You have your favorite workout outfit on, a pair of comfortable sneakers and a playlist of beats to get you pumped—what else could you possibly need? Maybe it’s time to consider a fitness tracker. As intimidating as that might sound, the fitness tracker could seriously boost your workout routine and your attitude towards exercise. Having a tracker can motivate you to stick to your fitness goals, and the numeric results give you a clear sense of your day-to-day progress.
The Ultimate Accessory
Besides being a snazzy-looking addition to your workout ensembles, the aptly named fitness tracker records data on the number of steps you have taken, distance you’ve covered, your heart rate, calories consumed and burned, and can even give feedback on quality of sleep. Some, like the FitBit, will sync to your phone and computer so you can store long-term information about how you are working out. Fitness trackers also include independent apps.
“I swear by my FitBit for getting me to be more aware of my movement throughout any given day,” says Melanie Ludwig, owner of Prestige Fitness. “I have many clients and students who love their chosen fitness trackers to help them reach their goals.”
Melanie also points out that because some fitness trackers encourage you to log your food and exercise information (i.e. MyFitnessPal, Jawbone UP3, Apple Health), using one could lead you to stop making some unhealthy impulse decisions. Knowing that you will be recording information on say, your calorie intake, could lead you to be more aware of what you’re eating. And here’s where the genius of the fitness tracker comes in—the device provides objective data, but you ultimately decide what to do with that information. The impact of the fitness tracker is therefore equally due to both psychology and technology.
By checking your fitness tracker, you are also suddenly able to appreciate the exercise value of daily activities, such as walking up a few flights of stairs to your room or going to the grocery store. Realizing that these habits can add up to a positive result may lead you to make small, but effective changes to your routine. For example, you might start taking the stairs more often, pace around your apartment to get a quick workout, or get proactive with doing chores. Of course depending on how much you want to challenge yourself, the fitness tracker could lead you to start a fancy new exercise routine. (Interval workouts, anyone?)
Melanie explains that with the right attitude, you don’t have to be a fitness guru to get benefits from using a fitness tracker, “Fitness need not be a job, but a positive and healthy lifestyle that can incorporate individual lifestyles.”
Related: 7 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Use the College Gym This Year
Types of Fitness Trackers: What’s Out There?
If the above reasons have gotten you interested in trying a fitness tracker, then get ready! There are a ton of options out there, from the classic FitBit wristband to phone apps like MyFitnessPal.
FitBit produces a fitness tracker that is sleek, user-friendly, and offers an endless number of applications. It’s even earned a place on HC’s holiday gift guide! Additionally, FitBit products have adjustable settings that allow you to use its stats not only for running, but also for cardio workouts, cycling and cross-fit exercises. However, among the company’s collection of fitness trackers, prices and product complexity can vary. The most student-budget friendly versions are the FitBit Zip and the FitBit Flex—priced below $50 and $100 respectively—which both provide you with information about distance, steps and calories. For fashionistas who want a fitness tracker without compromising personal style, check out Mira, a brand that emphasizes gorgeous design in their trackers.
But if you’re not planning on splurging, you can get the same activity tracking services from apps. They are as easy to operate as their wearable counterparts and many are free. For those of you who would rather not sift through the mind-boggling number of choices in the app store, check out this list by PC Mag of their favorite fitness apps. Among them are Charity Miles, an app that donates to charity for each mile you complete, and MyFitnessPal, which tracks not only your fitness habits, but also foods you consume.
Fitness brands such as FitBit and Nike also created their own apps to integrate their products with technology and promote their brands. Kayla Lewkowicz, a graduate of Colby College says, “I love Nike+ to track my runs since it shows me average pace and splits. It calls it out at each mile so I can stay on pace.”
Should You Get A Fitness Tracker?
Whether you’re a secret couch potato or a superstar athlete (or anything in between!), you’ll be able to find an activity tracker that suits your needs.
Annie Yang, a freshman at New York University, recommends MyFitnessPal and praises its user-friendliness. “MyFitnessPal uses the pedometer built into your phone and converts it directly into calories burned. I never have to worry about keeping track of how many hours I walked and what pace it was.” For exercise, Annie doesn’t schedule workouts but rather keeps track of her walks around the city and when running errands. Annie also reports that since she has been using the app for a few months, she has been able to avoid the dreaded freshman 15—and even lose a few pounds by simply keeping track of her meals.
For students who are already used to exercising regularly, fitness trackers are handy tools to help them fulfill their athletic goals. Tahsin Akanda, a college sophomore and former track captain who runs at least twice a week, uses Nike+ Running as a supplement for her training runs so she can receive exact measurements on an interval or speed workout. However, Tahsin’s experience with fitness trackers warrants a caveat about getting too obsessed with metrics: “I would apply a lot of pressure on myself for being inefficient with rest days and strove to cut every last second from my average run pace. I became fixed on speed and numbers, but later realized I had nearly burnt myself out in trying to reduce down time.” Nevertheless, she still recommends using a fitness tracker as long as you don’t become over reliant.
As with everything, the key to being healthy is balance. Tracking your activity and food intake can be addictive, so be aware of how much time and energy you are spending over your fitness tracker. Because while setting and fulfilling your fitness goals every day is great, nobody needs to be as perfect and systematic as the ideal that technology creates.
McKenna Bulkley, a junior at the University of Missouri, says, “I had a FitBit, but I had to discontinue using it after I became obsessed with tracking everything. It became unhealthy because I was always worried about what the app said and what my ‘stats’ were.”
An anonymous student had a similar concern with fitness trackers. “I also find that on days when I’m less active, FitBit kind of gives me some sort of guilt that I should be more active. It depends on the person—it can either motivate you, or make you feel guilty on less active days.”
The Verdict
Fitness trackers provide you with the resources to set realistic goals, track your progress, and get pumped about transforming your daily routines into a productive pseudo-workout. They can work for anyone and everyone, from gals who just want a space where they can chart their eating and exercise habits to athletes who are looking to add structure to their workouts.
Know yourself before you commit to a fitness tracker. While FitBit and activity tracker apps map out a ton of information about your activity levels, they are not worth obsessing over. Numbers will tell you a lot about yourself, but in the end, you know yourself best. With that said, what are you waiting for?