Wearable Technology for Fitness
One of the areas where you’ll find the most wearable technology is that of fitness. Most people want to look and feel their best, but it can be hard to develop healthy habits of exercise, good sleep, and good nutrition.
Wearable technology offers some support to help motivate you to incorporate healthy habits. You can find personalized coaching, competitions, and trackers that simply help you stay on top of your goals.
One of the most popular devices on the market is the Fitbit Flex Wireless Activity + Sleep Wristband. This is a small tracking device that you wear on your wrist. It’s very slim and doesn’t stand out. It tracks your steps, the distance you run or walk, the number of calories you’ve burned and your minutes of activity throughout the day. And this little device will even monitor how much sleep you get - and even your sleep quality.
It also has a silent alarm that vibrates to wake you up in the morning so that you don’t wake your sleeping partner. You can also set daily goals and the small LED lights will help you see if you’re closing in on those targets throughout the day.
You can sync the Fitbit to your smartphone so that you can track your information, set goals, and see your progress over time. This is one of the most popular devices, but there are several others on the market with similar features - though each one has its own unique style and purpose.
For example, the Garmin Vivofit will allow you to add a heart rate monitor to your tracker so that you can make sure you’re in the target zone for burning fat and getting in shape.
It also will prompt you to move throughout the day. The screen has a “Move Bar” that will light up when you’ve been inactive for an hour. If you walk for a few minutes, the light will reset for another hour.
These little chunks of activity add up to a lot of steps and improved fitness. The Vivofit also looks at your data and gives you a personal fitness goal each day so that you can make progress and feel more motivated. If, in addition to your activity levels, you want to keep up with your oxygen levels and your heart rate, the Withings Pulse O2 Activity, Sleep and Heart Rate Tracker is a great choice.
This device can be worn on your wrist - or you can clip it to your belt or pocket. It will track your steps, the distance that you walk or run, and the calories you burn. It will also track vital information.
To monitor your heart rate and your oxygen levels, all you have to do is push your finger on the back of the device. You’ll hold it there for a couple of seconds and your pulse will display your levels of oxygen.
This is important if you have health conditions that require you to monitor these numbers. But if you’re interested in improving your fitness and endurance, this information is also very helpful.
Athletes, in particular, use this information for training. This device doesn’t require you to have a strap on your chest or any other type of equipment. And it will sync the information right to your smartphone.
The Misfit Shine Activity and Sleep Monitor also tracks your activity levels and sleep. But what makes this device different is its sleek display. It has a round face like a watch with 12 tiny LED lights. The more active you are throughout the day, the more lights will glow. You can also use it as a watch that tells time if you choose. The face is usually worn on the wrist, but you can also purchase a pendant or clip to wear it in different ways.
While we usually think of adults wearing activity trackers, children (and even pets) can get it on the action. With the LeapFrog LeapBand, your child is able to wear an activity tracker that motivates him to move.
This is an interactive device that has over 50 activities that challenge your little one to move. For example, he might be asked to move like a specific animal or learn a new dance.
Kids can also collect activity points throughout the day that they can use to take care of their digital pet. For example, they can give their pet a bath or toy with points they’ve earned.
This device also helps kids learn how to tell time and has lessons about nutrition and healthy habits. As a parent, you can set limits on the device that keep kids from playing in the middle of the night or when they’re at school.
And this device is made to take the wear and tear that kids will place on it. The screen is protected by more than one layer to prevent it from cracking and shattering.
If you’re worried that your dog isn’t getting enough activity throughout the day, the Whistle Activity Monitor for Dogs can help you to see what’s going on and help your dog develop healthier habits – with your help. This little device attaches to your dog’s collar and will track her activity. It will help you see how much exercise she gets as well as how much time she spends inactive.
With this information, you can begin to set health goals for your pet by increasing activity levels a little at a time. This will sync with your smart device to allow you to log your dog’s nutrition, medication, and set new goals.
And even if you’re not home, you can take a look at your pet’s activity levels. This device is designed to be water resistant and can handle the dirt and grime that’s common for pet devices.
The Tractive Motion Pet Activity Tracker is another device that helps you keep track of your dog’s activity levels. This device will place your pet’s activity level into one of three categories – lazy, active, or dynamic.
Over time, you can see how much activity your dog is getting and work to increase it a little at a time if needed. This gadget also monitor’s your pet’s temperature and the brightness of her environment.
While most people use this device for dogs, it’s small enough to use for cats. If your feline is overweight, you can monitor how much activity she’s getting and work to help her exercise more and achieve better fitness.