Measure What You Treasure
I post updates on my Facebook wall and Instagram almost daily about various types of exercise I participate in. The number one activity is running. Weight training comes in second.
When the weather is warm I often kayak and bicycle. Periodically, I post images of a hike I take, usually at Mt. Pisgha. Then there are the walks on the beach when we take a day to enjoy the coast.
Although not completely mandatory to enjoy my exercise time, I do like to track my activity. Especially running and heart rate.
The image is of my resting heart rate. I attribute such a great rate to all the exercise I do.
Recently, I had a friend on Facebook ask me if I knew of any step trackers that can track accrued steps over an extended period of time.
Hitting 10,000 plus steps in a day is what I always shoot for. At the end of each month that would be 300,000 and at the end of a full year 3,650,000. Wow! I never quite thought about the fact that by consistently hitting 10,000 steps (or more) a day, I would be in the millions by year end.
My tracker will definitely have earned its keep. LOL
Time Magazine Named Mine in Top 50
Currently, I use the FitBit HR (price ranges from $109 – $149 depending where you get it from and the time of year) and the Runmeter App (available from iTunes for under $10).
The FitBit HR measures all my activity throughout a 24 hour period. The Runmeter App is used specifically for my running.
Time Magazine named Runmeter one of the top 50 apps of 2014! No wonder I like it so much. It rocks.
Although I’m happy with what I use, my friend’s inquiry got me to thinking it is time for me to see what else is out there.
Here’s what my research uncovered.
Lots of Considerations
With so many choices now available, your choice boils down to budget and activity level. However, it is recommended you do your research and check reviews. Lowest price may not indicate low quality and highest price doesn’t mean it’s the best.
Other features to take into consideration include the accompanying app software, battery life and how easy (or difficult) it is to sync your data back to your phone or the web.
The mobile app that comes with your tracker is a very important part of tracking. In most cases, you are able to evaluate your progress, set goals, and participate in challenges with others who have the same device and app.
Make sure you tracker works with your phone or you will have little more than a nice decoration for your wrist.
6 Best Fitness Trackers – Choose Your Favorite!
Below are the most popular choices. They all link to Amazon pages and descriptions come directly from their Amazon page.
FitBitHR
About the Product
- PurePulse continuous, automatic wrist-based heart rate tracking to better measure calorie burn all day
- Maximize your workouts using simplified heart rate zones (Fat Burn, Cardio and Peak)
- See call, text & calendar notifications on the OLED display; Automatically track how long and how well you sleep and wake with a silent vibrating alarm
- Get a better understanding of your fitness level and see how you can improve over time with a personalized Cardio Fitness Score;
- Use Connected GPS during run mode to see real-time stats like pace and distance on your wrist
- Track all-day activity like steps, distance, calories burned, floors climbed and active minutes;
- Find moments of calm throughout your day with personalized guided breathing sessions based on your heart rate
FitBit Blaze
About the Product
- Fitbit Blaze syncs automatically and wirelessly to 200+ leading iOS, Android and Windows devices using Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology.
- Syncing to computers requires Internet connection and USB port.
- Syncing to mobile devices requires Bluetooth and Internet connection. Syncing range: 20 feet
- Water Resistance: Fitbit Blaze is sweat, rain and splash proof, but is not swim proof. We recommend taking it off before showering, as it’s best for your skin if the band stays dry and clean. Battery life: lasts up to 5 days. Radio transceiver: Bluetooth 4.0
- Warning: Do not use if you have a pacemaker or other internal, or implanted medical device. Not intended for use by children under 13. Always consult your physician. Slippery when wet.
- We recommend charging your device every few days to ensure you are always tracking.
- Charge time: One to two hours
- Syncs with Windows Vista and later, Mac OS X 10.6 and up, iPhone 4S and later, iPad 3 gen. and later, and leading Android and Windows devices
Samsung Gear Fit2 Fitness Tracker
About the Product
Keep track of your fitness goals and stay motivated with the Samsung Gear Fit2. The Gear Fit2 uses a wide range of tracking sensors to closely monitor your activity levels including steps taken, calories burned, heart rate, and sleep quality.
It can even automatically identify the different types of physical activities such as running, cycling, working out on the elliptical, and more.
The Gear Fit2 is water-resistant and features a curved full-color Super AMOLED screen that displays real-time activity stats along with texts and other alerts from your Android smartphone. You can even accurately map your run with the built-in GPS.
This Gear Fit2 is black and features a small band that fits wrist sizes between 4.9 and 6.7 inches (it is also available in a larger size). It is compatible with the Samsung Galaxy S7 and most other Android devices.
Garmin Forerunner 230
About the Product
- Audio Prompts – Receive audio prompts from your connected smartphone that include laps and lap times.
- Larger Screen – A 44% larger screen than the 220 but the same physical size.
- Battery Life – Longer battery life than the 220, 16 hours in training mode and up to 5 weeks in watch mode6.
- Smart Notifications – See incoming email, text messages, call alerts, calendar reminders and more from your compatible smartphone.
- Activity Tracking – Forerunner 230 doubles as a watch and activity tracker. Count steps, calories and distance throughout the day. The move bar with vibration alert motivates you to move when you’ve been sitting too long. NOTE – This product does not include heart rate monitor. That is sold separately.
Garmin Vivosmart HR
About the Product
- Sleek band is comfortable to wear all day, and the always-on display shows your stats, even in sunlight
- Displays steps, distance, calories, heart rate, floors climbed and activity intensity
- Receive text, call, email, calendar and social media alerts
- Control your music and your VIRB action camera (sold separately) all from your wrist
- Reminds you to stay active with move bar and vibration alert
Jawbone UP3
About the Product
- One size fits most, wrist sizes ranging 5.5in–7.4in,Heart health monitoring throughout the day
- Get personalized guidance from Smart Coach
- Advanced sleep tracking automatically to capture REM, Light and Deep\
- Syncs wirelessly plus 7 days battery life – Please check https://jawbone.com/up/devices for compatibility
- Android compatibility – UP2, UP3 and UP4 are compatible with Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean) or later
- iOS compatibility – UP2, UP3 and UP4 are compatible with the following iOS devices:iPhone 4S or newer, iPod Touch 5th generation or newer, iPad 3 or newer, iPad Mini 1st generation or newer, iPad Air 1st generation or newer
Apps
Here are some of the more popular running apps. They should all be available from the iTunes store.
• Runkeeper (Android, iOS, Free)
• Strava Running and Cycling (Android, iOS, Free)
• Run with Map My Run (Android, iOS, Free)
• Runtastic (Android, iOS, Free)
• RunGo (Android, iOS, Free, premium subscription)
• Nike+ Run Club (Android, iOS, Free)
• Couch-to-5K (Android, iOS, $2.99)
• Spotify (Android, iOS, Free, premium subscription)
Again, my app of choice is Runmeter. It has worked for me for a couple of years and at this point, have no desire to change. I did try the Nike Running app and although comparable to Runmeter, I preferred the simplicity of Runmeter.
Regardless of which tracker and app you choose, you still have get out and participate in your activity of choice.
Join the Challenge
One of the best ways to do this is to join in with others who are committed to a common goal. Join the Passion for Thriving 30 Day Challenge where each month we focus on one specific area of health, nutrition, abundance, and mindset. Click here to join.