Thoughts on Healthcare and Life: A Little Self Reflection

Big thanks to Melissa Thompson for sharing my thoughts on healthcare wearables on her blog, Quantified30 and naming Alexisavvy a Best Healthcare Blog.Here’s a snippet of my interview below. For more, visit Quantified30.MT: What are the top three devices/apps you consistently wear and use these days?  “Withings Scale – I really love this scale! I never used to track my weight but I do now – I get on the scale every other morning at the same time and in the same clothes. If I weigh in a little heavier in the morning, I try to eat healthier, drink more water or go for a run that day.RunKeeper App – I like tracking my runs and I take photos after running to capture the scenery. There is something very rewarding about pulling up my running times and distances for the week. Also, I’m very focused on negative splits and RunKeeper does a great job tracking that and gives other interesting stats about my exercise.Any wearable tracker I’m writing about – I go through phases where I will wear a tracker for a while before and after I write about it. I think I wore the Fitbit One for a month and the Mistfit Shine for a little longer. I’ve consistently worn the Jawbone UP because I love the way it looks, but as you’ve probably read in my latest post on the Jawbone UP, it still has some issues, as does most wearables. I’m looking forward to the Fitbit Force next!”   MT: How has writing Alexisavvy for a year and half changed your habits or your life in general?“When I was a healthcare private equity investor, I was often asked by friends for my opinion on which wearables I liked best, or what cool consumer health app I would invest in. And honestly, I couldn’t really give them an answer because in my day job I was looking to invest in pharmaceutical companies and lab businesses, not consumer health tech companies. So Alexisavvy.com was born – and yes, it’s definitely made me more aware of my exercise and diet. I’ve reviewed more than eighty wearable devices and apps and each time I try to test the product. My experience with Sessions has gotten me to run at least four times a week and I look forward to my walks to and from work.”After answering Melissa’s questions, I was intrigued to see how exactly my weight fluctuated since I started Alexisavvy. I looked back on my Withings Scale data, various app analytics, and my health records – from early 2011 to October 2013, I lost 10% of my body weight and kept up with regular exercise (something I didn’t do in college or banking). I can’t properly conclude whether this is because I changed jobs, moved to a more running friendly environment, or started a healthcare blog. However, I do know that keeping track of my health and exercise has kept me better in tune with my body.