Fitness TRACKERS

ARE THEY YOUR FRIEND OR FRENEMY?

Fitness trackers are today’s hottest accessory, with more and more Kiwis sporting an Apple Watch, Jawbone or Fitbit, and many more tracking their steps with a smartphone. They started out as posh pedometers but now log movement and speed, heart rate, calories, sleep and even tell you when you’re stressed. However, research has shown the genius gadgets aren’t for everyone, particularly people suffering from anxiety or eating disorders. Follow these tips to make the most of your fitness tracker without taking it to extremes.

DO Treat your tracker as a motivator. People become significantly more active in their daily life when wearing a tracker, increasing activity levels by 30%.

Monitor your sleep. Your whole body DO suffers without adequate rest, so use it to keep track of your uneasy nights and you may be able to pinpoint the daytime factors that could be throwing your sleep off. Some devices also let you set sleep goals, sending you an alert when it’s time to turn in.

DON’T Obsess. Fitness and food tracking have the potential to cause obsessive thoughts, particularly if you are predisposed to anxiety or an eating disorder. If you find yourself starting to feel worried or guilty for failing to meet a target, put the device away and focus on how you really feel.

DON’T Fixate on numbers. Research shows the gadgets are accurate when measuring steps, but not so spot-on in terms of measuring the number of calories you burn throughout the day. They can’t calculate metabolism, so take the figures with a pinch of salt.