Measurable: Technology & Fitness 

It’s an app world these days. Fitness trackers and phone apps can measure your macro’s, steps, energy expenditure, your sleep, your fertility cycle, pretty much anything you can think of!  

The fitness industry is always on the lookout for the next big thing, and currently that seems to be wearable technology that monitors our every breath. But will this provide long lasting health benefits? Are the right people using the technology? 

We all know there is no ‘quick fix’ to being fit and healthy. To improve overall health, we need to change habits, and improve lifestyle in the areas of nutrition, exercise, stress, and work/life balance.  

The question is, will recording this information in your smart watch or Fitbit provide you with enough motivation to make lasting lifestyle changes? Some say yes, some say no.  

Take person A –  someone who is very sedentary, but who loves technology. They buy a Fitbit, and start to set goals to walk a certain distance every day. They might link up with another friend and see who can walk the furthest each day or each week. Is this a win? Damn straight it is. But will that person continue to exercise after the novelty has worn off?  

Well, that sedentary person is now moving, so the biggest hurdle has been jumped. They now also have a friend to exercise with, which may help to keep them motivated and provide healthy social interaction.  

Then compare person B – a gym-junky. Someone at the gym every day smashing out %110 at every workout. Maybe they don’t need the motivation of a fitness tracker, but maybe their sleep patterns are poor due to work stress, or their nutrition is below par. Some of the advanced fitness trackers sync to quite detailed apps to measure sleep cycles and food intake. It’s quite hard to know the quality of sleep we are having each night, and these little trackers could provide valuable insight.  

OR, the latest Fitbit or Apple Watch could be purchased as a fashion statement in trendy rose gold, worn for 6 months, and put in a cupboard.  

At the end of the day it is still up to the individual to find what motivates them, but if a small piece of technology moves Person A off the couch away from the latest reality show, and has Person B looking after their health better, then I’m all for wearable technology.  

So let’s look at the basic details of a few of the fitness trackers available:  

Apple Watch Series 3 

• Syncs to iphone (can answer calls etc)  
• Measures heartrate 
• Measures type of activity 
• Set reminders to move 

• Syncs to other apps (MyFitnessPal)  
• Swim-proof 
• Stream music 
• $400-500 + 

Motiv Ring 

•  Tracks the distance/steps/active minutes, 
•  Heart rate 
•  Sleep patterns  

•  Waterproof  
•  Two USB chargers 
•  Syncs to iOS only (currently being upgraded)  
•  $199 

Fitbit Surge Watch  

• Syncs to devices (phone/tablet/PC)  
• Continuous heart rate zones 
• Track workouts & view workout summaries 
• Control music that’s playing on the phone 
• Monitors sleep automatically  

• $150-300 

Activity Tracker by Bellabeat 

• Can be worn as a necklace or bracelet 
• Tracks your movement, sleep and menstrual cycles 
• Displays your stress levels 
• Delivers guided meditation sessions 
• Gives personalised feedback 

• $190-$277  

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