I had a bunch of people write me about my post yesterday, specifically about the Fitbit Flex.

Last year a friend of mine got one and used it to lose over sixty pounds.  If they can do it so can I.

The Flex is the lowest of the Fitbits only counting steps and sleep.  I joke that I’m on a fixed income but honestly I’m pretty frugal.  I don’t mind spending money on my family but hate spending cash on myself.

The higher end Fitbits count stairs and show the steps numerically on the wrist.  I didn’t feel that I needed that.  The Flex has five L.E.D.s that light up as you get to each level.  Since I am walking ten thousand steps I get one light per two thousand steps.  It pairs perfectly with my iPhone 5s showing steps in real time.  If I’m walking I can see the steps update as I walk.  When I reach my goal the Flex vibrates.  It’s a good feeling.  The vibration can also be used as a silent alarm.  I use it when I need to get up and not bother the wife.

The recent update has it monitor your sleep automatically.  It senses when you are sleeping and gives you a report of the quality.  I found that I normally get seven hours sleep with seventeen minutes of restless sleep.

The biggest thing about it for me is how it motivates me.  If at ten o’clock at night I find I have eight thousand steps I get out and get my final two thousand.  I plan to increase the step count five hundred steps every two weeks.  When I get on the bike I still plan to keep doing the steps.  This is my year to do it and it feels good.