By Hannah Ebelthite, Glamour
Let’s set the
scene: it’s 11.30pm on a Tuesday and my husband is waiting for me in
bed. He thinks I’m making myself a herbal tea. But while the kettle
boils, I’m marching circuits around the house. Why? Because my Fitbit
only shows 12,040 steps and I need that satisfying wrist buzz that tells
me I’ve reached 12,500. Bonkers, right? Or, on the flipside, just a bit
of fun?
[post_ads]More than 53 million trackers were sold worldwide last year, making Apple Watches,
Fitbits and Jawbones today’s hottest accessory, especially with
18-to-34-year-olds, who are driving the boom. What started out as, let’s
face it, a posh pedometer has developed into a genius gadget, logging
movement and speed, reading heart rate (HR), counting calories, tracking
sleep – even buzzing if we’ve been sofa-bound for too long.
I’ve used mine for three years and, despite my OTT attitude to step goals, it reminds me to keep up healthy habits – such as taking the stairs instead of the lift. Yet not everyone is so keen. Earlier this year, Gregory Hager, professor of computer science at Johns Hopkins University in the US, slammed trackers for not being evidence-based and having one-size-fits-all targets. Another recent study found links between regular health-tracking and eating-disorder symptoms. “If you’re predisposed to anxiety or obsessive behaviour around food or exercise, a tracker could be bad news for your health,” agrees psychologist and health researcher Dr Megan Arroll.
So how do we make the most of them without taking it to extremes? Whether you’re a 24/7 tracking queen, thinking about buying one or simply feel bad that yours is still in its box, here’s what the experts say:
So how do we make the most of them without taking it to extremes? Whether you’re a 24/7 tracking queen, thinking about buying one or simply feel bad that yours is still in its box, here’s what the experts say:
Don’t just log your behaviour – change it
Not really into fitness but want to be? You’re the target market for an activity tracker and (*fist pump*) you stand to gain the most from wearing one. Studies show people increase their activity levels because of trackers. “Being significantly more active in daily life is more effective than trying (and failing) to cram in three exercise sessions a week,” says celebrity personal trainer Lee Mullins. “The real power of tracking is its ability to change behaviour, so start small, take in the feedback and increase your goals each week.” It’s what helped Laura, 34, who works for the NHS, lose 5st. “I used a Pebble smartwatch along with a healthy diet. The tracker’s philosophy was ‘try to do a little more tomorrow than you did today’, and that worked for me.”
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Not really into fitness but want to be? You’re the target market for an activity tracker and (*fist pump*) you stand to gain the most from wearing one. Studies show people increase their activity levels because of trackers. “Being significantly more active in daily life is more effective than trying (and failing) to cram in three exercise sessions a week,” says celebrity personal trainer Lee Mullins. “The real power of tracking is its ability to change behaviour, so start small, take in the feedback and increase your goals each week.” It’s what helped Laura, 34, who works for the NHS, lose 5st. “I used a Pebble smartwatch along with a healthy diet. The tracker’s philosophy was ‘try to do a little more tomorrow than you did today’, and that worked for me.”
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Do assess the potential for obsession
Anything that calculates health – be it a tracker, the scales or a tape measure – has the potential for misuse. “Fitness and food tracking can lead to obsessive thoughts, especially if you’re predisposed to anxiety,” says Dr Arroll. “It’s not a case of cause and effect, but health anxiety is more prevalent these days, so more of us are susceptible.” The warning signs? “Feelings of guilt and worry if you fail to meet a target, or if you forget to wear or charge it.” Her advice? Put your tracker out of sight for a week. Forget data and check in with how you really feel. “If you’re keeping fit and healthy, and are now less anxious, a tracker may not be right for you.”
Do treat it like a kick up the bum
How easy is it to sit at your desk for three hours without moving more than your fingers? Too easy. The campaign Get Britain Standing found that people who sit for more than eight hours a day significantly increase their risk of heart disease compared with those who sit for four hours or less. But what’s a girl who works in an office to do? Make use of a tracker with a ‘move prompt’ (or an idle alert), says Lee. “Set a reminder to move every 30 minutes and go on a coffee run, use the loo three floors up and, hell, even stand and bust out some squats.” It’s been invaluable to Claire, 38, a customer relationship manager. “When my reminder buzzes, I walk around the office,” she says. “I started using it two months ago and I’ve noticed I feel more energised. The lower-back aches I used to get from sitting still at my desk have disappeared, too.”
How easy is it to sit at your desk for three hours without moving more than your fingers? Too easy. The campaign Get Britain Standing found that people who sit for more than eight hours a day significantly increase their risk of heart disease compared with those who sit for four hours or less. But what’s a girl who works in an office to do? Make use of a tracker with a ‘move prompt’ (or an idle alert), says Lee. “Set a reminder to move every 30 minutes and go on a coffee run, use the loo three floors up and, hell, even stand and bust out some squats.” It’s been invaluable to Claire, 38, a customer relationship manager. “When my reminder buzzes, I walk around the office,” she says. “I started using it two months ago and I’ve noticed I feel more energised. The lower-back aches I used to get from sitting still at my desk have disappeared, too.”
Don’t fixate on numbers
[post_ads]You know that ‘10,000 steps a day’ goal? Pretty much made up. A researcher did some digging and found out it was first suggested in 1960, based on a study of Japanese men. But everyone from the NHS to, you guessed it, fitness tracker manufacturers still use it as the holy grail because it’s a figure we all understand. “It’s arbitrary, but it is a good start,” says Lee. “The goal is improvement, so whatever number you choose should feel more than you usually rack up, but not unrealistic.” “And don’t stress if you go for a walk with a friend and their device shows 5,000 steps while yours is only 4,200,” says Thomas Parrott, UK vice president of Beachbody (the fitness company of Insanity fame). “Different brands use different algorithms, so use your tracker to compare how active you are.”
