TIME TO START TRACKING

MOTIVATION TRACKING TEAM UP

Have you heard of #fitspo? Instagram is the place to find it. Search the plethora of health and fitness gurus on the picture-sharing site using hashtags such as #fitspiration, #transformation and #healthyeating for tips and tricks. If you’re really dedicated, create your own healthy lifestyle account to connect with users also trying to #livetheirbestlives.

Many find tracking what they eat a great way to stay on the healthy straight and narrow. When it comes to kilojoulecounting apps, there are many to choose from. We recommend My Fitness Pal – the database is huge and you’ll find plenty of South African products for quick and easy tracking. If you can’t find the food item you’re looking for, you can input the nutritional info yourself.

Facebook is a great place to find your fitness squad! Search for the Sleek Geek SA group for diet tips and motivation, especially if you’re going low-carb, or the various Park Run groups to find a running buddy in your area. If you have a few pals looking to drop a few kilos, why not start your own healthy hub and invite them to join?

SPOLAR WATCHES & HEART-RATE STRAP If you’re looking for heart ratetracking and kilojoule-burning accuracy, this watch is for you. The heart-rate strap promises a more accurate reading than most wrist-based trackers but it can be a bit cumbersome.

The Polar watches with heartrate straps cost from about R2 400 upwards, or you can buy the Polar H7 Bluetooth Heart Rate Sensor for less than R1 000 and sync it to your smartphone. Available at most electronics and sports stores

SXIAOMI MI BAND PULSE This is by no means a specialised fitness device and if you’re looking for an intricate tracker to dissect your workouts you’ll be disappointed. But if you want a nifty step- and kilojoulecounter, sleep-pattern tracker and entry-level heart-rate monitor for running or walking, it’s ideal – plus it’s waterproof so you can keep it on 24/7.

The Mi Band won’t give you accurate feedback on a gym session and bases most of its estimates on the steps you took that day. But if you want to know how many winks you caught the previous night and whether you were in a deep sleep, its sleep-pattern tracker is fantastic. A great budget option. R350 on takealot.com FITBIT CHARGE 2 This will get you moving! Setting up the Fitbit Charge 2 is as simple as downloading the user-friendly app, adding details like your height and weight, and strapping the tracker to your wrist.

It allows you to choose things like exercise goals and sleep tracking. Unfortunately the kilojoule counter features mostly meals from international stores and restaurants.

The tracker constantly monitors your heart rate so certain types of exercise, like running, walking or outdoor cycling, are automatically logged as exercise if you do them for longer than 15 minutes. But if you do strength training or use a stationary exercise bike, you need to add this information manually.

R2 695 on takealot.com

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