Technology offers new take on fitness

Ever notice how 50 years later James Bond still looks like he’s at the top of his game?

You can, too, with new multi-functional fitness products from Nike and Garmin look like they came straight from the Bond lab. These cutting-edge tools collect and track essential health data to assist you in reaching your fitness goals.

“You can have a training program mapped out for you by an exercise physiologist and then match that information to your watch,” says Dr. Michael Koehle a sports medicine physician at Copeman Healthcare and UBC Assistant Professor of Kinesiology. “It’s a great option for personalized training and we find the social media updates tend to keep athletes motivated by their peer group.”

The Nike+ Sports Watch GPS accurately tracks distance, pace, time and calories burned. The foot pods monitor steps per minute (cadence) and can be analyzed to adjust “step rate” to substantially reduce impact on joints.

Nike+FuelBand is another product that will help you set, meet and beat your fitness targets. With its ability to track everyday activities like steps taken and calories burned, this little gem tracks your daily progress.

The Garmin 910XT is possibly the best multi-sport training partner. It allows users to download running routes to the wristband and whether you are on the trail or on the bike you can track distance, pace, elevation and heart rate.

The clinical, research and IT teams at Copeman Healthcare have collaborated on a sophisticated online health management system called Carebook™- a powerful and cost effective platform that helps users understand how their genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors affect their personal risk of disease.

Carebook™ examines risks for major cancers, psychological health, chronic disease and cognitive issues and helps users understand how they can mitigate their risks.