Every Friday I’ll indulge my order-crazed brain in a list of randomness. Welcome to my Friday Fives.

Some of you tuned in to Instagram might have noticed the newest accessory I received Monday night.

A Fitbit Flex!

I first learned about the Fitbit line from my dear friend, and long distance work-out buddy, Amy. She uses the Zip version and has loved it. And then I noticed that some of my favorite bloggers also swear by it, crediting it with their recent weight loss success.

This device (whether in clip or bracelet form) tracks your steps, distance walked, calories burned (estimate, of course), active minutes and your sleep patterns (bracelet only). You can also manually input your daily weight, food and water consumption, and activity minutes (anything other than walking/running), none of which I’ve tried yet (other than my weight).

The Flex version is a comfortable, completely waterproof bracelet that comes in different colors. I chose the black option for it to be less noticeable at work, but I’m really loving some of the fun, brighter colors for evening/weekend wear.

There are even DESIGNER bracelets, complements of Tory Burch. (Too fancy for my blood.)

So, with that background, here are my first impressions of the Fitbit Flex, four days in.

5. Awareness

Way before I clicked the CONFIRM ORDER button, I knew that a Fitbit would be good for me and my lifestyle, which consists of a full-time job, a part-time contract job, an Etsy store, and hobbies like reading, binge-watching TV, and cooking/baking. That’s a lot of time sitting still. I go to the gym, but spend most of that time lifting weights so I’m still not MOVING a lot. This device would be the Rolls-Royce of strings on my finger. The ultimate reminder to get up and get going. Since wearing it, I’ve even found myself walking across the office to ask a question rather than send an email. *gasp* Fitbit, what have you done?!

4. Lunch Breaks

Before Fitbit (B.F.), I would spend every single lunch break reading. I would eat my lunch at my desk while working (a horrible habit, I know) and then take my break in the afternoon when it’s quieter and I can escape and read without distraction for an hour. Now I’m painfully aware that maybe I should do more during that hour. I have a beautiful campus at my disposal and I should explore it via power-walking before it’s covered in snow soon. Bonus – I’m less tired in the afternoon. Here are a few pictures of my lunch walks and one from my evening walk on Wednesday. Oh, Utah.

3. Dashboard

Here’s a sample of the mobile dashboard that I’ve been checking no less than 30 times a day. Obsessed!

The Fitbit also comes with a USB plug so you can sync to a desktop computer. Its dashboard is a little more detailed, so I usually use it to debrief at the end of the day to check my stats.

I really get a thrill looking at the sleep data – how much (and when!) I was restless, what my sleep efficiency is (97%!), and how long it takes me to hit the zzzzs.

Joe’s impressed it only takes me 2 minutes to fall asleep. My secret? I read (with all of the lights off except one lamp) until I feel my eyes droop once, then put the book down, turn off my lamp and that’s that. Don’t force it! Sometimes it’s 10:05 and other nights it’s 11:42 – I just roll with it.

Speaking of sleep…the Fitbit also has an internal silent alarm that you can schedule on the dashboard. It wakes you up with soft, pulsing vibrations rather than a screaming clock. This might be my favorite feature. It’s so gentle, it doesn’t wake-up Joe and I feel a whooole lot calmer in the morning.

2. Connect and Compete

Like anything these days, you can link up with your friends to compare numbers and activity. So far I’m only linked to Amy, but the thing I’m loving most is that I can compete with myself. Using information that you input upon set-up (like gender, age, height, weight, etc), your Fitbit sets daily goals that you can alter. My default was 10,000 steps a day and I haven’t changed it yet, mostly because 10,000 steps a day is a lot for me right now. That’s me walking through my lunch break and taking Bella for a walk at night, which is a very good thing. I’m loving that time with her. On the Fitbit Flex, it keeps track of how close you are to your goals in the form of five lights, so at any point in the day I can double-tap the bracelet and the lights will tell me how close I am to my goal. Amazing. I’m a double-tappin’ fool! And then when you reach your goal, the bracelet vibrates fast and hard. It’s like a virtual pat on the back, which I look forward to every night. It’s a nice touch for someone as competitive as me.

1. Moving Forward

I’ve never wanted to use this blog to talk about weight, specifically MY weight, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t in the foreground of my thoughts on a regular basis. It’s something I find myself working on, failing and succeeding at (depending on when you ask), and is a constant battle for someone who loves and finds comfort in food as much as I do. I do have a weight goal for December and I know just walking 10,000 steps a day won’t get me there, but it will help considerably. This Fitbit will be my accountability partner, 24/7. I’m loving the reminder to get up, step out of my comfort zones, and appreciate the beauty around me, as well as my health. ….as long as those five dots blink at the end of the day, so help me god!

Verdict Haikus:

affordable fun
keep up momentum I hope
love, love, love, love, love

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right-left-right all day
thinking dreaming and smiling
left-right head so clear

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if you are on fence
fitbit flex you must try now
no disappointment

All opinions are my own. Fitbit has no clue who I am; I’m just a big fan.