Activity Trackers: Program your ‘real’ goal vs. ‘ideal’

[Teri Rose, OblSB, Program Director]

I made a very simple change recently that I’ve already seen the benefit of – I reprogrammed my Fitbit to my ‘real’ daily goal which is actually only 8,000 steps compared to my ideal (and the Fitbit pre-programmed) 10,000. I love the days I am able to hit 10,000 – but 8,000 is my true goal that I want to ensure I hit each day.

Fitbit defaults to 10,000 being your goal. Which means it won’t give you that encouraging little vibration or make your bars green until you hit 10,000. Many days I was past 8,000 but just shy of 10… so no nuzzle or green bars for me. Until I changed the goal.

Twice after work it has also felt more obtainable to say I was going to jog just until my Fitbit vibrated (which all along had been my true goal!).

I know this isn’t a big change, but it has a big impact on positive reinforcement.

[Anonymous]

I employed a similar strategy a few weeks ago that has led to some big dividends over time.  Until I cure my DVT, my goal in the gym has been 20-30 minutes treadmill hiking (in aggregate) at strictly 102-108 bpm HR.  It’s a very rigorous and tedious protocol designed to trigger a fibrinolytic effect significant enough to help dissolve my thrombi, while minimizing the chances of knocking clots loose and causing an embolism.

I aim to accomplish this workout 2-6 times per day and I’m seeing fantastic benefits in the 9 days I’ve been able to do it.  But the workout can be quite painful, particularly in the first 6 mins or so, and so I sometimes struggled to get myself to the gym.  (Twice I even drove to the gym parking lot, only to go back home in defeat!)  But like you, I decided to change my perspective on what constituted my “real goal” and made it OK to go to the gym and merely do 2 minutes on the treadmill, even though it wouldn’t trigger that fibrinolysis I so desperately need.   I started counting “honest attempts” as a metric in hopes of alleviating some of the crippling anxiety that was holding me back, at least mentally.  And guess what?  I never failed to get 20+ min again!

It’s now 1:41am and I just got back from the gym after doing my 39th +20 min hike since joining Ben CARE and I feel incredible.  THIS IS WORKING!  My DVT pain is half gone, gout pain mostly gone, and my achilles are practically pain-free, though still stiff and require icing daily.  I still use my cane, but I’m confident I will walk with two legs again very soon… Perhaps by this weekend?!  I’m getting better at getting better every day and adopting a better perspective has gotten me over some serious obstacles.  Another great thread, Teri!  I found this one earlier, but didn’t want to respond until I had some positive results.  Cheers!

[Anonymous]

Good job Teri and Jim!  We all really need to set our goals for the realistic accomplishment of those goals otherwise the risk of not doing anything is very real.  I set my daily goal for 12,000 steps a day in 2022 and it was a struggle to make it.  Some days I did and some days I didn’t but averaged out I was at 12,000 steps a day.  Still, on the days I did not make it to 12,000 I felt like a failure.  Most days this year I am making 10,000 steps a day.  But I am giving myself grace on the days I don’t.  My goal is 2023 miles in 2023 so I am aiming at total mileage each month more than a certain number of miles or steps a day.

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