Apple Watch), Fitbit has developed tremendous brand-awareness and loyalty, and has a big lead in this space.

There’s nothing wrong with the Fitbit, nor with the consumer ‘need’ that the Fitbit tries to address for people.  That is, give them motivation to live a more active lifestyle.  If monitoring the number of steps taken daily, along with distance and time does that for people, that’s great.  Fitter human beings benefit not only that person, but society in general.

The problem is not the Fitbit.  The problem is Fitbit users who consistently believe they must tell everyone else how much they’ve moved.  I’m beginning to think the Fitbit user manual carries a warning message claiming the Fitbit will self-destruct if the wearer doesn’t immediately announce their daily (or more frequent) fitness results to those within shouting distance.

Hey Fitbit users:  The rest of us are happy that a consumer product has made you more fitness-aware.  We just don’t want to hear about it every damn time you’re around us.  You might want to assume that some of us are doing a lot more than you are to stay fit, we simply aren’t publicizing it.  Also, I would caution Fitbit users to remember the importance of diet in overall health – but please, you don’t have to tell the rest of us your daily fresh vegetable or yogurt intake, either.

By definition, fads come and go, and that’s especially true with fitness and diet crazes.  Only time will tell whether the Fitbit is a fad.  In the meantime, let’s at least agree not to talk about it.