Generally speaking, if you are inactive your risk of experiencing obesity, low energy, diabetes and hypertension is higher. To combat these health issues, you can incorporate a brisk walk or run into your weekly activity. The addition of this type of movement to your day may prevent or, in some cases, reverse health issues.
One of the ways some are finding it beneficial to keep track of their activity level is by wearing a “fitness tracker.” Surprisingly, one of the first reports you may receive from your tracker is that you are not as active as you thought you were.
Most fitness trackers are a good way of monitoring your steps, calories, distance travelled, caloric intake, as well as your heart rate and sleep patterns. They can be viewed as your “conscience” for personal accountability and motivation for a relatively low cost.
Some of the benefits of a fitness tracker include:
- Encouraging physical activity – If you check your tracker and see that you are behind in your steps for the day, you may “step” up your game a bit and take a walk.
- Measuring your heart rate – This feature can give you hard data on the effort you exert while doing a particular workout and/or task. It can give you a hint on the condition of your cardiovascular system by allowing you to see just how quickly your heart rate increases.
- Providing insights on your sleep patterns – Sleep has a definite influence on your overall health. Fitness trackers that log sleep activity can help you address whatever is lacking in your sleep cycles.
- Encouraging healthy eating – Fitness trackers can come equipped with apps that help you track your food and may help with weight loss.
- Promoting interaction – Some fitness trackers allow the user to interact with other users, create group challenges and receive rewards for meeting goals.
There really isn’t a downside to tracking your activity, unless you take your fitness tracker off and it remains lost at the bottom of a drawer.
All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.