The Old Coot shrugged off a nag

By Merlin Lessler —

First, we stuck in a toe, then two, and now our whole foot is into the use of an electronic nag. It started innocently enough with Fitbit, which came out in 2009. It counted steps, distance, and calories burned. It nudged us to get moving, something our obese, out of shape society needed.

Then, it became a competition. “I did 5,000 steps today!” – “I did 10,000.” “Oh yeah, I did 20,000!” Now, those enjoyable walks through neighborhoods, towns, and parks became something the “step counting” devices nagged us about.

They evolved to measure everything. And, Nag! Nag! Nag! “You only got five hours of ‘good’ sleep last night,” the App might scold. “And, you’re way under your goal of 10,000 steps a day this week. Your heart rate never made it to the recommended exercise level, so you didn’t achieve the full benefit of your effort.”

It’s not just steps and sleep. The nanny Apps scold us on much more; swimming, biking, running, and sleeping, to name a few. Studies of these electronic monitoring devices conclude that they are counterproductive.

“Your goal to maintain an average speed of 20 mph on your bike ride ended in failure! You only hit 18 mph!”

How does a message like that make you feel? Not good. It puts you into a funk and raises anxiety when you ride, trying to achieve a pre-set goal. The focus is on hitting the target, instead of enjoying a pleasant, relaxing journey on your feet, in a pool, or on a bike. Even a trip into dreamland.

The fun is gone. I have to stop this discourse and attend to a nag. My $35, knock-off fitness watch is reminding me that I have not hit my 5,000 step goal. I don’t mock the people who use electronic nags; I’m a victim myself. But, I’m working to stop. That’s why I dropped my 10,000 step goal to 5,000. I now ride my bike and swim without tracking.

I once weaned myself out of an Oreo cookie addiction, and I can do this too. If I can do it, so can you. Start slowly; lower your goals. Eventually, you can go back to a watch that just tells the time. That’s enough anxiety to live with.

Comments? Complaints? Send to mlessler7@gmail.com.