There are plenty of fitness trackers on the market. All telling you that they'll help you stay motivated and reach your fitness goals. But do they actually help?
We looked into it for ourselves. Here's what we thought...
 |
| Want to track exercise like this? |
Fitbit, Garman and TomTom are all big household names and makers of fitness trackers, but there are plenty on the market suitable for various budgets.
Personally, I'm the proud owner of a Fitbit Alta HR and I love it. Marketed to help the wearer stay motivated and improve their health by tracking activity, exercise, food, weight and sleep, I've been wearing mine for about two years now.
The main reason I use mine is to monitor my step count. We're supposed to take around 10,000 steps a day - so if I'm dwindling around 4,000 at about 5pm, I know I need to get my butt in gear and move. By having my fitness tracker monitor this, I'm much more inclined to take my lunchtime walks and remember to move from my desk occasionally while I'm in the office.
But the second most positive outcome from wearing the Fitbit is that it logs how much sleep I get. Not only do I ensure that I catch my zzz's every night, but if I happen to get a poor snooze, I try to make up for it and clock more minutes under the duvet the following night. The idea is that I stay fresh and energised!
My sister, Ellie Mullins, a Masters student at The University of Sheffield, loves her fitness tracker too.
"I have the Fitbit Blaze," she said. "I love the screen, and haven’t had any problems with it for nearly two years! It also has a great battery life."
The only reservation she has is over the price, questioning whether she would buy it for herself because of the cost. At the time of writing, the Fitbit Blaze costs around £160 on the maker's official website.
"I love my Fitbit. It really makes you aware of how active you are during the day (or not!), as well as tracking any extra exercise. We have work challenges for charity where we commit to a minimum number of steps for an entire month, which keeps us motivated and on track. I think connecting with others really encourages you to up your step count. I currently have a Fitbit Flex, but really want the Alta because that tracks heart rate during running and flights of stairs too. Our office has just moved upstairs and I want to rack up those flights!" Emma Clark, FitBit wearer
So the questions you should ask yourself are -
- Will I actually wear it?
- Will it encourage me to move more?
- Will it encourage me to sleep better?
- Will it help me live a healthier lifestyle?
Comments
Post a Comment