So you’re pretty excited…you’re fitness game is on point this summer and now you’re ready to track your results. Just like anything else understanding what type of fitness activity helps you achieve your goals not only keeps you on track, but also helps motivate. Once you start seeing results, and you can attribute those results to your fitness activity, you’re on track to a lifetime of healthy living. So, when you’re ready to make the investment into a fitness tracker, how do you know which one is right for you? If you’re thinking it’s time to go for it, here are a few tips for how to choose the one that’s right for you.
Healthy Living: How to Pick a Fitness Tracker
Keep your goals in mind. Not every fitness tracker tracks everything and not every one of them is right for all activities, so think about what you’ll use it for. If you’re just dipping your toes into getting back in shape, you may want to keep it simple with a steps and calories tracker. If you’re already working out on the daily and you’re ready to take it to the next level, you might consider something with a GPS and a heart rate monitor. If you’re activity is say….swimming or water polo….make sure your tracker is waterproof.
Look carefully at the style and design – and, try them on. If you don’t like what it looks like, chances are you’ll never wear it. It may sound silly at first, but it’s true – if you’re going to invest in a fitness tracker, it should look good too. Some are small and slim, while others look like big watches with large round faces – make sure your fitness tracker is something you don’t mind wearing on and off the track. Some can even be disguised in designer bracelets and necklaces!
Be sure it’s compatible with your smartphone and that you like using the associated fitness tracker app. This is really important as you’ll want to be able to take a deeper look at your activity and being able to check out that info on the fly is very important. Be sure you know exactly what type of phone you have and look only at trackers that will sync up with that device.
Consider your budget. Fitness trackers come in a range of prices starting around $50 and head north of $300, so just make sure you know what you’re willing to spend from the get go. Once you have a budget in mind, you’ll be able to easily scale back the options and find the one that’s right for you.
The options are pretty endless, here are a few of my favorites:
FitBit Charger HR, perfect for the new athlete who needs basic info and a little motivation. (I also love the plum color!) Starting at $125.
Jawbone Up24 is ideal for basic steps tracking, calorie counting and activity tracking by entering it into the associated app. Super affordable too starting at $25.
Tom Tom Spark, great for anyone ready to make a bit more of an investment and who’s serious about tracking heart rate. Excellent for more advanced athletes (this one plays music too with wireless headphones. Starting at $249.
Those are just a few favorites, for and endless list of options, click here.
