Fitness trackers can get a bad rap as a waste of money. According to reports, one third of people who buy wearable technology fitness trackers stop using them within 6 months. Eventually, over half of the users abandon them all together. Furthermore, some research concludes that for those who do use it, it’s not even effective. A 2016 study found that people without a fitness tracker lost more weight than those that used one. While these reports don’t look promising, the most reliable research is based on very old models, basic analog pedometers. While new fitness trackers have become more engaging, these studies point out one important fact: it’s up to us to do more than just make the purchase. There are also 3 simple reasons why fitness apps aren’t helping to create healthy behaviours.
We believe that the new more engaging fitness tracker models are worth the purchase when used correctly. Here’s how:
Start Small
In olden times, people purchased a pedometer and set out to hit their 10,000 steps a day right from the start. However, many newer models allow you to create goals that are attainable for you. There are even some such as the Gamin Vivofit create gradual goals based off your health data that it collects. These are more attainable and are more likely to keep you on track.
Use ALL of the features
These days, fitness trackers track much more than just how much you walk. They can include heart monitors, sleep trackers, calorie counters, the works! Take advantage of all of the capabilities that your fitness tracker has to get a more complete picture of health.
Just Use a Free App
Nowadays everyone has a smartphone and they carry it around everywhere they go! Rather than buying an extra device, just use a free app on your phone to track your activity. These apps have all the same great features and accuracy as a fitness tracker without any of the upfront cost. We’re big fans of saving money on fitness tracker purchases by using free apps.
Link it!
There are tons of apps you can connect to your fitness tracker. They can connect to your social networks, provide fitness plans and even let you know how much water you should be drinking! We like:
- Nudge – Nudge Health Tracking syncs with all or your apps and gives you a single score based off your healthy habits.
- Amazon Alexa – While syncing Alexa with your fitness tracker, you can check with her throughout the day about your fitness stats.
- MyFitnessPal – MyFitnessPal is our favorite calorie counter. It has tons of food items already stored in it’s library, making keeping track of your macros and calories a breeze. Syncing it with your fitness tracker will help you stay on top of your weight loss goals.
- IncentFit – Syncing IncentFit with your fitness tracker is perfect for making sure you log every step or hour of sleep for your company’s fitness challenges and/or fitness rewards!
Wearing a fitness tracker doesn’t automatically make you healthy but they can certainly help if you use them correctly. Try to keep it on for as long as possible to get the most accurate picture of your health and to stay on top of your goals. For an extra boost, use IncentFit to compete in challenges with your coworkers. Contact us to learn more today!