Do Fitness Trackers and Smartwatches Make People More Active and Healthier?

Listen to the article here:

 

Whether you’re looking to make lifestyle changes, trying to increase your energy level, or just want to know how much sleep you get each night, the use of wearable tech has become an essential part of life for those who are health-conscious and motivated to stay fit.

Fitness trackers can help you stay on track with your fitness goals and make sure you’re exercising enough to stay healthy.

The world is moving fast, and staying connected to your fitness has never been easier. The internet of things (IoT) has made it so that you can log in to your account with a single tap on your phone, or simply by speaking.

More than 39.5 million Americans (1 out of 5) regularly wear a smartwatch or wearable fitness tracker. The use of these smart devices has skyrocketed in the last several years.

 

 

Why do people choose smart fitness trackers?

Fitness trackers are a type of smart wearable that is used to measure fitness and activity.

They are generally worn on the wrist or clipped to clothing, and they use a combination of movement sensors, heart rate sensors, and accelerometers to monitor your daily activities in real time. They help you gain insight into how certain foods, drinks, and activities affect your overall health and help you stay at a healthy weight, lose weight, track your sleep patterns, and more, and offer personalized recommendations.

 

How to choose the right smartwatch for you

Are you feeling inspired to get out and move, lose weight or make improvements to your health goals? Then it’s time to choose a fitness tracker that’s right for your needs.

Different people use these devices for different reasons, so choosing the right one is all about your specific goals and needs. These gadgets can monitor a variety of activities, so you’ll need to choose which features matter most to you and decide how much you’re willing to spend on them.

 

When choosing your fitness tracker or smartwatch, ask yourself these questions:

 

1. What features do you need in a tracker?

If you’re just starting out working on your fitness goals, a fitness tracker is probably your best bet. It’s easy to use, and its main purpose is to monitor your daily step count and make sure you’re getting enough exercise. If you want more from a device — such as alerts, music storage, or a heart rate monitor – look for fitness trackers with extra features.

When it comes to choosing a fitness tracker, there are many different features to consider: heart rate monitors and GPS are popular among serious athletes, while the more casual athlete may require a device with more accurate sleep-tracking capabilities.

You may also want to consider whether you’re an iPhone or Android user. If you have an iPhone, the Apple Watch is likely your best bet, but if not, try out a variety of devices and see which works best for you.

 

Best for the health conscious: Apple Watch Series 8  – with Fitness Tracker, Blood Oxygen & ECG Apps, Always-On Retina Display, Water Resistant

Key features:

• The advanced health sensors offer insights to help you better understand your health: temperature sensing, blood oxygen levels, ECG function, and notification if an irregular rhythm is detected. Advanced sleeping monitoring with sleep stages.

• The crash detection and fall detection functions can automatically connect you with emergency services in case of a severe car crash or a hard fall.

• Incredibly durable: crack-resistant, IP6X-certified dust resistant, and swim-proof with water resistance 50 meters.

• The bright, always-on retina display is easy to read, it integrates easily with Apple devices and services, and you can pay and send money with Apple Pay.

Visit the Apple Store

 

If you’re a serious athlete, a more professional tracker might be the answer. Brands like Garmin and Fitbit have a wide range of these.

Also, many new smartwatches also have mobile payments or give you access to a streaming service like Spotify.

 

Best for professional athletes: Garmin Forerunner 245 with Music, GPS Running Smartwatch with Music and Advanced Dynamics

Key features:

• This GPS-running smartwatch with music advanced training features has a battery life of up to 7 days in smartwatch mode and 6 hours in GPS mode with music.

• Provides advanced running dynamics and training plans from Garmin coach, or lets you create your own custom workouts on the Garmin Connect online fitness community. 

• The safety and tracking features include incident detection – which sends your real-time location to emergency contacts through the paired compatible smartphone.

• It syncs with music streaming services, such as Spotify, and you can play your favorite songs right from your watch.

