Long gone are the days when you couldn’t track your fitness progress. Because now is the era of fitness trackers. Fitness trackers come under wearable fitness technology and have gained insane popularity in the fitness industry.
They are known for tracking physical activities, monitoring health metrics, and helping in achieving fitness goals. There are different types of fitness trackers such as wristbands, smartwatches, and clip-ons. To know more, read this article that covers the key features, best fitness gadgets, how to choose the correct fitness trackers and its setup.
Why use a Fitness Tracker?
Fitness trackers help track physical activities such as walking, running, yoga, swimming, etc., but these health tracking devices are not limited to these activities. They also help monitor health metrics such as heart rate, calories burned, sleep time, etc.
With the help of these activity monitors, people can track their overall progress and achieve their fitness goals.
Fitness trackers help you stay aware of your progress and set goals according to your requirements. Also, you get insights into your daily activities such as the number of steps taken or the amount of time you spend running. It helps you stay motivated.
Key Features to Consider in a Fitness Tracker
Accuracy of tracking
A fitness tracker is beneficial only when it accurately tracks your activity and health metrics. Accurate tracking of health metrics like heart rate and sleep tracking helps you make informed decisions regarding your health. Accurate fitness tracking also helps improve overall health.
For accurate fitness tracking, select fitness trackers that have features like reliable sensors and GPS capability.
Battery life
The average battery life of fitness trackers is between one to two days. It should at least provide a full day of use to be able to track daily activities and health metrics. With time, fitness trackers require frequent charging which interrupts their use. Therefore, long-lasting fitness trackers are essential as they have longer battery life and don’t require frequent charging.
Compatibility
One of the most important features of fitness trackers is their compatibility with smartphones and fitness apps. Fitness app integration helps you keep the history of tracking and goals. Moreover, you can enjoy the features of fitness apps and fitness trackers.
The fitness gadgets should be compatible with Apple Health, Google Fit, and some third-party apps.
Health and fitness metrics
Top fitness trackers help you track various health metrics such as heart rate, sleep quality, calories burned, and fitness tracking such as activity levels.
Some of the best fitness trackers also provide additional features like stress tracking, hydration reminders, menstrual cycle tracking, etc.
Design and comfort
Fitness gadgets are wearables that stay on your body for most of the day, so a comfortable and durable design is essential. Fitness trackers are usually available in the form of watches; therefore it is important to look after features like style, strap, and adjustability for comfort.
Comfortable fitness trackers have to be fashionable and look good but also be comfortable and durable.
Top Fitness Trackers for Your Goals
Fitbit Charge 6
Fitbit Charge 6 is one of the best fitness gadgets that comes with advanced fitness and health tracking features such as built-in GPS, heart rate monitoring, skin temperature monitoring, and sleep tracking.
Pros:
- The Fitbit Charge 6 provides comprehensive sleep, stress, and preparedness scores when paired with a Fitbit Premium account.
- It has a long-lasting battery life.
- Comfortable and durable design.
- Tracking of steps taken, calories burned, distance covered, active zone minutes, sleep, exercise, cycle track.
Cons:
- Not very fashionable
- Small screen size
- Requires Fitbit premium for a few features
- Expensive
Apple Watch Series 8
Apple Watch Series 8 is a comprehensive smartwatch with fitness-tracking capabilities like heart rate monitors, blood oxygen monitoring, sleep stages tracking, advanced workout tracking, and health sensors.
Pros
- Powerful sensors to measure blood oxygen.
- Take an ECG
- Comes with safety features like Fall Detection, Emergency SOS, and Crash Detection
- Features to manage call, text, and email.
- Fast charging
Cons
- Expensive
- Poor battery life
Garmin Vivosmart 5
Garmin Vivosmart 5 comes under the top slim fitness trackers. It is popular for its slim design and robust fitness tracking.
It comes with features like heart rate monitoring, stress tracking, and hydration tracking.
Pros
- Long-lasting battery life
- View texts, calls, and notifications from your linked smartphone.
- Easy to use
- Sleep stage tracking and sleep scores based on sleep quality
Cons
- Built-in GPS not provided
- Display not big enough for notifications.
- Relatively expensive as per the features.
Samsung Galaxy Fit 2
When it comes to affordable fitness trackers with essential features the first choice has to be Samsung Galaxy Fit 2.
It provides essential features such as sleep tracking, activity monitoring, customizable watch faces, etc.
Pros
- Comfortable thin design
- Easy to use
- Easily manage notifications
- Affordable
- Provides essential fitness tracking features
- Good battery life
Cons
- Slightly inaccurate tracking
- No GPS support
Whoop Strap 4.0
If you are looking for performance trackers then Whoop Strap 4.0 is the one. It is a subscription-based tracker focusing on recovery and performance.
This recovery-focused fitness gadget comes with features like sleep performance, strain tracking, and recovery insights.
Pros
- Easy-to-use interface
- Comfortable wearable
- Waterproof
- Provides weekly and monthly performance track
- Accurate
Cons
- Requires subscription that makes it more expensive
- Not ideal for non-cardio exercises.
Choosing the Right Fitness Tracker for Your Goals
There are several fitness trackers out there but the right one can be selected once you know your goals.
Fitness Goals
If you are thinking about focusing on your fitness and have fitness goals such as weight loss, training, and health monitoring then choose a fitness trackers that have these matching features.
There are goal-oriented fitness trackers for athletes. They have advanced metrics according to the needs of athletes. And there are general fitness trackers too that focus on the essential fitness tracking and monitoring required for a common person.
Select the trackers according to your fitness goals. Generally, advanced features are not required for general fitness tracking.
Budget Considerations
Before you start choosing smartwatches for fitness, it is important to set a budget. Once you know your fitness goals and budget your choices will narrow down. Look for top fitness trackers in your budget range and see if they offer the features required.
There are many best-budget fitness trackers out there in every range.
How to Maximize the Benefits of Your Fitness Tracker
Setting Up and Personalizing
Fitness trackers can be quite helpful if they are set up properly. Fitness tracker setup involves customizing the tracker to match your fitness goals. Set small and realistic goals such as daily steps, calories, sleep time, activity minutes, etc. Also, set reminders to stay on track.
Integrate your fitness tracker with compatible fitness apps and sync your data. Personalize your dashboard to see the essential health metrics.
Regular Use and Data Review
Regularly use the fitness tracker to track progress. Make the most of your fitness tracker by setting goals and regularly reviewing progress. Regular fitness data reviews will help you make informed decisions regarding your health and fitness goals.
For example, you can know if you are burning enough calories daily by tracking your progress and then plan accordingly to reach the goal.
Conclusion
Fitness trackers have been a game-changer in the field of fitness and health. They offer advanced features such as heart rate and blood oxygen monitoring, sleep tracking, calorie counting, and physical activity tracking. From athletes to common people, anyone can use them according to their needs. There are several fitness trackers out there with different features and prices. You choose the one that suits your fitness goals and preferences the most.
Fitness trackers can be the best companions in your fitness journey. So, find the perfect fitness tracker that helps you achieve your goals and stay motivated.