Exercise: It’s not just numbers

Whether measuring the number of steps taken, the time spent exercising or the distance traveled fitness trackers all have one thing in common: they translate physical activity into numbers. Numbers can be a powerful motivator, whether someone is involved in a group competition or is simply tracking personal activity for health reasons.

Too much attention to numbers, however, can help us forget the pleasure we can derive from physical activity in and of itself. Whether it’s engaging in an individual sport we enjoy, picking up a friendly game with friends or celebrating the fact that we can still run a few miles in our senior years, each type of exercise has its own potential for bringing us joy. When the numbers cease to motivate us, perhaps this is the aspect of physical activity we need to remember.