I'll wear my feet out at this rate...

And has Project Fitness died a natural death, now that I'm no longer at home but on holiday? Not at all. You want some evidence? Well, Fitbit emailed me a Weekly Report the other day, quite unprompted. (That sort of thing makes me think that they really are keeping an eye on my progress!) Here it is: a summary of what I'd achieved.

It's truly astonishing what I've done. 84,000 steps? 37 miles walked? 2,300 calories burned daily? (Meaning 850 more than needed just to stay alive) 333 minutes (that's over 5 hours) of proper exercise? And I haven't been stressing myself over this. The only real differences between now, and what used to be, are that (a) I am making a conscious effort to walk more during the day - making a point, that is, of taking 10,000 steps if I possibly can, and not shirking climbing slopes and stairways when out and about; and (b) I am being stricter with myself about going to bed before midnight, in order to get at least six hours sleep. It's definitely having a good effect. I feel more alert and definitely more virtuous!

Here's today (so far).

This is the daily record of steps taken since Monday, the first day of my holiday.

On previous holidays, I'd spend a lot of time driving around, with little time on my feet. A token stroll maybe. Now I try to maximise ped time.

Today, for instance, I drove to Dartmouth and parked for three hours. Away from the river, Dartmouth is a very hilly place. I wasn't going to kill myself climbing uphill too much. But I did foot it rather a lot along the river Dart. I was parked in the open space near where it says 'PC' on the first of the two maps below.

I then walked south along the river front to the Lower Ferry, which I took to Kingswear. Having looked around, I once more voyaged across the river, back to Dartmouth. Then I went further south, past Bayards Cove fort and Warfleet to the grounds of the church next to Dartmouth Castle. As you might guess from the map, that location had a great view upriver, back towards the town. Then, ignoring signs to the ferry boat that would convey me back to town and save my feet, I walked all the way back again. Throughout at a brisk pace. 

I got my 'reward' for the steps taken as I reached Dartmouth town centre again - my Fitbit vibrated, and the screen showed the by-now familiar exploding fireworks and '10,000'.

Remarkably, wanting to see that is a genuine incentive to get in sufficient walking every day, by hook or crook. Fitbit must know their psychology!

The same wish to 'earn' that 10,000 step accolade made me explore the riverbank at Exeter four days ago, and will get me power-pedding the entire waterfront from Stonehouse to Sutton Harbour at Plymouth tomorrow (I'm taking the train in from Ivybridge, so the beginning and end of that long tramp is Plymouth station, not the city centre).

What, visit Plymouth, and not do some serious shopping?

Ah, well...that's already been done...the holiday money's been blown...two Italian-designed winter coats from John Lewis at Exeter. But that's for another post!