Top 10 benefits of fitness trackers

Fitness trackers are everywhere these days, particularly on the wrists of celebrities and influencers. But if you’re still thinking of them as just glorified pedometers, you might be missing out on your new favourite piece of technology. Here’s a list of 10 things you might not know about fitness trackers.

They’re Fashion-Forward

Gone are the days when Fitbits were just plastic wristbands. The new Fitbit Luxe can compliment any outfit while giving you fitness insights and notifications at a glance. If that’s not your jam, there are plenty of customisation options for almost all smartwatches and trackers so they fit in with your style.

Forgetful? They Help You Find Lost Keys!

With an Apple Watch (running Watch OS 8) and AirTags, you never have to lose anything again. Just sync the AirTags with your phone, attach them to anything you’re concerned about misplacing, and then you’ll be able to see them on a map or get them to make a sound. You can do the same with your phone, a function you’ll use way more often than you’d expect.

You’ve Got Your Beats In a Teeny-tiny Package

Most smartwatches and fitness trackers have either a mobile connection or some storage space, along with Bluetooth. That means you can connect a pair of Bluetooth headphones and go for a run or walk with music, without needing to take your phone with you.

Stay In Touch With Your Friends

The best way to get fit is with friends. Most trackers, including Fitbit and Apple Watch let you keep up with how your friends are progressing, send words of encouragement and set up competitions. All those things are particularly important for those times when we can’t work out together in person.

“Smartwatches like the Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch4 can detect when you have a fall, ask if you’re ok and then (if you don’t respond) call for help, providing your location to either emergency services or your emergency contact.”

Safety For Falls

Whether your balance isn’t what it used to be anymore or you like to hike on rocky trails, having a device that can call for help is important. “Smartwatches like the Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch4 can detect when you have a fall, ask if you’re OK, and then (if you don’t respond) call for help, providing your location to either emergency services or your emergency contact,” explains John Wong, Mobile Buyer at The Good Guys.

Stay On Top Of Your Notifications

It can be hard sometimes to stay on top of notifications without having your phone’s volume up really loud or accidentally falling into the attention vortex (where you pick up your phone to look at one notification, but get lost in social media). Fitness trackers, including the Fitbit Versa 2, which has a conveniently large screen, can make sure you get important notifications straight to your wrist, so you can decide whether or not you need to reply right away. You can customise which apps, and even which people, can show up on your fitness tracker watch, so you’re not distracted by excess notifications.

They Help You Stay Motivated

The hardest part of any fitness journey is finding the will to actually make time to exercise. But there’s something about seeing your exercise rings or step count right there, whenever you check the time, that reminds you to get out there. You can also set up virtual coaches with reminders, like in Fitbit’s premium subscription service, or just compete with friends so you can hold each other accountable.

Keep Track Of Your Progress

There are going to be days when you feel like your progress is going backwards because you’re so exhausted, when in reality you just reached another level. Having all these handy metrics of your workouts means you can check to see how today’s run compares to yesterday’s, last week’s and last year’s, just like an elite athlete. And if something’s going wrong, you can take these stats to your doctor or trainer at the gym to find a solution.

Stop Sitting! Reminders To Move Your Body

We’re all guilty of sometimes sitting a bit longer than we should, whether we’re engrossed in a hobby or working too hard. All fitness trackers and smartwatches have the option of reminding you to get up at least once every hour and walk around. “Gamin vivosmart 4 reminds you to get up and walk around the room for a minute, while the Samsung Galaxy Watch4 suggests you get up and do five guided stretches,” says John Wong. Fitness isn’t just about the big workouts, but the little moments in between, too.

They Monitor Your Sleep

We spend roughly one-third of our lives asleep, and that plays a massive part in our health, wellbeing and fitness. Using sleep tracking on a fitness tracker or smartwatch can alert you to patterns or potential problems with your sleep, so you can take action to improve your night-time routine.

There are so many ways the best fitness tracker can help you achieve your goals. Visit us in-store or online to learn more about the products in this article, and find the one that best suits your personal needs.

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