S2H

S2H stands for "Switch2Health", which is a new 'smart gadget' for encouraging exercise and/or physical activity.  The other day as I was signing on to yahoo to read my email, I noticed this news blurb about the top 10 new 'smart' ideas, and of course there was a picture of several new gadgets which caught my attention.  I clicked on the news blurb and discovered the S2H gadget and was so impressed by it, I immediately ordered one... it arrived in the mail in just two days and it has become my new favorite thing!

The S2H is a rubbery band (like a wide watch band) that has a digital mechanism inside that tells the time, date, and amount of physical activity you have completed.  It measures physical activity in 15 minute increments and is measured in 4 separate bars, it also has an 'activity coach' (which is either a smiley face or a frown) to help encourage you to be more active.  Once the wearer has all 4 bars completed, a code appears in the digital read out.  Each device comes with a serial number that you download onto the website (S2H.com)... once you activate your device and create a user name and password, each time you accrue 60 minutes worth of physical activity and have been given a new code, you download the code into your account and then are credited points that add up to free stuff.  This is truly the coolest thing ever!  I have had my watch for 2 days and have already accrued 180 points.  Of course the more points you accrue and bank, the more stuff or bigger stuff you get.  The products available as free stuff vary from free DVD's, gift cards to Best Buy, Sears, Foot Locker, Lady Foot Locker, ToysRUs... just to name a few.  Talk about incentive to get up and get your grove on!

The physical activity needed to fill the necessary bars include 'brisk' walking, running/jogging, jumping jacks, vacuuming, dancing, sports of all sorts (basketball, soccer, football... etc.)... again... just to name a few.  Basically you need to 'move your body briskly'.  I will be wearing this device as I clean house this week to see how many bars I can fill just doing my normal routine of scrubbing, dusting and such.  I did learn the hard way that... once you fill your bars and see the new code... IMMEDIATELY go download it into your S2H account and reset your watch because... if you continue to do physical activity after the code appears you DO NOT get credit for those minutes of activity.  Once you have downloaded the new code, you immediately reset the watch and begin again.  Thus... you can actually accrue lots of points in any one given day depending on how much you move and/or groove.

It is a very light weight device that fits snuggly on your wrist, it works on both left and right wrists... and of course it serves as a very mod and cool looking watch as well.  It comes in several different interchangeable watchband colors... although... when ordering your original device it comes in a standard robins egg blue...  they are $19.99 per device, and the interchangeable colored bands are $2.99 each.  I went to the S2H website to order the different colored bands.  I ordered my original device on Amazon.com, but they can be ordered directly from S2H.com as well... price is the same either way... but I have found Amazon.com delivers in 2 days.

I am highly recommending and promoting the use of these sweet little gadgets, and LOVE that I get freebie stuff just by doing my everyday activities, and that it encourages me to go above and beyond to move more to get more free stuff!  When is the last time anyone offered you free stuff to exercise or move your booty!???

My husband and I both have pedometers that we wear on our waistbands everyday to measure how many steps we take a day.  To be 'healthy' it is recommended you take 10,000 steps a day.  Joe and I started wearing our monitors about a month ago and I have to tell you... it is really hard to get in 10,000 steps a day.  It is not as easy as you think, and it was a big eye opener to discover that I thought I was an active person and got in my required 10,000 steps a day, only to discover that I have to actually work hard to get in my steps.  Joe and I have made a game and competition with our pedometers and getting our steps in, comparing our 'numbers' each nite before bed... this makes it quite fun to encourage each other.  We both work hard at eating healthy, staying active, and keeping in shape.  I also endorse wearing a pedometer as well... you would be surprised just how hard it is to get in your steps!  S2H has a pedometer coming out soon (not available yet) that also come in the bright festive colors of the watches that will also accumulate points.  I am keeping my eye on them and once they do hit the market, I will be trading up my pedometer to an S2H one, to not only keep working on my steps, but to get even more free stuff with those points.

Check out the website.... S2H.com.... the $19.99 price of one of these watches will quickly pay for itself and keep giving you freebie awards as long as you keep active and keep downloading your results.  Why not have get free stuff while getting into or keeping in shape and good health!!??

UPDATE....
After posting this blog, I did indeed wear my S2H watch while I did my normal house cleaning chores... and YES!!! It does record that as 'physical activity'.... just another reason to endorse this 'smart' gadget... you get freebie stuff just doing your normal daily stuff!

UPDATE #2....
Just an FYI.... I earned my 60 minutes of physical activity code this morning while doing house chores... I entered my code and cleared my watch... then this evening I did my normal 60 minutes of exercise which earned me another code... but... when I went to enter in my new code, I got a message of "with the standard S2H device, you can only enter a code once a day".... it's a bummer I don't get credit for my exercise... but I'm sure this is to avoid several people using one watch to accumulate extra points... makes sense, and I still burned lots of calories with my workout anyway... and I STILL 100% endorse this product!