The Many Features of Fitness Trackers to Help Choose the Right One for You

The Many Features of Fitness Trackers to Help Choose the Right One for You

What do you get when you mix a miniature computer with a virtual coach and a well-developed pedometer? A fitness tracker of course! These are great high-tech devices that consist of sensors that collect all kinds of data about you—stuff like the number of calories you’ve burned and steps you’ve taken, your heart rate, sleep and much more. With this kind of knowledge you are able to make smart decisions about everything you do—from acquiring the proper motivation to lose that unwanted weight to increasing the intensity of your exercise program.

But there are numerous fitness trackers out there. So how do you select one?

Features of Fitness Trackers

Every gadget is different and has its own specific features. Depending on your goals, certain features may be more important to you than others. Let’s have a look at a few key features of fitness trackers.

Calories Burned – Fitness trackers can determine how many calories you burn every day by using your gender and weight; so, for the best results, you need to search for a gadget that will ask for that information. If you get up and move around a lot during the day as well as make your workouts a bit challenging, then you’ll burn off extra calories. You need to realize, however, that some trackers record calories that are burned from any movement you make during the entire day—such as folding laundry, vacuuming or washing dishes; while other trackers will only keep track of the activity you perform during exercise.

Heart Rate Monitor – If you’re taking a particular blood pressure medication or have heart problems, talk with your doctor to see if you need to check your heart rate to determine your level of exercise during your workout. A tracker with a heart rate monitor will assist you in evaluating the intensity of your workouts at the very moment you’re doing them. With this important information, you’ll be able to figure out when you should slow down and rest or speed up your routine. There are a few fitness trackers that will amazingly not only measure your heart rate but also how intensely you’re working out by sensing how much you’re sweating and your body temperature.

GPS – A few devices actually have a GPS built into them that will show a map of your routes and judge your speed. What a neat idea, huh? This feature would be very helpful with exercises such as biking, where other fitness devices’ pedometers or accelerometers don’t work too well.

Step Counter – This feature will get used the most if your major form of exercise is running or walking. This clever feature will calculate your number of steps into equivalent miles. When you’re looking for a fitness tracker, it’s best to find one that requires the length of your footstep; this will give you more precise information.

Sleep Tracker – This nifty little feature can assist you in noticing any sleep patterns by providing you with an indication of how much sleep you’re getting versus any tossing and turning you might do. However, it’s essential to note that this feature won’t provide you with any type of sleep disorder diagnosis. If you’re not getting the required sleep, it could cause you to eat more and decrease your metabolism. It’s imperative that you get enough sleep to decrease your danger of having heart problems, getting type 2 diabetes and becoming obese; having the proper amount of sleep can also aid you in losing weight.

Stair Counter – If you’re an outdoors person, then you’re sure to like the information you can receive from an altimeter! A number of fitness trackers are equipped with an altimeter which will calculate the number of hills or stairs you climb. An altimeter provides you with a pretty exact read-out of the number of burned off calories in addition to how much activity you’re doing.

Water Resistant – It’s great if you can find a tracker that’s water resistant because then you can shower without taking it off. But the drawback to this type is that you can’t go swimming with them on. Now, if you’re looking for a tracker specifically for swimming, there are a few distinctive tracking gadgets that are waterproof. Swimming watches are one such device which will count strokes, time your laps and judge your distance and speed. Certain fitness trackers are terrific for triathletes in that the device blends bicycle tracking and swimming tracking. What more could you ask for?

Obtaining Your Results

On-Device Display – Some fitness trackers can supply you with a display of in-the-moment information; while others require you to sync with your computer or phone. Syncing to your computer means that most likely you’ll have to wait until after your exercise routine to get your information. However, if the device has Bluetooth, then syncing won’t be a problem; unless in order to get the information from your phone you have to remove the gadget. Then it may become a bit complicated if you want to monitor a workout in-the-moment.

Sync Technology – Many fitness trackers demand that you plug into your computer or smartphone jack. Yet if you would like to get your data on the go, search for fitness trackers with a wireless feature.

Price and Compatibility

When you’re hunting for a fitness tracker, there are a few other things to think about other than how it collects information.

Device-Friendly – It’s essential that you check to see if the fitness tracker will be compatible with your computer or smartphone. It might also be a good idea to be sure that it can sync to food and fitness tracking applications such as MyFitnessPal.

Price – There’s a wide range of prices for fitness trackers from $30 to more than $200! How much you spend will depend on what type of and how many features you want. If you’d like to view your information on the tracker’s website, some involve signing up for a monthly subscription. So be mindful of possible hidden charges!

Size – Fitness trackers come in a variety of sizes. Certain gadgets can be worn like a watch while others can be placed into your shirt or shorts pocket. Still, other trackers are even smaller and clip to your bra or waistband.

Social – Just like you’re able to do on Facebook, several fitness trackers let you “friend” people that utilize the same brand of tracker as you. If you’re a bit on the competitive side (or even if you’re not), this feature is a wonderful activity motivator! Once you’re linked to another person, that person can see your steps—and you theirs—on the tracker’s website or app. Not to worry though, there are privacy settings that you can adjust to keep certain info from the eyes of your friends!

Now that you know what features can be available on these handy devices, have fun on your quest through the many brands of fitness trackers! Make sure it’s the perfect tracker that will suit your needs. If you’re not sure which fitness tracker is the best one for you, try talking with a fitness professional.