I Traveled 8 Hours to Give a 5-Minute Talk About My Fitbit

Data Makes a Difference was the tagline for the Strata Rx 2013 conference on using "Big Data" to drive innovation in Healthcare.  In my opinion, so does community ... and, of course, so do we as empowered patients ... make a difference, that is. This was an underlying theme for my #Ignite talk last week -- Fitbit: You Had Me at Smooches!

This is me speaking below. You can hardly tell that I had just traveled 8 hours to get to Boston ... from New York! I was so fortunate that the Amtrak train delay/power failure en route didn't cause me to miss my 5-minute appearance.



For those not already familiar with #Ignite talks, the format is you have only 20 slides and 5 minutes to tell your story. Even more fun for presenters is that your slides are automatically advanced every 15 seconds!

I've previously shared my journey to becoming an "urban datasexual" who has become part of the Quantified Self community by tracking my steps (and often my sleep) using my Fitbit. In fact, my June blog article was the basis for my #Ignite talk -- given the first time in Denver at the Healthcare Unbound conference (July), and last week at Strata Rx.

What's changed since July is that I'm now in Week 8 of my Couch-to-5K training, sustaining runs of at least 25 minutes long. As a result, my distance/steps have increased to an average of about 7,000 steps per run. My personal best day is 14,123 steps and 6.65 miles in one day in August. I've noticed that my motivation to run is also changing.

I'm still motivated by the personal challenge of running; yet, I'm also inspired by the "likes" I get on my Facebook page whenever I post my latest accomplishment. That's why I believe that community makes a difference in health care and our overall well-being. I heard that sentiment echoed in many of the Strata Rx presentations -- that our social connections impact our decisions and health behaviors. Observing our friends and family making positive health choices can lead us to do the same. And, of course, the opposite is true -- we're, perhaps, even more strongly influenced when we observe others making unhealthy choices.

I'll share the link to a video of my talk as soon as it's available. In the meantime, I'm curious about what makes a difference for your health? Do you have a "health posse"? What health behaviors are you looking to increase (or decrease)?

Fitbit: You Had Me at Smooches

We KNOW we're more creative, productive, and fulfilled when we're NOT stressed out, exhausted, overwhelmed, or overweight. We KNOW it's easier to focus on our goals and dreams when we're not concerned about our health.

Yet, somehow, "life" gets in the way!

Then, this tiny device clipped to my pants looks up at me (OK I know, it doesn't really have eyes) and "says" SMOOCHES COLETTE on the screen! And, somehow, I think ... "If it loves me THAT much, maybe I CAN go for that run later today."

True story! That's the feeling I had on the first day of wearing my Fitbit One -- and I did go for my run. Not to mention the elation I felt later that same day when I received my first "Top Badges" for making 5,000+ steps in a day and climbing 10 floors. I was hooked!

And, yes, I've been training for the past month and a half using Couch to 5K podcasts. I go running in Brooklyn Bridge Park ... although in Week 4, it's been a combination of power walking with an increasingly longer run.

As a certified life and wellness coach, I know that a solid support system is essential for achieving and maintaining good health, optimum wellness, and a stellar lifestyle. I help people like you explore the connection between your choices, thoughts, and behaviors and your physical and emotional health.

Over the years, I've seen that for each client, the level of readiness to take new action and the motivation to make healthier choices is different. Now, I'm really eager to explore how mobile apps, gaming, and social media can increase our levels of readiness and motivation.

I hope you'll follow me on my journey using my Fitbit and other apps to uncover new revelations about my own mind-body health and motivation, so I can find new ways to support you in your health and overall well-being. So, this curious mind wants to know ...

What fitness devices are you wearing? To what wellness communities do you belong? What has been the impact on your health and well-being?

Tweet me or share your thoughts in the comments section below. Look forward to hearing from you! Now, I've got to get moving so I can get more love from my Fitbit!