Turkeys have been carved and stuffed, decorations have been hung, and the days have finally begun to lengthen. If you’re like most people, as the New Year approaches, you’re looking ahead to summer and convincing yourself that this really is the year that you’ll shed that spare tire once and for all. And if you’re especially lucky, you scored a gift to help you reach that goal: a wearable activity and fitness tracker.
Fitness trackers cover a huge variety of devices, including everything from multisport GPS watches for elite athletes to smartwatches to simple step and calorie counters that you can throw in your pants pocket. And while more than one in ten American adults owns an activity tracking device, more than a third give up after just a few months. As B&H’s resident fitness tracker convert, here’s what you have to look forward to if you keep on wearing your wearable instead of squirreling it away in a drawer. And remember—before you engage in any exercise regimen, consult your physician to make sure it’s safe for you.
1. You’ll build habits
No matter what your daily step goal is, the first step is always the hardest. Changing your mindset and making fitness habitual is one of the best long-term methods of getting in shape, which is why virtually all trackers help you set goals and increase your everyday physical activity. Climbing 20 flights of stairs, or walking 10,000 steps a day seems daunting at first, but after just a few weeks of pushing yourself it’ll become a part of your routine. Begin with reasonable, achievable goals so you don’t burn out.
2. You’ll reach that first milestone
It’ll take a while, but if you keep challenging yourself, you really will get stronger. Establish a baseline: when you begin, do something that would normally leave you sore or out of breath. Every couple of weeks, perform the same activity and record how you feel afterwards. Eventually you’ll notice that what used to leave you huffing and puffing is now a lot less stressful. Establish a new, tougher baseline and continue. These psychologically crucial self-made milestones act as proof that what you’re doing is making a real difference.
3. You’ll learn to forgive yourself
While most trackers attempt to push you toward bigger and better goals over long periods of time, their focus on daily goals makes it easy to get back on track and avoid discouragement. As with dieting, it’s tempting to discard your fitness program after missing a goal. Don’t! By wiping the slate clean every night, wearables encourage you to live in the moment where you can start from scratch each day.
4. You’ll compete
Social integration is a huge component of the wearable fitness experience for a good reason: sharing your results makes you accountable to others and offers positive reinforcement when you stick to your goals (or negative reinforcement when you slack off). Several trackers offer platforms for competition among friends and family members, which raises the stakes even further. When bragging rights or cold hard cash are on the line, you’ll have every incentive not to let your tracker gather dust.
5. It’ll get easier
After the long slog of building muscle and forming habits, exercise, in general, won’t seem as big of a deal. If you’ve been avoiding the gym, you might find that it really isn’t as horrible as you remembered. Or you’ll be able to play a sport that you haven’t for a while, or catch that taxi without stopping to gather breath after a few strides. By making movement a part of your life, you’re opening the door to other physical activities that were previously off-limits.
6. You might even have fun
The best trackers are the ones that put a smile on your face. If you’re socially motivated, look for a platform with excellent competition capabilities. If you’re motivated by reward, look for a platform with great badges and awards for accomplishments. Activity trackers are all about gamification of fitness, so make sure that you’re enjoying yourself. And whatever you do, don’t give up. You’ll thank me someday.
Please note: Before you engage in any exercise regimen, consult your physician to make sure it’s safe for you.
Our full line of Wearable Technology products can be seen at this link.
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