Fitness trackers are awesome little devices that can help you to gain a substantial amount of information about your habits, body function and workout intensity. That said, unless you actually use them, they don’t do anything for you. Just putting one on won’t make sure that you’re getting fitter and leaving it in a drawer will do even less.
A fitness tracker is one of the weight loss products that really work, if you use them correctly that is. To make a fitness tracker work for you, you’ve got to use it like a tool, not expect it to do something for you. Furthermore, you need to keep using it, not just pay attention to it while it is still new and then tuck it away once the novelty has worn off.
I’ve had several different gadgets over the years. They’ve come a long way even in the last five years. The first one I owned clipped to the waist of my pants. Since then, I’ve graduated to wrist-worn trackers, which I prefer by quite a bit, if only because I’m a lot less likely to lose one that is worn like a watch.
Since I’ve been using fitness trackers, I’ve found that there are different techniques to making sure they will do what I need them to do. I’ve made a list of them to help you to be able to integrate these devices into your own routine so you can get the most out of them, too.
• Buy the right one – Just because a fitness tracker is popular, cheap, or one that your brother/friend likes, it doesn’t mean it’s right for you. Check out the features in any device you’re considering so you’ll know if it will work with what you need it to do. For example, if you do a lot of swimming, your tracker won’t do much for you unless you’ve got one that is waterproof and that has a swim tracker as a part of its software. If you are focused on cardio, not just steps, then you’ll want to make sure it has a heart rate tracker.
• Ignore the calorie counter – Just about every fitness tracker’s calorie counter isn’t accurate. Just like your gym equipment doesn’t give you an accurate calorie count, your fitness tracker won’t, either. It doesn’t matter how expensive it was. Research shows that’s one of the worst features for these devices. If you can use the app to shut off the calorie counter feature, that’s your best bet because it will stop you from relying on it.
• Keep updating your goals – You may set a goal at the start, but if it’s proving to be consistently easy or consistently too hard, you will need to adjust it. Keep adjusting your goals to make sure they continue to challenge you while still being achievable.
• Let the device motivate you – Without becoming obsessed with your gadget, check in with your gadget throughout the day to make sure you’re keeping up with your goal. Let the device regularly remind you of your goal so you’ll strive to reach it with each day. Use the app that comes with your device to connect with friends who have one so you can use a touch of competition to motivate yourself, too.