My 5 Favorite Fitbit Features + 1 Month Check In

It's been a month since FedEx dropped off a box that would kick start my health and weight loss journey: inside was a blue Fitbit Alta.

I jumped headfirst into the aspect I was most excited for: competitions challenges, and surprised myself by taking advantage of other features I didn't expect to: food and water tracking.

I'm sure I've already made it pretty obvious why I love my Fitbit, but to spell it out, here are my top 5 favorite features:

1. Challenges: If something is winnable, you better believe I plan to win. Let someone out walk me? No thanks. Whenever I get a push notification that someone else is creeping up on me, I get up and walk. Colleagues of mine report the same effect as one has even admitted to walking in place in the shower (with her arm outside, don't get your tracker wet!) to catch up to my step count.
2. 7 Day Steps: As I generally participate in challenges with the same group of people, results become predictable after awhile. 7 day steps lets me compare my overall activity to all of my Fitbit friends, not just the few in a given challenge.
3. Water Tracking: I thought I wouldn't use this as I know I drink a lot of water, but this has been more helpful than I expected. It's nice to visually see and track (was this my 3rd or 4th bottle this morning?) my progress each day, and it's a motivator for days where I'm slacking and don't realize it. I drink water all day at my desk, but on the weekends I easily forget. It really comes in handy then.
4. Food Tracking: I know "you can't outrun a bad diet," but food tracking sounds like torture to me and I rarely keep up with it. I decided to try it anyway since a neighbor who took full advantage of this feature reported losing 30 lbs. The first week was a sobering challenge, but it helped me to see the things that were hurting me and plan my meals and snacks ahead for the workweek (weekends are another story, we all need little indulgences!). I still track, though not as thoroughly, now that I have a better grip on what a healthy day should look like for me.
5. Free Steps: I was watching Cabaret on tour and my Fitbit would light up each time I applauded. I didn't think much of it until it started vibrating and congratulated me on hitting my 10K steps for the day. Whoops—apparently Fitbit counts claps as steps! (obviously this isn't really a favorite feature, but if you're a handful of steps away from winning a challenge...you didn't hear this from me!)

Onto the fun part—1 month benefits/progress!

Choosing to move more has benefited me with increased energy and focus. Most days, I walk a mile (at least) at lunch and another mile with Anise when I get home...which means, she is also winning here as she gets more exercise (I've also lengthened her "short" walks)!

In addition, moving around more has affected my mental health as I have, for reasons beyond my understanding, registered my first 5K (involving running—I've walked one, but I'm suddenly encouraged to challenge myself a little more)! Moving more has encourged me to incorporate other fitness back into my lifestyle like slowly training to run (I've just begun couch to 5K) and some Tone it Up workouts at home.

Overall weight loss hasn't been huge, but it's only been a month, and the number is going down instead of up so I am content: since starting to use Fitbit, I've lost 4 lbs.! Can't wait to see how the next month goes.

Any fellow Fitbit users out there? How's it going? Feel free to friend and challenge me!