Thursday, June 22, 2017

What to do if your Fitbit report depresses you

Fitbit showing a good day's exercise
My weekly Fitbit report has made depressing reading for the last two weeks. This week all numbers - steps, distance, stairs, calories used - were down on the week before, which in turn were down on the week before that. I would blame the heat for my lack of exercise but most of our sunny days weren't even included in my Fitbit week.

The first half of my week is usually busy so on Thursdays, after Rubies (women's bible study at Zac's) I like to come home, lie on the bed and read. But not this week. Today I decided to walk to Mumbles. To Verdi's to be precise with the added attraction of calling in to see GrandSon4 on the way.

We - George was with me - set off and got as far as the beach. 'Oh, it's a long way,' I said. 'Or rather it'll be a long way back.'



George suggested we could see how far we got. Perhaps we would only get as far as Ripples ice cream parlour. 'Their ice cream isn't as nice as Verdi's,' I said. George shrugged.

So off we went. 11,656 steps later we were back. 

We got as far as GrandSon4 (who lives almost opposite Verdi's) but I didn't have an ice cream. Playing with a little boy took my mind off it.
You may just be able to see the steps down to the sea in this photo. That's where I learned to swim as a child. The bay is tidal and twice a day the sea laps at the foot of the wall, give or take a foot or two. As a child I'd come down here with my mum on those sunny summer evenings when the tide was high and have a wonderful time. And sometimes it would be a family outing.
In those days you were supposed to be responsible for your own health and safety. So clambering along the rock-studded top of the wall was just good fun and not a hazard from which you had to be protected by railings.

Also we didn't realise at the time but the water in Swansea Bay wasn't entirely clean. A century of industry spewing its by-products into the river Tawe and thus into the bay plus poor sewage treatment led to the bay being, well, toxic is too strong a word but signs eventually went up banning the collection of cockles from the sands because of the health dangers posed by eating them.

But, hey, I'm still alive and perfectly normal!


3 comments:

SmitoniusAndSonata said...

Was all that swimming counted , too ?
The little Irish harbour we swam in as children is off limits and the winkles we ate then make you grow two heads , apparently .
Actually , a second head might come in handy now ...

Sharon said...

George appears to be enjoying the swim in the 'tainted' water. I haven't tried to figure out a fitbit. If I had one, I would get depressed every day. Ignorance is, indeed, bliss.
Cool old B/W photo!

Liz Hinds said...

Swimming doesn't count!! It's a wonder we survived at all, sonata!

The water is clean now, SJ. No more industry (good for the environment but bad for employment) and lots of attempts to improve the water treatment.