Fitness trackers?

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nooboots
nooboots Posts: 480 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
How useful are these?

I do next to no exercise, I do some cycling at the weekend, perhaps a walk (not far). I doubt I do more than 1000 steps a day but obviously Im not sure exactly how many. I am mainly sedentary. I want this to change the more I lose some weight because at the moment its just too much hard work and really I dont enjoy moving around. I want to get back to swimming but need to lose some weight first.

However something I have been wondering, would one of these fitness trackers encourage me to do a bit more? Are they worth it for someone like me who doesnt really do much?

The other consideration I worry about is that I doubt many would go round my wrist. My wrist is about 9inchs and most watches dont fit me (in fact I have a load of ones in the drawer that I cant fit into yet)

Replies

  • GettingFitElena
    GettingFitElena Posts: 6 Member
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    Personally I found a lot of the trackers out on the market unreliable. For 2 reasons:
    1.) you have to charge a lot of these trackers - and in my case then I forget to take it off the charger to use.
    2.) a lot of the trackers measure your heartbeat from your wrist...which is the furthest away from your heart for a reliable number.

    I personally like using the old style Polar watch with a heart rate strap because I find that it gives me a more reliable reading of what I should expect.

    The older watches come in women's and men's sizes - my watch is a L in a men's because my wrists used to be larger.

    Hope this helps!
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    I'll bet you do more than 1000 steps daily.

    Would it motivate you?
    Some can do a reminder every hour to get up and move some.
    Some do it when sitting for too long, or set your own goal and it'll encourage you.

    Or you could merely park farther away from anything you drive to - start small.
    Take the long way around the office for bathroom/breakroom.
    Take some stairs.
  • AwesomeOpossum74
    AwesomeOpossum74 Posts: 106 Member
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    I use Google Fit to track my steps, and it syncs into MyFitnessPal, so I can see the calories in one place. To a degree Google Fit tries to adjust to your habits, and does encourage you to do more. And it's just installed on my phone, so no "watches" or other devices to charge or wear. I've also found it to be pretty accurate. I can walk the same path multiple times, and it will give me the same range of steps each time. Also knows the difference between walking, jogging and running just by sensor. Once installed and connected to MFP, it's pretty much hands off.
  • nooboots
    nooboots Posts: 480 Member
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    AwesomeOpossum74 wrote: »
    I use Google Fit to track my steps, and it syncs into MyFitnessPal, so I can see the calories in one place. To a degree Google Fit tries to adjust to your habits, and does encourage you to do more. And it's just installed on my phone, so no "watches" or other devices to charge or wear. I've also found it to be pretty accurate. I can walk the same path multiple times, and it will give me the same range of steps each time. Also knows the difference between walking, jogging and running just by sensor. Once installed and connected to MFP, it's pretty much hands off.

    Yes my partner has something on his phone but that means that I have to carry my handbag around with me everywhere. and to be honest I hardly ever use my phone, it mainly sits in my handbag on silent. I dont take it round the house with me or even upstairs

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