I caved and bought a fitness tracker, and I have to admit, I’m hooked. It’s a Jawbone Up2 (no affiliate links because really, why) and it tells me how I slept and how many steps I took. Which sounds pretty minor, but the interface of the app is lovely, and it’s just a pretty wristband.

When I was looking, I wanted something which would help keep me aware of my movement. I used to track calories and workouts and such, and it was a good thing to do, but such bandwagons are so easy to fall off when you have to actively engage with them.

Then I let my phone track my steps for me, before discovering that

a) after a few weeks of me not looking the app it just switched itself off
b) I really don’t carry my phone everywhere (contrary to popular belief)

So in the end I decided a wearable tracker was the way to go.

The next step is obviously looking at what’s on the market and oh my word, there is so much. I like the idea of a fitbit but fundamentally hate the name, and I wanted to avoid something which gave me updates on everything (messages and calls etc). Just whether or not I’m walking enough is fine.

I had almost settled on a Misfit Shine when the reviews suggested I’d immediately lose it, and simultaneously I saw that the Up2 was on offer. No contest.

It’s been about a month now, and I’m very happy. I’ve learnt that I can take 10,000 steps a day with a little effort, and so I might look to increase that soon. I’ve learnt that I don’t sleep nearly as badly as I thought I did. And I’ve learnt that if you wear an innocuous thing on your wrist, which occasionally buzzes to tell you to get away from your computer, you can actually feel healthier than ever.