I bought my first Fitbit—a Flex—four years ago today, on May 4, 2013. Several months ago I was forced to switch to a new Fitbit because, after all those years of use, the Flex battery was no longer holding a charge for more than an hour. So I now wear a Charge 2, which in addition to counting steps and miles, also keeps track of the number of stairs I’ve climbed, plus my pulse rate.

So after four full years of Fitbit, how’d I do?

I’ve taken a total 15,695,164 steps, broken down as follows—

Year 1:
4,078,838 steps
11,174 daily step average

Year 2:
4,107,515 steps
11,253 daily step average

Year 3:
3,900,704 steps
10,657 daily step average

Year 4:
3,608,107 steps
9,885 daily step average

The reason for the drop-off in year four was due, bizarrely, not to my feet, but to my teeth! I’d had to have several root canals, and was in such intense pain before, during, and after that it hurt whenever I’d walk vigorously. So there were many weeks during which my step count was way down.

Still … even though I’d have preferred to have gotten an additional 115 steps per day during year four so my daily average would hit 10,000, I still ended up walking more than I would have in my time before Fitbit. So—the device is doing its job.

I look forward to seeing what year five has in store for me!