Notes to self
Self-trackers chart lives to help change them
Welcome to the measured life. When Tim Davis tipped the scales at 318 pounds two years ago, he bought a FitBit gadget to track his physical activity and the Lose It! app on his phone to track calories. He bought a Wi-Fi-enabled scale that published his daily weight on his Twitter feed and turned to other apps to track his pulse, blood pressure, daily moods and medications. At one point, Davis said he was using 15 apps and gadgets, which he said helped him drop 64 pounds by the following year.
A growing category of devices and software applications promises to measure the mundane details of our daily lives: Calories burned, diaper changes, how much and how well we sleep, caffeine intake, kids’ studying habits, household chores.
The apps have become increasingly sophisticated, tapping a niche market of everyday consumers.
“It’s the second-by-second, minuteby-minute changes that really did it,” said Davis, 39.
“If you’re the type of person who likes gadgets and devices and to collect metrics, you’re also the kind of person who does not like gaps in data.”
Davis said his biggest mistake was letting his FitBit gadget lose its charge last year. Without the continual feedback, and perhaps a mobile app to remind him, Davis’s motivation waned and his weight climbed to 292 pounds.
But he insists he won’t stay that way for long. He has persuaded his family members and coworkers to wear self-measuring devices, sparking a friendly rivalry.
“Keep an eye on me,” Davis said of the months ahead. “I think you’ll see a difference.”