Fitness watches and activity watches are now a multi-billion dollar industry. If you take a walk down the street, it won’t be long before you spot someone wearing an Apple Watch or a Fitbit. This wearable technology has given humans unprecedented control over their health. Those who don’t own a fitness tracker may be wondering whether these devices are actually useful or worth the expense. If this is you then read below to learn about the benefits of an activity watch and whether they can actually help you on your fitness journey.
They Remind You To Move
Humans are inherently lazy. Our bodies subconsciously complete tasks in the most economical way possible in order to conserve energy. If we are not forced to take the hard road then we likely aren’t going to. Fitness trackers can help combat our inner laziness because they remind us to get up and move every hour on the hour. It is very easy to get carried away sitting down at work or watching a movie. Fitbits are essentially personal assistants that remind you about appointments to achieve your health goals. It is undisputed that physical activity is good for us. If we can balance out the time spent sitting down with more walking then our bodies will be better for it.
They Keep You Accountable
We all know that accountability makes a huge difference to whether you achieve your goals or not. This is where fitness trackers can come in handy. Not only are you accountable to the watch, you can also set up challenges with people you know. For example, the Fitbit app enables you to go on adventures with friends or family which adds a fun and competitive element to your daily exercise. Nothing is more satisfying than beating your older sibling in a race. Many fitness professionals actually encourage their patients to invest in fitness watches because they know it adds another level of accountability. The more people we have supporting our exercise regime, the more likely we are to stick with it. If you know you lack internal motivation then a watch might be just the thing you need to achieve your goals.
Keep Track Of Data
As well as daily steps, some watches also track your sleep, heart rate, menstrual cycles and running distance. Regardless of whether they are 100% accurate, the data is still useful. If you’re training for an event, a watch can make training so much easier by letting you know the distance you’ve run. Those who are monitoring their stress levels may find the heart rate tracker intriguing and women wanting to learn about their hormone health can use the monthly cycle tracker. If you are struggling with sleep, your fitness watch will let you know how many hours you get each night and can give you bedtime reminders. Considering 25% of New Zealanders feel fatigued everyday and 1 in 10 of us have fallen asleep at the wheel, our sleeping habits clearly need addressing. Wearable technology empowers you to take control of your own health and allows you to audit many areas of life. These watches can help us improve more than just physical activity levels. Many brands understand that a holistic approach to health works best. Even those who aren’t overly fussed about their daily step count can still benefit from this technology. You can use it to improve many facets of life.
Motivates You To Go The Extra Mile
There is nothing more frustrating than seeing 9,900 steps on your fitness watch. It always feels better to hit a nice, round number. This weird psychological effect can motivate us to go the extra mile. It is inevitable that some days we will wake up with very low motivation. Seeing that you have hit 10,000 steps for the last seven days can be the kick up the butt you need to repeat that habit again. Research shows that fitness watches are very effective when it comes to increasing a person’s daily activity levels. Rather than playing it by ear, watches give you daily objectives to achieve and gamify the process. There is a lot of confusing information out there when it comes to fitness. However if you have clear goals given to you by your device, the process becomes much simpler.
Conclusion
What gets measured gets managed. We use data and technology to keep track of our finances, so why not our health too? If you spend the majority of the day sitting on your butt then a fitness watch can be just the tool you need to increase activity levels. Additionally, these devices track a whole range of other health markers like sleep and heart rate. Regardless of whether they are 100% accurate, this technology can teach us a lot about our bodies and daily habits. If you have the money to spare and want to take your health to the next level, buying a fitness watch could be the best decision you’ve ever made.