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Do You Need a Fitness Tracker?
Fitness | September 06, 2019
Does modern technology have a place in fitness? That’s the very question we’ll be exploring today as we cover the pros and cons of fitness tracking devices. I’m sure you’ve seen them- those wearable watch-like things that people are attached to 24/7, tracking every step, hours of sleep, calories burned, and heartbeat. You’ve got one crowd that absolutely adores them and then you’ve got another that thinks they’re taking over the world. So, whether you’re looking to invest in a fitness tracker yourself or need a simple comparison, here are the pros and cons for you to peruse. As for me, I’ll leave my thoughts in the final verdict once we’re all through. Sound good? Then let’s begin!
The Pros
Fitness devices have their advantages. Let’s start with one that I think many of us can get behind: getting a general idea of how our body works. That is to say, we get a better understanding of our bio-individuality, or uniqueness. So, for instance, outside of your regular workouts, how do you know your level of activity?
One of the ways is by tracking the number of steps you take each day. And unless you’re an incredible multitasker and can count every single step from the moment you wake up to when you go to bed, the best way is through a tracker. After that, you may be surprised by your results. You’re either getting a ton without even knowing it or are barely moving at all. (As an aside, this has everything to do with NEAT, or Non-Exercise-Activity Thermogenesis, which includes walking, chore work, and fun activities like Frisbee, sports, and chasing your kids.)
Right now, the experts recommend getting in at least 10,000 steps a day, which can seem daunting at first since the average American is said to take anywhere between 3,000-4,000 a day. [1] While 10,000 steps is up for debate, it does make you stop and think about how you’re general level of daily activity. Fitness devices give a clearer picture of where you’re at and help in reaching a specific goal, like walking 12,000 steps a day.
For the bio hackers out there, accuracy is especially important. Playing with intuition isn’t enough. You need numbers. Fitness trackers collect the data you need for your experiments. And anyone trying to change their weight will need to keep track of their progress, which is where a fitness tracker comes in handy. Athletes looking to optimize performance can also look to fitness trackers to measure their heart rate. If they’re trying to cut or make weight for a specific sporting event, the trackers once again are great tools to use. Finally, anyone managing a condition like diabetes, insulin resistance, PCOS, or even being severely under or over weight could take advantage of these trackers, since they’ll be able to monitor their daily activity and calorie burn.
All in all, it’s great for people who need to get a clear understanding of what’s happening with their body. Beginners can use it to get to know their bodies, while anyone managing a health condition, weight change, or sports career can use it as a management tool.
The Cons
This type of technology isn’t without its drawbacks.
The number one problem I’ve seen is that it can lead to obsessive behavior. I’m not saying that this is the case for everyone, but in many people- from the average person to experts- become co-dependent with their devices. They can’t take them off or enjoy a quick walk in the park without checking their tracker. They almost can’t function without technology. Some people even get scared because of their results. They’re not burning X amount of calories, walking X number of steps, etc. And then they think they’re going to gain weight or die slowly. But we need to remember that our ancestors did just fine without trackers. There’s a time and place for everything. But if we’re not careful, we can soon become a little too connected to these devices.
Here are more practical cons to consider.
First is the obvious financial investment. The best devices out there that claim to give the most accurate readings and variety of measurements aren’t the cheapest. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. Consider if it’s worth the money.
Next is the readings themselves. A lot of times, the readings on these devices aren’t what they claim to be. You could assume that you burned a boatload of calories and then use it as an excuse to overindulge when in reality, you hardly burned anything. So, it’s easy to assume and give yourself an excuse to either be lazy or overeat because your device (falsely) gave you a “perfect” reading. In other words, a lot of fitness trackers aren’t as accurate as they claim to be, and that’s something you’ve got to be mindful of.
Finally, there’s the battery. In some devices, this isn’t much of an issue, as many manufacturers have improved this problem. But again, unless you’re willing to invest in a top-of-the-line device, be prepared for battery issues down the line.
Final Verdict
I know you’ve been waiting for my thoughts. What do I think of fitness tracking devices? It’s a nay for me, guys. I don’t need a device to tell me whether or not I had a good workout. If I’m huffing and puffing, sweating buckets, and feel totally dominated by a workout, then it’s obvious that I truly worked my butt off. With daily steps, some common sense is in order. Want more steps? Then just walk. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park far away from the store. Clean your house. Take your pet out for a stroll. Just be active. It’s as simple as that
And in my opinion, it’s better to be human and use common sense. If these devices help you to manage a specific condition or goal, that’s different. But for people like you and me that are simply living a healthy, active lifestyle, then they’re really not worth the time and money. When you already have the foundation of a healthy diet and regular exercise down, you really don’t need a device to tell you whether or not you’re burning enough calories, breathing right, or getting X number of steps a day in order to be healthy. Human beings have always known what’s right way before the creation of these devices.
But I’d like to hear your thoughts- have you got any input about these trackers? Do you like or hate them? Let’s get the conversation going down in the comments below!
Sources:
[1] https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/10000-steps/art-20317391
Private Member |
ellijay, ga, united states
I have a Garmin tracker and I love it…BUT…I mainly got it because we get rewards at work for tracking fitness activities. 😂So I track a workout…I get points…the points turn into Amazon gift cards. (I also found other places that give rewards for tracking. So…extra gift cards). I’m the type of person that likes data, so in addition to the workplace rewards I do like seeing the data. BUT I take it with a grain of salt. I notice that the watch-only trackers are INCREDIBLY poor at tracking the zgym workouts. They consistently say my heart rate is 60-90 BPM where a chest strap will say 170 BPM. (I did wind up getting a chest strap that pairs with my particular watch. It’s much better.)
