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Fit This: Top 4 Tools for Being More Active In Your Routine
Confession: I workout. A lot. I spend several hours day at the gym (in winter) or outdoors (in summer). I run, bike, lift, do Zumba, kickbox, and have a weekly boot camp. Fitness is my time away from tech (excepting music). It’s the time I use to center myself. Mind. Body. Spirit. The triangle of success.
I know many of you are ready to stop reading, thinking, “This girl is cray. No one needs to work out that much. I don’t workout like that.” And that’s totally cool. I’m not telling you to spend hours a day at the gym. What I’m telling you is to find something that works for you.
A sedentary lifestyle can start to take its toll on your health. There are a plethora of tools out there to help you get into your own active groove. I want to tell you about four wearables that span the gamut of fitness interest and are just tops.
Jawbone UPmoveTM ($49.99) A simple little tracker to clip on your belt or wear on your wrist, the UPmoveTM will let you know how many steps you’ve taken, track your calories, and tell you what your sleep patterns are. The Smart Coach app analyzes your movement and sleep over time to tell you what changes you should be making in your activity each day, and allows for a food intake logging.
Fitbit Charge ($129.95) This is a great device if you don’t work out a ton or work a mainly sedentary job and want to make sure you’re getting in some exercise every day. The Fitbit Charge has and OLED display that can show time, fitness stats (including steps taken that day) and has caller ID. There’s also a Charge HR option that will additionally take your heartrate. Both the Charge and Charge HR will track various aspects of your activity, including steps taken, stairs climbed, and calories burned. You can sync this with the Fitbit phone app to additionally log what you eat and any other exercise.
Microsoft Band ($199.99) A step up from the Fitbit Charge, this band will track you steps, as well as targeted workout routines, including tracking weighted reps. It comes with heartrate tracking, and will also track your sleep patterns. On top of its fitness features, the Band allows you to check your email and will sync with your calendar to give you reminders throughout the day. The only downside is that it appears to be a bit clunky for some wearers.
Samsung Gear S ($349.99) This is my top product for fitness freaks on the go. Full disclosure: I don’t use Apple products, mainly because I’ve tried them and have been unhappy with every single one, so I’m super into the Gear S over the Apple Watch. Not only does the Gear S have a built-in personal fitness monitor that will track you daily movement and additional workouts, it is compatible with some top fitness apps like Nike+, RunKeeper, and Trainr. On top of its fitness features, the Gear S will house your email, make and receive calls, and keep you up to date on current events and ping your calendar notifications.
So, take your pick, one or none, but whatever your choice – get out there and get moving!
