Getting healthy has been on my brain for a while now. I've only recently gotten more serious about it. A couple weeks ago I had the closing shift at my job (1:30 a.m.) and then I decided to stay awake with a best friend because we needed * needed * to go to Academy Sports and buy a hammock, that's a different post for a different time. As I was trying to stay awake until Academy opened ( which was 8 a.m.) we went all over the place (there's not a lot open between the hours of 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. in Stillwater, Okla.). One of the places we went to was Wal-Mart. To get to the point, I've been thinking about getting a Fitbit for a while now. They just seem like a cool tool that I can utilize.

Fitbits have been pretty much all the rage for a while now, at least everywhere that I see (Oklahoma isn't the thriving tech capital of the world). A lot of people wear them and a lot of people like them.

Here are my five reasons to buy and use a Fitbit Alta.

1. It's effective

Being active is never the foremost thought on my mind. The Alta (and most likely the rest of the Fitbit devices) tell you 10 minutes from the hour that you have a certain amount of steps left to reach the hourly goal of 250+ steps. The device sends little reminders that help motivate you to reach the desired goal.

2. It's fashionable

They have different bands for different lifestyles. They can be cute or they can be strictly for utility.

3. It teaches

I've learned a lot about my sleeping habits and how much I actually move during the day.

4. It motivates

Just having it on my wrist makes me want to get up and move.

5. Add friends

You can challenge friends to a step-off and see who walks the most miles in a day or who is the most active during a week. It's a fun way to get in shape or stay in shape.