by Kat Van Fossen
Independent Health Coach and Exercise Specialist
Over the last few years, wearable fitness trackers have become very popular as technology and data has increased. Are activity trackers the “key” to success? Many people have questions about whether they are useful for achieving health and fitness goals and interpreting the data. Are they too good to be true? Exercise professionals have mixed opinions on their effectiveness. Let’s take a look at some pros and cons, as well as tips for making tracker use more successful.
As a full-time telephonic health coach and exercise specialist, part of my job is to talk with people about how to interpret data that is gathered from their fitness tracker. Though my opinion on the use of trackers is mixed, for the most part, they provide more benefits than obstacles and can be an effective aid in achieving health and fitness goals.
Trackers can provide feedback on many things – not just steps. They help gather beneficial information related to our whole health, tracking sleep, heart rate, calories, nutrients, meditation, water intake, and they have reminders to get up and move throughout the day.
Trackers, like anything, have downsides. People spend plenty of time attached to some kind of screen every day, including their trackers. For some individuals, trackers can create negative feelings that the wearer isn’t doing enough. Others obsess over their goals, are driven by the device and miss out on enjoying the moment. Then there are those who get the ironic notion that movement doesn’t count if their tracker isn’t on!
Following are pros and cons of tracker use compiled from fitness coaches and tracker users:
Pros
Great tool for people going from inactive to active.
Good motivation to get steps in every day and encourage improvement over time.
Common gateway to tracking nutrition.
Develops an awareness and a reality check between busy and being active.
Develops a pattern of setting and obtaining goals.
Provides more data than number of steps, including: sleep, water intake, calories and active minutes.
Provides reminders to move throughout the day.
Creates community with other tracker users.
Provides positive feedback.
Easy to use.
Cons
Tracking isn’t for everyone.
Information is not always accurate, and can depend on how they are worn. The information should always be viewed as an estimate.
Not sophisticated enough to categorize all types of exercise and movement.
While trackers can be an effective weight-loss aid, there is more to weight loss than just calories in and calories out.
Cause frustration when forgotten or when battery runs low.
Can lead to obsessive thinking, taking the fun out of activity.
Trackers can add stress and one more thing to manage in a day.
Tips to make using a tracking device more successful:
The tracker is only as good as the user wearing it. Be honest. Enter accurate information into the tracker.
Make sure to keep the tracker charged and ready to go.
When first using a device, track one thing at a time. This gives users time to learn how to navigate the device and discover its features.
Remember, small goals lead to bigger results. Fun can make a difference. Set attainable goals and make a game of it.
Invite people to join. A little competition or accountability can be good.
Remember tracker data is not an exact science.
Most importantly, listen and know your body, it will tell you what it needs.
Fitness trackers have come a long way in the past few years. The technology has increasingly improved and trackers have become easier to use. Workout apps, wrist-worn trackers, other devices and social media can be engaging and provide encouragement, and remember, tech gadgets are but one tool in your health and fitness arsenal.
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COMMON MEASURES THAT DEVICES TRACK
Resting heart rate is the heart rate taken at a calm, relaxed state. The American Heart Association considers a normal resting heart rate for adults to range from 60 - 100 beats per minute. Resting heart rate can be a good indication of an individual’s cardio health. Active people often have lower heart rates because their heart and cardiovascular systems are strong and efficient.
Heart-rate zones help optimize workouts. The zones are calculated by estimating maximum heart rate, which is 220 minus your age.
Peak zone: >85% of maximum heart rate; used for short, intense sessions to improve performance and speed;
Cardio zone: 70-84% of maximum; for most people this is the target zone; and
Fat burning zone: 50-69%; low-to-medium intensity, a higher percentage of calories are burned from fat, though fewer total calories are burned.
Track sleep. Many devices rely on movement sensors, a method that has been shown in scientific research to be accurate for measuring factors including total time spent asleep and length of wakeful episodes. Trackers should not be used as a sleep diagnostic tool. However, the information can be shared with a doctor.
Caloric intake with nutritional breakdown, as well as caloric expenditure. Trackers can help track calories in and calories out, timing of eating and water intake. This information is important and helpful to bring mindfulness to a person’s daily intake.
Some trackers have a feature to help an individual get up from their desk and move. This is helpful for the person’s mental and physical health. Moving helps with circulation and mental clarity. Taking a short break to move and stretch can help with concentration and healthy posture.
Trackers also track distance, time, steps and information on trails or walking paths such as elevation (floors) gained. This is information that can help some people with setting daily, weekly and monthly activity goals.