Why the quantified self isn’t always the best path for a healthy life

I have tried various health trackers, and they always wind up buried in the bottom drawer of my dresser. I should love the pursuit of a quantified self. I like data; I want to be healthier; I enjoy new technology, even when it’s fussy and doesn’t really work. But for whatever reason, trackers just leave me feeling guilty at best and competitive with friends and family at worse. I shouldn’t be competing, I should be collaborating! We all should be better!

This week, I invited The Verge’s Science Editor Elizabeth Lopatto to tell me about the history of the quantified self, and why tracking every step might not be as healthy as it sounds.