Will using an activity tracker (like an Apple Watch, Fitbit, etc.) make a difference?
Not to sit on the fence here, but it depends! The initial fascination is a great way for kick-starting your fitness routine.
Why wear an activity tracker?
It’s a wearable piece of accountability that helps monitor your health and fitness levels and reach your goals. They help remind you to move. Trackers are fun because they allow you to compete with friends, get better sleep, keep track of your food and beverage choices, and stay on track to meet your step goals. Wearing an activity tracker, according to a study conducted a few years ago, did not result in any immediate measurable health benefits. People who used them didn’t notice a difference in their blood pressure or cholesterol levels. However, the study discovered that those people were more motivated to exercise… which can obviously have long-term health benefits!
Lacking workout motivation?
It’s up to each person whether owning a fitness tracker will motivate them to live a healthier lifestyle, but it’s crucial to remember a few facts and a candid discussion about fitness tracking limitations. The important features of fitness trackers include:
- Step counter
- Exercise tracker
- Vital sign monitor
- Sleep recorder
- Calorie tracking
- Sync with your devices
A fitness tracker is merely a tool for tracking progress, not the be-all and end-all of your workout. As a result, you’ll want to start your fitness journey with clear, attainable objectives: Taking a certain number of steps, spending a certain amount of time doing each activity, or losing a certain amount of weight. Some trackers monitor your heart rate overnight. By looking at your data, you might be able to see an erratic heartbeat every weekend, leading you to realize alcohol or junk food is interfering with your sleep.
Reasons to like activity trackers
- They’re a good way to get a sense of how hard you’re working during a workout
- the information can help you speed up or slow down so you’re working within your ideal and safest "zones"
- They can also motivate you to be more active because you can see your total activity for the day right away
- Depending on what kind of tracker you have, this can show up as steps per day, "strain" per day, activity minutes, and more.
- When physical activity is measured, fitness goals are more easily achieved
Small changes add up to big gains
Begin small and adjust your goals as needed based on the data collected by your fitness tracker. Simple changes like walking between tube stations, taking the stairs, and drinking more water can have a significant impact on your daily routine. For every budget and style, there’s a tracker. If you’re a casual user, there are some excellent low-cost options available that will suffice your needs. If you’re serious about sports and fitness and want to invest, however, you might want to move up the price chart a little.
If you think that an activity tracker might work for you, it is worthwhile to look into them and see what is right for your lifestyle. Before purchasing a fitness device, we recommend that you determine whether you actually need one. If all you need is a fitness band to track your steps, your smartphone will suffice. If you’re taking a medication that slows your heart rate, such as some blood pressure medications, the heart rate readings on your tracker may be meaningless to you. For help in increasing your physical activity levels with a reduced risk of injury, work with our expert team of the best online personal trainers at Stronglife.
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