With the landscape of technology evolving every day, it’s no surprise how much it’s been incorporated into every aspect of our lives.
Got health goals? With fitness trackers, you can store, track and analyze data related to your activity patterns. The benefit of seeing data and activity trends can be highly motivating—and can help you attach some rewards to those NSVs (non-scale victories).
But so many options can be overwhelming! There’s a wide variety of features to accommodate various needs—and a wide variety of prices, too. Here are a few features to consider:
Activity Management
This is a basic function of most wearable trackers. It’ll show you steps, calories burned, etc. based on the info you enter (weight, height, age, etc.)
App syncing
Most fitness trackers will sync with your iOS or Android device. This lets you to see your data and reports more easily on your device. It’s nice to have all your information in one place.
Heart rate monitoring
This is a great feature if you are interested in making sure your activity efforts are in the right zone. For instance, if you’re working toward a running goal, tracking your heart rate over time is a good way to stay on top of your workouts. Note: This feature will take you a step up in the price department!
Sleep tracker
Some wearables will give you data about how well you’re sleeping. They use an accelerometer function to track how much you move in bed. Some also monitor your heart rate to indicate time spent in light vs. deeper sleep.
GPS
Tracking your exact location during your workouts is an advanced feature—mostly of interest to people who are training for running and cycling events. With a GPS, you can map out data like your exact route, distance travelled, your running, walking, or cycling pace, and calories burned.
Waterproofing
This advanced feature adds to the cost of a fitness tracker, but it’s useful if you want to get data for your activity in the water.
Celebration
Many fitness trackers offer fun ways to keep you engaged and motivated as you work toward your activity goals. Whether it’s with badges, fun visuals, or characters to help you reach your goals, celebrating your fitness milestones can help keep you on track.
Community
If you’re looking for an extra boost of motivation, many fitness trackers allow you to connect with other people who have the same device. Teaming up with a friend, coworker, or family member can allow you to engage in challenges with each other, celebrate each other as you hit goals, and have fun even if you aren’t being active together.
No matter the features you choose for your fitness tracker, be sure to do activities you enjoy so you can stick with a healthy routine.