So, yeah: take the data with a grain of salt, knowing that with these workouts you continue to burn AFTER the workout. 😊I DO like my watch for other things. I have a sit-down job and can get wrapped up in what I’m doing. The “inactivity” buzz has really helped me be more aware about getting up. I opted for a smartwatch, so I ALSO love that I can store music on it, grab a pair of bluetooth headsets, and use them with nothing else on my person. I like that it shows the weather forecast/temperature right there. GPS and elevation are fun features, too. Not needed…but fun for data nerds. You can get some other cool widgets for them, too… like compasses, car locator, HIIT timers, etc. I also like the feature of the calendar that mine comes with that plots out all the workouts you’ve done for the week to see at a glance (kind of like the one here in the zgym). 😊
My personal findings from using one are that as long as you don’t get carried away and caught up in the numbers (which are most likely not all that accurate), they can be a nice tool. Also: they’re TOTALLY worth it if you participate in programs that pay you to get/be healthy (I’ve gotten a ton of freebies by now)! 😂
Private Member |
I don’t have a fitness tracker, but I do have a step count app on my phone. I made it a goal 3 years ago to do 10,000 steps a day and thanks to that app, my daily average for all three years has been above 10k! I don’t even need it anymore, because I’ve figured out how long it takes me to get to 10k at an average pace. I’m also lucky because I live walking distance to work so 7k of those steps are just my daily commute.
Also, I won the office 10k/day challenge this year because I’d already been doing it for years so I had a leg up on everybody ;D
Private Member |
sydney, nsw, australia
I use a Garmin tracker mainly for workouts or whenever we’re going for long hikes. Although there’s many aspects of the data, the only thing I pay attention to is the heart rate stats. This helps me during my workouts as well. If I take a breather or my legs are tired, I keep an eye on my heart rate to make sure it doesn’t drop too much. It motivates me whenever I see my heart rate is high to keep going and it boosts my morale even more. Seeing my recorded heart rate stats on my phone shows that my fitness has improved and in such a short period of time! Unfortunately I can’t workout with Zuzka on a daily basis however, her Keto meal plan along with the No Equipment Needed Total Fitness Program has helped me lose weight (mostly gained from IVF rounds and carbs that I’ve learned isn’t good for my body) and given me more energy following failed IVF’s. I’m doing the Summer Shred program now and I feel awesome and so strong!
I don’t wear my Garmin any other time of the day (unless I’m expecting an important call). I personally find it motivates me 🙂
Private Member |
switzerland/, france
I stopped using a tracker this spring. I had a Polar A360 which I got initially for stress management and target activities where I was not supposed to go up 130 bpm. After 3 years using it, I noticed I didn’t do anything with the data (even not sleep tracker), so I got rid of it. I use Strava for distance tracking, but got a polar wrist HRM (which is optical) and can be fixed on forearm. It is better than chestband where I go running under high voltage lines and the sensor gets messed. but have not used it much.
I still prefer “sensations” which have worked plenty well for many years.
Activity tracker are really great for either people who don’t move at all, have no wellness awareness, or for pro athlete that need on-point feedback….but inbetween categories, not sure. I wasted my time with it, but was for sure a form of motivation.
Private Member |
st. peter, minnesota, usa
I’ve got a nice one. Originally it was bought so I would actually notice when someone calls or texts me, and I am the type that always wore a watch anyway.
I have found it very useful. It has helped me to figure out the best sleep schedule for my bioindividuality, and it encourages me not to skip the cool down and stretching after my workouts. It also shows upcoming appointments on my calendar and weather (so a quick glance at my watch & I can decide how warm/light to dress on that day).
Private Member |
waco, tx, usa
I’m with Zuzka on this one. I have a Garmin that I only use when I’m training for a running event and need to track my mileage/heart rate, etc. I take it off once the run is over and go by feel the rest of the day. Also, I already know Zuzka’s workouts are going to kick my butt… I don’t need to wear anything to tell me that! 🙂
Pet Peeve Alert: To me there is NOTHING more annoying than trying to have a conversation with someone only to have them constantly looking at their watch because of notifications coming in. Really? Am I boring you? Is our conversation/time together not worth the effort to unplug? I feel like it is inconsiderate of the other person. Take the techie stuff off and actually try ENGAGING with one another!
I agree there is a time and a place for technology, but I think too often it is harder and harder for people to recognize the difference.
Private Member |
carpinteria, ca, usa
I find that my heart rate monitor is a great indicator of my level of exertion. Having that tied with my age, weight and height and workout zones gives me an idea of calories burned. It has made me realize how hard it is to burn calories and also the fact that we need way less to eat than we think we do. Also those useless calories that slide right into storage if you eat additional calories provided by junk food.
Private Member |
I’m generally with you Zuzka! I have a TomTom GPS so I can track my running miles. It has all the other fitness tracker things, sleep, steps, etc. But I take it off after a run!! I will admit it is fun here and there to know how many steps I do! One day when I forgot to take it off I got 44,000! For me personally this is akin to calorie counting–I like to do it every once in a while for a day or two to see if I really am where I think I am and just kind of for fun. But not a daily thing for me.