In today’s day and age, technology has taken over almost every aspect of our lives. It is no surprise then, that fitness and health too have joined the league. And honestly, having apps and trackers at our disposal definitely does make keeping a check of calories or tracking workouts and activity levels much simpler.
An activity tracker or a fitness tracker is a device for monitoring and tracking fitness-related metrics such as distance walked or run, calories consumed, and some even track heartbeat and sleep quality. We have put together some of the currently known and used fitness bands in the market to give you a head start on deciding which one you should pick.
Xiaomi MI band 2 (Under $30 / INR 2000)
This comes under the lower range of the spectrum, the latest launch being MI band 2. The features of this band are:
- Water proof
- 20 day battery
- Sleep tracking.
- Fitness related tracking- steps taken, heart rate.
Lenovo Smart band HW01 (Under $65 / INR 4000/-)
This band provides other smartphone features like notifications from your social media and has a display as well, unlike the MI band 2, and hence is on a slightly higher range. Other features include:
- Waterproof
- 5 day battery.
- Sleep tracking.
- Activity tracker- heart rate sensor, calories burnt, heart rate, steps taken.
MOOV NOW (Under $ 90 / INR 6000/-)
Featuring on the higher range, this tracker doubles up for a virtual coach, with a voice monitoring your tendencies and advising you how to get the most from the workout you are doing, whilst motivating you along. It has a sleek design too, that makes it all the more appealing. Other features are:
- 6 months battery (and then, battery needs to be replaced)
- Costs extra for heart rate
- Sleep quality tracking
- Workout tracking- reps of gym workout, calories burnt.
If budget is not a constraint, you can also check out the Fitbit series, another rage among fitness enthusiasts, especially for its fancy design. They have similar features to the MOOV NOW, additionally, can give notifications to your social media, and come with a timer, alarm.
You will need to ensure the device you intend to purchase is compatible with your smartphone (check at the time of purchase indicate it.) The required software will have to be downloaded, which will be linked to your device… and you are good to go!
Apart from fitness trackers, your smartphone too has applications that track various fitness related parameters.
My fitness pal/ HealthifyMe (Track your calories consumed and workouts)
MyFitnessPal is a well-known name in the fitness game and this app is used by many. It is mainly known for its focus on counting calories, among other things that it offers, so you can keep track of your food intake and get to know how healthy your eating habits really are you. HealthifyMe is similar, but contains more of a choice of dishes that cater to the typical Indian. Set your goal and remain accountable by tracking your diet and logging in your workout (it indicates how much calories you have burned in your workout too.)
Runkeeper / Nike+ Running / Endomondo (For all the runners out there!)
These are popular apps, among many others, used when out for your run and offer features like tracking your speed, distance, calories burned, thereby keeping you motivated during your daily run.
Water tracker / Water logged / Daily water (Water consumption)
Yes, you read it right! Apps to track your water intake! And this has gone down well with many users, as it not just tracks the daily water intake but keeps you accountable by giving reminders at regular intervals to drink up! Who couldn’t do with such prompts in the midst of crazy schedules?!
And while all this may not be mandatory, it is extremely helpful to those who want to keep track of their lifestyle. The ultimate goal, whether you use these or not, is to get fit, so do what it takes to stay focused!
