Are Fitness Trackers Worth The Money?

If you are wondering whether wearable fitness trackers are worth the money, you might have come across a few of them. Initially, people used to wear smartwatches as fitness trackers. However, today we can use our smartphones for this purpose. Some people even use wristbands to track any fitness-related metric.

Therefore, it is really necessary to evaluate whether fitness trackers are worth your hard-earned money or otherwise.

Top Reasons Fitness Trackers Are Worth The Money

Behind each and every purchase we make, we always have a need or purpose. Herein, in our case, you’ll need a fitness tracker for different purposes. And the major question here is; does fulfilling these purposes make fitness trackers a good buy?

Let’s see:

1. Counting your steps

A fitness tracker can count the steps on your behalf. It’s seemingly not possible for people to count their steps while running for a long time. Herein, these devices are making the impossible, possible.
Every fitness tracker has an accelerometer which helps in measuring the changes in speed and direction. Through this feature, the tracker can accurately count the number of steps you make and also take measurements of your movement.

2. Measuring other movements

There are other sensors in the fitness tracker that enable it to track your movements. The sensor works with the gyroscope to figure out if you are sitting, lying down or standing. On the other hand, there is a barometer which determines the atmospheric pressure and altitude as well as measuring the number of stairs you have climbed.

With the presence of a tiny GPS on the fitness tracker, you can easily track your location or record your route while riding or trekking.

3. Checking your health status

The heart monitor found in most of the trackers is designed to check your pulse when working out or at rest. Other monitors can also detect the temperature of your skin and then combine all data to tell you how hard you are working out.

 

 

 

4. Checking your Calories

Some of the fitness trackers have been designed to estimate the amount of energy – in calories – used when working out. A number of them have an application that records the total number of calories consumed. As such, you can know the total amount of calories you have used up to help you know your progress in weight loss.

5. Monitoring your sleep

It has become easier to track your sleeping. This is achieved through the detection of any motion when lying down to determine at what time you will wake up or when you are in deep sleep. Unfortunately, this function is not as perfect as many of the first time users of fitness tracker would think.

6. Sync the fitness tracker with other devices

In many occasions, the fitness trackers are paired with smartphones through an app to enable the two devices to communicate with one another. In this way, you can easily track your activities using any of the devices at hand.

7. Sending messages

Fitness trackers have the state-of-the-art technology to alert you of the new messages in your smartphone. Besides, they are capable of informing you of the incoming calls, emails, text messages and social media notifications.

8. Understanding your health

Your fitness tracker can help you to assess your health status, especially when working out. In fact, you can find out if you are sleeping well or not and also the rate at which your heart functions when resting.

9. Measuring your progress towards achieving your goals

By observing the trend in different values displayed by your fitness tracker, you can easily know how you are progressing towards your goal. This can be an indication that you need to change your workout routine and strategies to get better results.

10. Training more effectively

In case you are looking to lose weight, the fitness tracker should be able to determine the condition of your heart rate so you may decide how you will work out to stay on track. In this way, you can get more benefits from just working out routinely.

 


 

Alternatives To Fitness Trackers

As you think whether a fitness tracker is worth the money, you should check out the alternatives.

11. Heart Rate Monitor

This device helps in counting your heart rate – just as a fitness tracker does. However, a heart rate monitor will only give heart rate counts – nothing more nothing less.

12. Pedometer

A pedometer is a device that counts the steps. There are more advanced pedometers on the market. As such, it will convert your steps into kilometers. You can either wear a pedometer as a chain or put it in your pocket.

So, if you weigh these two alternatives, none can multitask like a fitness tracker. Yes, a pedometer or heart rate monitor will assist you in a way, but none can overdo what it’s meant to do. To be precise, each alternative can only handle one task.
In the light of this, buying a fitness tracker is worth the money.

Is a Fitness Tracker a Good Choice for you?

Before you make your mind whether you should spend your money on a fitness tracker, you need to ask yourself the following questions:

● Why do you need the device?
● How often do you exercise?
● Do you need to carry your phone everywhere?
● How much are you planning to spend on buying the fitness tracker?
● What motivates you to buy the device?

How you answer the above questions, will determine whether it is necessary to spend your cash on a fitness tracker or not. After all, it is an individual’s decision and budget to go for what works well for them.

Fitness Trackers: Who Are They For?

Many people use fitness trackers to lose weight, improve fitness and track calories among other purposes as aforementioned. In fact, anyone who cares about their fitness and overall health can use a fitness tracker. This starts from runners, swimmers, professional trainers to serious hikers. Actually, the list of users is endless.

Conclusion

The actual bottom line is whether fitness trackers help to improve people’s lives. Will people work out harder when they wear these trackers than when they don’t? Will they sleep or eat better? If the tracker will help you make positive changes in your life, then buying it is worth the money.

 

 

 

 

Sources:

  1. https://www.moneycrashers.com/fitness-activity-trackers-watches-worth-it/
  2. https://thejournier.com/2018/06/24/are-fitness-trackers-worth-it/
  3. https://www.biolayne.com/articles/lifestyle/wearable-fitness-trackers-worth-money/
  4. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/are-fitness-trackers-worth-the-money/
  5. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-38594037