Everywhere you look, there are people with wearable technology that allows them to keep track of their physical activity with such devices; it is pretty amazing stuff. Fitness trackers can help you improve your exercise levels and also offers you a window into the true profile of your health and lifestyle choices.
However, even though these devices are great, they will only offer you benefits if you know how to use them correctly. We take a look at some of the things you need to know before you go ahead and purchase a fitness tracker.
Take a look at the functions and map to your needs
Picking the right fitness band, as they are also known, requires that you know what you intend to monitor. Trackers generally have limitations depending on where you wear them. A monitor worn around the hips will miss certain activities, such as cycling and push-ups. For people that engage in weightlifting and long distance cardio, tools that show training metrics are the best options to go with. Not all of them measure heart rate so you need to ensure you are buying one that does if heart rate matters in you fitness regime.
You need to think about use as well as function. A fitness tracker you wear at the office should be discreet. A substantial device that straps to the chest or stomach is not the best bet in this case. However, if you are gym training and want all the stats then you might put up with a few straps, as long as they are relatively lightweight.
A smartphone app or smart watch may be all you need
The trackers are geared to serve individuals that are highly active. Such individuals are always conscious of the quantity and quality of every single work out session. Therefore, the tools for these fitness enthusiasts are designed to not just tell them the length of time they ran, walked, pumped or swam, but also the heart rate for each minute, perspiration and more. For the average individual, just focused on being more active, a smartphone or smart watch will offer the basic metrics that are required to stay motivated and get a decent amount of feedback.
Paying for a fitness gadget means you are ready to change your lifestyle
You are better off saving your money if you don’t have any plans of exercising regularly. Keeping track of your health goes beyond focusing on metrics gathered for just the odd day. You need to keep using the tracker over a period of time for a trend to be established. You can then decide whether you need to increase or decrease your activity based on the stats, trends and how they align with your fitness goals.
Don’t forget to read reviews of the different models before you make your decision. There are lots of great options out there to choose from, so match a model up to your needs.
