Why I Ditched My Fitness Watch for Good

For years, my fitness watch was like my security blanket. I was obsessed with hitting daily step goals, monitoring calorie burn, and ensuring I got in enough exercise each day. That little watch on my wrist fed my disordered eating and exercise habits in a big way.

On the surface, using a fitness tracker seems harmless enough. We're told it's a great way to motivate ourselves to be more active and make healthier choices. But for someone prone to obsessive thoughts around movement and nutrition, it can quickly become the thing that controls your life.

That's what happened to me. Getting in my 10,000 steps per day became a ritual I couldn't break. Fitbit ruled my thoughts. Hourly checks to see where my friends were, where was I compared to them? I was completely obsessed, if I saw someone was higher than me then I would exercise and walk more to the point of hurting myself. At the time, I had horrible hip pain. Pain….no worries, I can press past the pain. No pain, no gain right???? Not true! I had to have hip surgery on both hips. I had severe femoral hip impingement and severe labral tears in both hips, but it didn’t matter. I would keep on to my own detriment. I was getting my worth and value from a fitness watch. If I didn't hit my calorie deficit or step goal, I felt like I was a total failure. My mood and sense of self worth were completely tied to those watch numbers.

The fitness watch data also caused me to develop an unhealthy relationship with exercise. It was no longer about taking care of the body God gave me - it was about earning and burning. I felt like I had to kill myself working out in order to "earn" the food I ate that day. Rest days? No way! I was a slave to that demanding little device.

When I finally recognized how toxic my fixation with the watch had become, I knew it was time to ditch it. Oh but no, I didn’t do that, I opened a completely new account with NO FRIENDS! LOL🤣 🤦🏼‍♀️ Then over time friends realized I still had my fitness watch and wanted to be friends again and I would just say “No, I’m sorry, we can’t be friends” It’s not good for me to have friends on my fitness app. I get into comparison and too competitive. Yes there is health competition but what I was experiencing was not that. I was getting my worth and value from a number. Maybe you have too?Then I realized no friends didn’t work either. I had to do away with it. Taking it off and not using it was terrifying at first. I felt lost and anxious without those tangible numbers to obsess over. But making that decision was such a big step in my journey to food and exercise freedom.

These days, I move my body in ways that feel good, not to chase a calorie count. I eat yummy nourishing foods without earning them first through excessive exercise. Instead of being chained by numbers on my wrist, I rely on God's truth that I am so much more than my numbers in a watch. He made me for abundant life, not diet culture bondage. Amen!🙌👊💪

If you also find yourself fixated on your fitness watch data, I'd encourage you to consider taking a break. It's just a tool - but it can become an obsessive idol that robs you of true holistic health. Focus instead on how movement makes you feel from the inside out. Pay attention to emotions of joy and vitality, not just external numbers. True wellness begins by making the Lord your security and worth, not a wearable device.

Hope y’all have a blessed and wonderful day!

Big hugs,

Nicole🩷