Federico Vittici, of MacStories, is one of my favorite Apple bloggers. He writes passionately about Apple and its products, and his extremely detailed articles are always a must read. He has been through a major fight with cancer and came out on the winning side, and he has written a piece on it which takes you through his journey and how the iPhone played a major role for him to recover his health and fitness.
Vittici writes about how he used his iPhone, which apps he used for fitness and health tracking.
Tracking my life with my iPhone makes my commitment real and the effects directly measurable. Being able to open an app and be coached through workout sessions or use my phone to track steps and runs is empowering. iPhone software has enriched my lifestyle and it has allowed me to be more conscious in my daily choices.
Some might say that I’m overly optimistic about Health and that Apple is only a corporation driven by finances. I would disagree with that sentiment, and, at the end of the day, Apple’s motivations are less important to me than this: I see the results. That’s what matters.
More important than the technological aspect, it’s heart warming to read about his treatment and struggle and perspective of life. Really goes on to show you the things we take for granted, as simple as just walking, can sometimes be the most valuable.
In its simplicity, walking is the manifestation of the freedom that was given back to me. I grew up thinking that you don’t understand the value of the things you care about until you lose them, and that’s true, to an extent, but it still doesn’t prepare you for life hitting you in the face and saying “Sorry, but you won’t leave a bed for the next month”. Philosophy doesn’t prepare you to losing the simple, human feeling of going for a walk because you want to. Not even this story will train you to ask your partner to describe the weather outside because you can’t stand up.
