Digital Health

  I may have mentioned Jeff's obsession with all things tech-y. Jeff has lots of toys (no, not THAT kind! SHEESH!). He loves complicated electronic equipment and stuff with bright touch screens-buttons are apparently not cool anymore. It took me a couple of months after moving in with Jeff to learn how to use the TV. I am still somewhat baffled by the XBox One, and I was very nervous using his computer to type up my resume. Seriously-his office is quite a monument to all things digital. Very space-agey.

The doorway to Jeff's office

I, if you haven't already guessed, am not exactly tech-savvy. I still read books printed on actual paper. I use my laptop for three main purposes-to check email and Facebook, online shopping and to write this blog. That's really it. 
  What does all of this have to do with our quest for health? Jeff has been very gently nudging me into his high-tech world since we started dating and now he has UPped the game. He purchased a Jawbone UP (see what I did there?) for me and one for Katie, too. If you're like me and still live in a world where you do your banking with real live human tellers and paper checks, you may not have a clue about these things. I didn't really get it myself.

Digital fitness fashion accessories

  The Jawbone UP is a bracelet you wear day and night. It tracks your sleep, your steps taken each day, you can track your weight, your food, your mood and watch how the folks on your "team" are doing with their health and fitness goals, too. It's like having a little health-nut robot wrapped around your wrist, reminding you to make better choices. Mine's pink, of course. 
  Since I also have been rocking a last-century flippy kind of phone with buttons (so not cool), Jeff also took me to Verizon to get me an iPhone 6. I am such a lucky girl! Although he may have done this in part to save himself the embarrassment every time he was seen in public with me and my dinosaur of a communication device, MOSTLY it was a gift of love because he is the sweetest, most generous guy ever.

Ok, my phone wasn't QUITE this old!

You see, this Jawbone UP gadget links to the phone, so he figured I needed the package deal. Also, we both have the Nike (which he pronounces without the "E" at the end. How cute is that?) Running app. No, no, we don't RUN. Ppppfffffftttttttttttt. Please! Maybe someday, when I don't have so much extra "me" to carry around. For now, I walk. And the Nike app will track my walking activity by miles, pace, elevation and terrain. And I can "friend" people and then issue challenges. Or accept their challenges. I hope I don't get any challenges. I'm not ready for that. I'm such a wimp.

Easier to use than I thought it would be!

  Admittedly, I did not go smoothly into this transition. I get easily frustrated and I hate feeling stupid when I can't figure out how these touch screens work. I have fat, clumsy fingers and don't type on this thing very fast.  I feel like I have abandoned my old phone, I almost feel sorry for it. Poor old outdated thing. I guess I identified with it a lot. I'm kinda old and outdated, too. I hope Jeff doesn't decide to upgrade to a newer model in 8 months when the we hit the two-year mark! And now I feel guilty for just throwing her aside for a newer, sleeker, sexier phone. Maybe I should send her flowers and an apology?
  But it's time to move forward. So now I have gadgets to help track my progress. Jeff and Katie are a part of my team. And I can invite others to join me. No excuses. No, "I didn't know" or "I forgot". I have my pretty pink reminder strapped to me day and night, along with my family to be a part of our journey together.