From Instagram models displaying their chiseled abs to fitness enthusiasts raving about little gadgets that track body movements and record progress, motivation to adopt a fit and healthy lifestyle is all around us. But motivation just never worked for me!<\/p>\n
I wondered if investing in a digital fitness tracker or a smart wristband would push me to go the extra mile. Well, I\u2019ve always been curious about these fantastic gadgets. Do they motivate people to move more? And more importantly, do they actually work?<\/p>\n
The newest trend coming down the \u2018health and fitness\u2019 pipeline is the craze about fitness bands (such as Fitbit) that sit comfortably on your wrist and assess your days\u2019 worth of physical activity. And I must admit that we surely have come a long way since the good old \u2018step tracking\u2019 app.<\/p>\n
After doing a bit of research, I decided to buy Fitbit Flex \u2013 which is now my favorite fitness tracker. The exciting part is that the psychology behind fitness trackers is just as critical as the technology used to design them.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s see just how helpful these gadgets can be.<\/p>\n
A study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine (AJPM)<\/a> assessed whether fitness trackers could increase the amount of physical activity in older women. The study involved 51 overweight, postmenopausal women who were getting 33 minutes\/week of moderate to intense physical activity. They were divided into two groups \u2013 the first received a basic pedometer and the second received a Fitbit. Both groups were asked to follow 150-minute exercise sessions per week and to walk the standard 10,000 steps per day. While neither group reached its fitness goals, the group using a Fitbit had increased its physical activity time by 38 minutes per week.<\/p>\n Well \u2013 motivation is all psychological, isn\u2019t it? When all the progress that you\u2019ve made is displayed on a graph and is clear to read, you are motivated to try even harder. It\u2019s kind of like being accountable to the app \u2013 you know you\u2019re being monitored, and so it helps you to stay on track (pun intended).<\/p>\n This Fitbit approach is quite similar to the practice doctors\u2019 use with their patients \u2013 telling them to maintain logs, journals, and diaries talking about their lifestyle and physical activities to keep a check on their health. The feeling of accountability motivates you to keep adding to the progress you have already made.<\/p>\n The best part of using technology to better our lives is the convenience it brings with it. Fitness trackers come for all sorts of people \u2013 the beginners, the runners, the professionals, and the gym geeks and you can find the best fitness tracker guide online<\/a>.<\/p>\n What\u2019s interesting is that even health practitioners are favoring fitness bands and similar home diagnostic devices that could help them stay connected with their patients 24\/7 and give their telemedicine practice<\/a> a boost.<\/p>\n First and foremost \u2013 make sure your new friend is charged! Plug it in and get started. Fit your band on the non-dominant hand \u2013 secure it, so it doesn\u2019t come loose while you\u2019re walking or running. If you\u2019re going to clip the gadget on your clothes, choose a secure location like your sleeve or hemline to clasp it on.<\/p>\n You can head on over to gadget\u2019s website to create an account or visit the setup page to get the app. You may enter your weight, your ideal weight, what kind of diet you have, how much water you are taking in, and even your sleep cycle to record your fitness progress.<\/p>\n Remember that the most crucial part of a healthy lifestyle is planning and commitment. Make goals for yourself that are realistic and tailored to your abilities. It will be useless and unproductive to try to master push-ups when your arms can barely hold your weight. Similarly, someone with a sedentary lifestyle or a chronic heart condition cannot expect to run 10 miles on their first day. Moreover, the food we eat is enormously impacting our physiques \u2013 dieticians say being fit is 80% diet and 20% exercise.<\/p>\nWhat does this mean?<\/h2>\n
You\u2019ve got a New Fitness Wristband \u2013 What\u2019s next?<\/h2>\n