See How Cyclist and Photographer Roman Siromakha Uses His Fitbit to Fuel His Fitness and Creativity

Roman Siromakha is a doer—when he isn’t teaching fitness classes, training a client, or taking photos, he’s cycling, playing beach volleyball, or taking his pup for a walk around Brooklyn. Roman moved to New York City from Ukraine at age 11 with his single mother who hoped for a better future there for her and her son. Roman says his mother is the person who taught him to always strive to be better and he credits Fitbit as one of the tools he uses to do exactly that. Roman sought out Fitbit because he wanted to track his energy, and optimize his workouts and recovery. He explains, “Without data, you’re going by feel. You have a double shot espresso and you’re like, ‘I am ready to do anything.’ And then your body is like, ‘Uh, slow down, you slept four hours last night. You might not want to do that to yourself.’”  [embedded content] Despite living in the city that never sleeps, Roman prioritizes his sleep above all else. He explains, “Sleep is when we recover, when we grow.” Within moments of waking up, he checks his Sleep Score to get insight into how he slept the night before. The score is based on heart rate, time spent awake, and restless, in addition to sleep stages, helping Roman to get a sense for trends in his sleep patterns.  Next up, he checks his Daily Readiness Score—a score based on activity, sleep, and heart rate variability. “I build my day around those numbers,” he says when talking about deciding how hard to train every day. He’s a firm believer that recovery is as important as training, so if his score is on the lower side he’ll take a rest day, something that is admittedly hard for him to do. And on days when his Readiness Score is high (30 or above), he’ll go for a harder workout or a longer bike ride. He loves to bike outside of the city, crossing bridges to discover new parks, neighborhoods, and trails. Cycling is so much more than exercise for Roman. “I go for a bike ride, come back and I can see things better, I can understand things, I can think more clearly.” He says that when he’s cycling he feels most creative. Coupled with the insights from his Fitbit Charge 5, Roman can tune in with himself more closely, coach clients more compassionately, and capture more magic moments on his bike and through his lens.  This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or condition. Always check with your doctor before changing your diet, altering your sleep habits, taking supplements, or starting a new fitness routine. Elise Sokolow Elise is a creative currently working at Google. She holds a Masters degree in the Performance of Autobiography with a focus on the Performance of Trauma. Elise has been the voice for Tia, Cap Beauty, and Wooden Spoon Herbs, and printed in Oprah Magazine, New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and more. She is committed to storytelling in all its forms and believes that the conscious creation of narrative connects us to ourselves, our bodies, and the people around us.