There are gadgets that claim to help you lose weight, get fit, measure your heart rate, count calories and the number of steps taken. There are pedometers, heart rate monitors, smart watches and similar gadgets that assert to be effective in helping you reach your health and fitness goals. They can cost anywhere from a few hundred rupees to tens of thousands. Are these gadgets – known as fitness wearables – actually worth your money?
They are in the form of smart watches, wristbands, armbands or bands that can be strapped to the chest. They could also be clipped on to a belt or a strap. They measure heart rate, number of steps taken, number of hours slept and other vitals. Most are plug and charge gadgets and are usually waterproof (so sweat is not an issue and you can go swimming or out in the rain with them on).
You will find out how much you have moved each day, and how long you’ve remained sedentary. You may think that you do more than you do in reality. A fitness tracker may be just the wakeup call you need – literally and figuratively!
You may see that you are not moving enough, you then make the effort to improve your levels of activity. These are recorded and you realise that you can actually do it. You can track your progress. This can be a great motivating factor: to workout longer, run or cycle more, swim further.
You can share your progress and performance on a given day, organise group activities with others using the gadget app. This can further motivate you, as you become more involved in your chosen physical activity.
Certain health problems – a heart issue for instance – could come to light. The fitness wearables that also record sleep cycles may uncover sleep related problems as well.
Many apps offer workout videos, nutritional information and other fitness tips to increase one's awareness and understanding of how fitness and weight loss work. Over time, healthy eating and regular exercise may become almost habitual.
These fitness gadgets come in a range of prices with basic or advanced features. You can choose one according to your lifestyle, requirement and budget. Many of these gadgets are stylish and snazzy. The gadget lover would enjoy sporting one and discovering the various functionalities as well.
Sure you have something that promises to help you get fitter, thinner, healthier or whatever. But it cannot make you get up off the sofa and relinquish the TV remote. It cannot push you out of the door for a workout. The actual effort still has to be all yours. The muscle aches, the strained joints are all yours too!
Accuracy may be an issue with some fitness trackers. You may think you’ve burned more calories than you actually have or the reverse may be true as well. You may convince yourself you have arrhythmia or similar ailment when you don’t…such issues could occur.
We are surrounded by gadgets of all sorts. Do we really want to add a fitness gadget to our smartphone(s), laptop, computer and the other things we seem unable to function without?
Research shows that boredom sets in rather quickly with fitness wearables. Even those among us who embrace their new gadget with great enthusiasm and use it regularly to begin with, may become disinterested or the gadget itself could become obsolete or outdated in time.
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