One year ago today [December 4, 2015], I began using a Fitbit in an attempt as someone with Diabetes 2 to get my blood sugars under control. This little device has been a real motivator and my blood sugar levels are much better.

In the last 365 days, I have taken 4,153,017 steps which is an average of 11,378 per day for 1,928 miles or an average of 5.2 miles per day. As an incentive, the Fitbit app gives you badges for various milestones. I’ve earned the following for miles achieved based on the lengths of various goals with geographic areas being the miles to go across the length:

  • 26 Marathon
  • 70 Penquin March
  • 250 London Underground
  • 500 Serengeti
  • 736 Italy
  • 990 New Zealand
  • 1,600 Great Barrier Reef
  • 1,869 Japan

During this year, I have averaged 34 active minutes per day and 26 fairly active minutes.

I say none of this to brag but to encourage those who want to exercise but may have knee or other issues that prevent jogging or other active sports. Of course, we have a beautiful San Francisco neighborhood in which to walk. And when I’m traveling I find safe places to walk or even spend my time waiting for planes walking in airports. Enjoy!

Update [April 2017]: Richard recently moved from San Francisco to a new neighborhood closer to his workplace and has carved out a new, but equally beautiful, place to walk his 10,000 steps a day!

For another side of Richard Osborn, you may be interested in this podcast: “Richard Osborn: A Credit to Education.”

Richard Osborn