As a business owner, I like to keep track of what’s going on in the fitness industry to keep up with new developments and trends.
I can honestly say that fitness trackers are no longer just a trend or fad – they’ve become part of the mainstream of fitness activity. It seems like new fitness trackers are coming onto the market every week.
My take on them is that they are a useful tool. A good fitness tracker can help you do the following:
• Become more aware of and accountable for your daily movement
• Provide inspiration and that extra motivational boost to reach your daily activity goals
• Help you build a motivational network with your friends
Many people don’t realize how inactive they are until they start using a fitness tracker – it can be really eye opening!
Right now I’m using the Fitbit FlexTM, although I want to get the new Fitbit AltaTM that just became available. Originally I bought my Fitbit to see how well I slept at night, but what surprised me is how I actually enjoyed wearing it during the day.
I realized I was less mobile than I thought (due to having a desk job at the time), so it was a huge realization for me to see the evidence in black and white.
Now I’ve had my Fitbit for more than a year and I get perturbed if I leave the house and realize I forgot to put it on.
I like seeing if I can hit my goal of 10,000 steps a day. In addition, I join various challenges with my friends who also use the Fitbit and we compete to see who can take the most steps in a day, week or weekend. It’s really fun and satisfies that competitive streak I have!
It’s not really necessary to go out and buy the fanciest tracker on the market. I know that Samsung smartphones have built-in fitness tracking apps and MyFitnessPal is one of the more popular free apps you can use online or on your phone.
I’m curious – do you use a fitness tracker and if so, which one? Comment below and let me know how they’ve worked for you.