Visit the Garmin Store

 

Fitbit Charge 5 Advanced Fitness & Health Tracker with Built-in GPS, Stress Management Tools, Sleep Tracking, 24/7 Heart Rate, and More

Key features:

• Sweat the smart way with this device featuring advanced fitness functions such as automatic activity tracking, 20 exercise modes, workout intensity map, built-in GPS, reminders to move, 24/7 heart rate, stress management tools, EDA sensor, ECG app, Health Metrics Dashboard (including Sp02, heart rate variability, skin temperature tracking), menstrual health tracking.

• Helps track your sleep pattern with a sleep score and sleep stages, smart wake, silent alarms, and do not disturb mode.

• Achieve more with Fitbit Premium with a 6-month membership included.

• Other smart features include notifications, vibrant color display, always-on display mode, Google Fast Pair, Fitbit Pay, up to 7 days of battery, and water-resistance up to 50m.

Visit the Fitbit Store

 

 

 

2. What is your available budget?

There are a lot of different models and brands, but be sure to check out the options in your budget. If you are on a budget, it’s important to decide how much you’re willing to spend and what features are most important to you. Fitness trackers typically range in price from $25 to hundreds of dollars, so it’s important to know what you’re looking for and what you can afford before you start shopping.

If you want a band that can track your daily activity and sleep, then $50 may be enough for you. But if you also want heart rate monitoring and other advanced features like notifications from your phone, then consider devoting closer to $150. The last models from Apple can cost over $300.

 

Garmin Vivosmart 4 – Activity and Fitness Tracker w/ Pulse Ox and Heart Rate Monitor.

Key features:

• This slim, swim-friendly wearable comes with many fitness and wellness features to help you make the most of a healthier, active lifestyle.

• It includes advanced sleep monitoring with REM sleep and can monitor blood oxygen saturation levels with the wrist-based Pulse Ox sensor.

• Find your zen with this fitness tracker: the health monitoring tools include estimated wrist-based heart rate, all-day stress tracking, relaxation breathing timer, Vo2 max, body battery energy monitor, and more.

• Fitness features timers for strength training, yoga, walks, runs, pool swims, and others.

• It has a fashionable design with stylish metal accents and a bright, easy-to-read display.

Visit the Garmin Store

 

 

3. What is your lifestyle?

Choosing the right fitness tracker should be a fun and exciting experience. Make sure to consider your lifestyle and what would work best for you.

If you want to see your progress throughout the day on some type of display, a watch might be the best option. If you prefer something you can wear around your wrist or clip on to your clothing, preferably in your color of choice, then a simple wristband is probably a good choice. And do you need something waterproof, so you can shower and swim with your tracker on, or will you remember to remove it each time?

 

Fitbit Inspire 2 Health & Fitness Tracker – with a Free 1-Year Fitbit Premium Trial, 24/7 Heart Rate, Black/Rose

Key features:

• Use 20+ exercise modes to track goals like calories burned, distance, and more.

• Optimize your workouts with a Daily Readiness Score that shows if you’re ready to exercise or should focus on recovery.

• Track all-day activity: distance, steps, and calories burned. Water resistance depth: 50 meters.

• Use 24/7 heart rate to track resting heart rate and better measure calorie burn.

• Includes a one-year Premium membership with guided programs, personalized insights, advanced analytics, and more.

Visit the Fitbit Store

 

If you’re a runner, a physical fitness enthusiast and/or have any health conditions that keep you motivated to exercise daily, then investing in a fitness tracker is an excellent choice. You can choose from fitness trackers that are wireless, or wristband-style, which can be worn 24/7. They will provide you with all of your stats through mobile devices such as your smartphone and computer.

There’s no need to get all dressed up with your fitness tracker! With such a variety of looks, you’re sure to find one that suits your wardrobe, whether you prefer a watch-style design or a wristband.

 

Michael Kors Women’s MKGO Gen 5E – 43 mm Touchscreen Smartwatch with Fitness Tracker, Heart Rate, Contactless Payments, and Smartphone Notifications

Key features:

• It has an always-on display with thousands of watch faces to personalize your smartwatch and always see the time.

• Many apps from assistants to fitness, music, social, news, payments, games, stopwatches, and more.

• Advanced sensors to automatically track activity goals, heart rate, cardio level, steps, sleep, distance and path, and more.

• The swimproof design makes it perfect for all your activities.

Visit the Michael Kors Store