The wearables market has really taken off over the last couple of years bringing with it a plethora of devices from smartwatches and heart rate trackers to devices that log your every step and even your sleep.
Whether you’re concerned that you don’t get enough sleep, need to lose weight, or that you should be walking more (WHO recommends a daily walk of 8,000 to 10,000 steps), it really is not enough to just try things”you need to test them.
One study found that women who increased their step count to nearly 10,000 steps a day reduced their blood pressure after 24 weeks. Another study of overweight people found that walking 10,000 steps a day improved glucose levels.
Fitness trackers are the best for this obsessive activity tracking. It is said that you cannot change your habits until you understand them. A fitness tracker is thus the perfect way to monitor your activity easily and with unmatched accuracy.
Think of it as an electronic finger on the pulse, constantly measuring your vitals, quality of sleep and step count. Another thing these trackers are doing is fostering healthy competition across workplaces, social groups and homes, getting people out of their seats and helping shatter the culture of the sedentary workplace. Some say that it’s also a lot simpler and cheaper than hiring a trainer.
And though you may feel triumphant upon reaching your 10,000-step target, remembering that gorging on that rich chocolate cake will undo your hard work in a jiffy.
I have a Garmin that I have been using for two years now. It has definitely helped me a lot. I lost 18 kgs in 18 months.
Kenneth Nunes
I have been using a fitness tracker for almost a year now and I love it. It has certainly changed my lifestyle completely. I have friends using it too and we do challenges every day and on weekends which makes it more competitive. It definitely keeps me going.
Tabitha Fernandes
I use my fitbit alta more for text and phone call alerts. I even like the silent vibrate alarms. I don't count steps much but do like that it motivates me to get up and walk around for some time especially when I'm idle.
Anita Hummel
I've been using the Fitbit since 2013 after which I switched to the Apple Watch last year. The step tracker is useful if you use it with friends and challenge each other. As far as losing weight is concerned it's not that simple. Step trackers count calories burned, not calories gained while eating. You need to use another app (like MyFitnessPal) to really keep track of calories.
Aaron D'Souza
