Wearable technology is an amazing development, one that gives individuals the ability to seamlessly monitor a host of health-related data, including heart rate, blood pressure, distance travelled, and calories burned. One of the more popular applications of this technology is fitness trackers, with Fitbit, Garmin, Whoop, and Apple Watch leading the charge. A fitness tracker is a digital gadget, most often worn on the wrist, that helps the user track their progress toward meeting their health and fitness goals.
What are the benefits of wearing a fitness tracker?
There are a ton of benefits associated with fitness trackers, including:
- They are a constant visual reminder that can help to keep users accountable.
- Most have the ability for the wearer to set individualized goals (i.e. training for a marathon) and then track progress towards achieving said goals.
- They foster healthy competition with others, as most come with the ability to compete against friends and host various challenges.
- They also motivate you to compete with yourself to improve your daily benchmarks.
- We all know how critical sleep hygiene is to health and weight management, and fitness trackers have the functionality to track sleep cycles.
Clumsy tan lines aside, fitness trackers can be a truly valuable tool in your health management toolkit.
Are fitness trackers expensive?
Fitness trackers tend to range in cost from $100 on the lower end (Garmin Vivofit) to $250 on the high end (Apple Watch). The price tends to fluctuate based on the features included. The most common features of most fitness trackers are tracking steps, covered distance, number of burnt calories, and heart rate. High-end trackers can track everything from sleep patterns to calories burned, can offer the ability to select specific activities that you should be doing, and can provide accurate fitness reports for your goals. Consider the price tag as a financial motivator for using the fitness tracker to your full advantage.
Which is the right one for me?
Once you have hopped aboard the fitness tracker bandwagon, it can be difficult to decide which option is the best. There are a variety of trackers, so it becomes a matter of deciding what features you want in your tracker. Fitness trackers have different functions, so it is important to find the right one for your needs. Basic models typically track steps taken, heart rate, duration of activity, and sleep. Advanced features on the pricier models may include GPS, heart rate monitoring, gyroscope, blood oxygen tracking, and barometer functionality.
Consumer Reports recommends considering the following features when assessing which fitness tracker will best meet your needs:
- Style
- Display
- Accuracy
- Battery life
- Water resistance
As with all things health and fitness related, NHQ’s team of consultants are a great resource with which to discuss your fitness tracker requirements and how this tool can best support your health goals. As the wearable technology market continues to evolve and new products become available, you can count on NHQ to help you to navigate through your many options. Let’s connect today!