[post_ads]You know that ‘10,000 steps a day’ goal? Pretty much made up. A researcher did some digging and found out it was first suggested in 1960, based on a study of Japanese men. But everyone from the NHS to, you guessed it, fitness tracker manufacturers still use it as the holy grail because it’s a figure we all understand. “It’s arbitrary, but it is a good start,” says Lee. “The goal is improvement, so whatever number you choose should feel more than you usually rack up, but not unrealistic.” “And don’t stress if you go for a walk with a friend and their device shows 5,000 steps while yours is only 4,200,” says Thomas Parrott, UK vice president of Beachbody (the fitness company of Insanity fame). “Different brands use different algorithms, so use your tracker to compare how active you are.”
Do take care with food tracking
This is where the world of tracking can get murky. Of course, we know keeping a detailed food diary is a proven weight-loss tool. Using trackers that sync with apps such as MyFitnessPal or Nutracheck is useful for keeping tabs on generally eating in the right ballpark for your size, and the amount of exercise you do. They can also help spot patterns, such as if you’re getting enough carbs and protein. “But if you’re logging every morsel that passes your lips and cancelling it out with tracked activity, you’re setting yourself up for failure and anxiety,” says Dr Arroll. “The idea is to exercise because it feels good, not because you had two chocolate croissants for breakfast, and vice versa.”
This is where the world of tracking can get murky. Of course, we know keeping a detailed food diary is a proven weight-loss tool. Using trackers that sync with apps such as MyFitnessPal or Nutracheck is useful for keeping tabs on generally eating in the right ballpark for your size, and the amount of exercise you do. They can also help spot patterns, such as if you’re getting enough carbs and protein. “But if you’re logging every morsel that passes your lips and cancelling it out with tracked activity, you’re setting yourself up for failure and anxiety,” says Dr Arroll. “The idea is to exercise because it feels good, not because you had two chocolate croissants for breakfast, and vice versa.”
Don’t mistake your tracker for a doctor
“None of the commercial trackers are medical devices,” says GP Dr Sarah Brewer. “Chest and wrist heart-rate monitors can give accurate real-time stats, but they aren’t diagnostic like an electrocardiogram (ECG). And, because they use different calculations to turn your movement into data, they may over- or underestimate energy expenditure.” In other words: take things like calorie allowances with a pinch of salt. Sleep tracking, as well, is notoriously variable and it’s pretty hard to find a sleep scientist who’d endorse a basic activity tracker as a sleep aid. “Instead, use the data to get a benchmark of what’s normal for you, and to notice changes,” suggests Thomas.
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“None of the commercial trackers are medical devices,” says GP Dr Sarah Brewer. “Chest and wrist heart-rate monitors can give accurate real-time stats, but they aren’t diagnostic like an electrocardiogram (ECG). And, because they use different calculations to turn your movement into data, they may over- or underestimate energy expenditure.” In other words: take things like calorie allowances with a pinch of salt. Sleep tracking, as well, is notoriously variable and it’s pretty hard to find a sleep scientist who’d endorse a basic activity tracker as a sleep aid. “Instead, use the data to get a benchmark of what’s normal for you, and to notice changes,” suggests Thomas.
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Do use them for progress
“If you’re already fit, you don’t need a fitness tracker on your wrist all the time reminding you to up your movement game,” says Lee. “But specific tracking during workouts is an excellent way to measure improvements.” Using the data to see how well you perform an exercise (say, if you’re in the fat-burning zone or how explosive your reps are) can be a better indicator of your health and fitness than your BMI or weight. It helps people focus on progress, not perfection.
It’s down to you
Tech can be liberating, but it can also be stressful, so the real goal here is to ensure that choosing to buy and wear a fitness tracker, all or part of the time, has a positive impact on our lives. The one thing they can’t do? Move for us. Yes, an activity tracker can help you get fitter, stronger and healthier, but if you have a goal in mind, it’s you who needs to put in the work, and that’s where the fun focus should be.
“If you’re already fit, you don’t need a fitness tracker on your wrist all the time reminding you to up your movement game,” says Lee. “But specific tracking during workouts is an excellent way to measure improvements.” Using the data to see how well you perform an exercise (say, if you’re in the fat-burning zone or how explosive your reps are) can be a better indicator of your health and fitness than your BMI or weight. It helps people focus on progress, not perfection.
It’s down to you
Tech can be liberating, but it can also be stressful, so the real goal here is to ensure that choosing to buy and wear a fitness tracker, all or part of the time, has a positive impact on our lives. The one thing they can’t do? Move for us. Yes, an activity tracker can help you get fitter, stronger and healthier, but if you have a goal in mind, it’s you who needs to put in the work, and that’s where the fun focus should be.
5 trackers to try, whatever your need
- Fitbit Alta HR, £129.99. Great for: 24/7 tracking.
- Jawbone Up Move, £15.99. Great for: budget and battery life.
- Polar A360, £169.50. Great for: training advice.
- Wahoo Tickr, £39.99. Great for: heart-rate monitoring.
- Push Band, £235. Great for: advanced gym-goers.
Tracker stats
- 89% say their tracker is “always on, always on me”
- 76% say it encourages them to eat healthier
- 95% say wearing their tracker increases their weekly activity
- 43% felt activities were ‘wasted’ if they didn’t wear their tracker
- 79% felt pressure to achieve targets
- 59% felt their tracker controlled their daily routines
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