I am just so suprised over whats happening with my husband, that I just had to make a post about it here. I had written my story before so if you read it, you would know the health struggles that I had been going through, both me and my husband. I've come a long way but my husband has been having a very long and laborous struggle with his multiple health issues. He had been extremely obese at 400+ pounds so his turn around has been gradual and painful. He has also struggled with sugar addiction so the change in diet has taken years to accomplish and every once in a while, he will eat something he's not suppose to but he is hanging in there.
It's been so difficult for him that I told him to get a FitBit. I had already had mines for a few weeks and it had motivated me to walk more. He told me "No, no way, absolutely not!" Basically he wouldn't be caught dead with one on. But, as time kept passing, he seemed intrested because he really loves technology. He was curious about how it worked and would ask me about it when I tapped it every once in a while. So, all of the sudden, one morning, he tells me he ordered one. I was in shock but I down played it. That already let me know something weird was happening to him. I thought to myself that the FitBit would end up in a drawer eventually because he just wanted to play around with the settings or something. I knew it wouldn't make him walk.
Mind you, its very hard for my husband to move even though he has lost a tremendous amount of weight, about 100+ from where he was but he had plateued at 220. Even with the weight loss, you can tell he had been massively overweight before because of the loose skin and he also still looks big since he is only 5'6". So moving has been very difficult. He also suffers from peripheral neuropathy and peripheral vascular disease. He has Celiacs. He has an enlarged heart and he has severe sleep apnea. So I felt bad that him getting the FitBit wouldn't work.
I was so WRONG about him. When the FitBit came, he put it on and he has not removed it! He is walking like crazy now. I can hardly keep up with him. I don't understand what it is about the FitBit but it has motivated him so immensely that I can not believe it. This is someone who would eat pizzas in bed and couldn't even walk in a mall. He had a handicapped parking plaque for Pete's sake. Now all he wants to do is walk...LOL
He finds ways to have an entire walking marathon day. We will park the car far away and begin walking to different stores. As soon as he gets out of the car, he taps his FitBit and tells me "I am not leaving here until I reach 20'000 steps." I even told him the other day if he wanted to catch a movie and he told me "We don't do that anymore. We do other things now." I asked him other things like what? And he said "Walking." LOL He keeps wanting to compete with me in miles and steps. My feet are covered in BandAids. My dogs are barking guys! He doesn't even want to go anywhere, unless he can walk. He keeps telling me how convenient it is to dump the car and just walk everywhere. He will plan out "milestones" for us. He's obessed!
The best thing is that all of the swelling in his legs is gone. The black skin on his legs from the vascular disease (which they warned him would lead to amputation in the future) has lightened up almost completely. He went from a size 13 shoe to a size 9! His weight has also started up again. He is at 212. It's only been a few weeks! If he dropped the shoes size with only a little walking, imagine the benefits now that he can't stop walking.
A few mornings ago, I woke up, went downstairs and he is sitting in the foyer with his walking shoes on and the FitBit on. It was 5 AM! He told me he had been walking around the dining room. He then taps the FitBit and smiles at his 1'000 steps. My husband couldn't get out of bed before. He would sleep until noon. That's when I knew he went plum crazy.
But the thing that has surprised me so much is the motivation this tiny device has had on him. Nothing moved this man before. Not even the doctors warnings, disease, me, his mom, nothing. This little device has transformed him and I would have never believed it would. My best friend had even bought him an MP3 player for walking and he never used it but the FitBit has driven him insane! Before the FitBit it was so difficult to get him to just lightly walk.
Sorry for the long post but I just had to tell rant about it. When I told my best friend that my husband jogged up a bridge, she told me she just couldn't believe it. She was floored. All my husband wanted before was a recliner with wheels and now all he wants to do is walk. I can't get over that.
Back then...
Now.
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Thats an awesome story! I am so glad it has motivated him so much! He has done excellent in the weight loss as well.
Congrats to him!
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Platinum Fitbit Product Experts share support knowledge on the forums and advocate for the betterment of Fitbit products and services. Learn more
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what an amazing story! So motivating!!! You have created a fitbit monster 
My 10,000 steps today are dedicated to you and your fitbit crazy hubbie!!
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