Since the New Year I’ve been making a conscious effort to up my activity level. My work requires me to spend a lot of time at my desk or computer, so I know I have to make an effort to get my heart rate up and engage all my muscle groups. Beyond the yoga classes I’ve been taking for years, I started taking aerobic and zumba classes at our local Y.M.C.A. I’ve definitely felt the benefits of my increased activity, with more energy and better muscle tone among them. Then on Mother’s Day I received a tiny gadget which helps track my daily activity more precisely . . . and to which I’ve become somewhat of a slave. The Fitbit Zip, one of several devices by that company and one of a host of health and wellness personal monitoring devices available on the market, is pretty basic in the information it provides: number of steps taken daily and active minutes, miles covered and calories burned. One can log information on the synced website such as time spent in various activities, food ingested, water consumed. Other devices monitor heart rate and sleep habits, but I decided the Zip provided all the information I required. Since I started regularly wearing my Zip daily, I find it’s made me more accountable to myself for getting in at least 30 active minutes a day, remembering to drink plenty of water and, especially, getting in those 10,000 steps a day. Some days I’m surprised at how quickly they accumulate (especially after taking a one-hour zumba class or aerobics session), but often I find it’s 8 p.m. and I still need to knock out another mile or more. Without my little monitor, I’d probably end my evening watching T.V. or reading, but my competitive spirit (and a healthy dose of guilt) and the Zip nudge me to get out for a walk of a mile or two to get over that ten-thousand-step bar. I’ve even been known to march around the backyard or up and down the hall a few times just to add on the last few hundred steps I need to make it over that magic mark before retiring for the night. So, yes, I’ve become a bit of a slave to this little device, but considering the dividends, it’s a price I’m willing to pay. I’m looking forward to some upcoming trips, when I anticipate racking up those miles and steps more easily. Exploring new cities and trails for me generally equates to time spent on foot, and with interesting new sites to visit, the miles pass quickly and pleasantly. — Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor