Gear Up for a Healthy New You
It was Halloween day before I went shopping for trick-or-treat candy. Why? Because I didn’t need a bunch of bags of candy in the house calling my name. If you are anything like me, the timeframe from mid October to mid January is troublesome when it comes to making good food choices. Treats and sweets around every corner. Chocolates and candies. Special seasonal items on restaurant menus. Plates of deliciousness from family, friends and neighbors. My only defense is a solid offense. Put a plan in place to be accountable or at least aware of what I’m eating and double it up with exercising when possible.
I’ve said it over and over that MyFitnessPal is my favorite way to track my food intake. Whether I’m trying to lose weight or just maintain, I know that I make better decisions when I’m actually acknowledging what I’m taking in. My biggest issue is justifying that something is okay. “It’s just a few cubes of cheese.” “Apples are healthy.” “Peanuts are a good source of protein.” Unfortunately, if I don’t track those “little” details then I end up adding more calories to my diet than I realize. During the holidays when there are so many treats around, well, it’s just not good.
So it’s important that I have a plan of attack for the fitness side of the equation. With so many cool options in wearable technology, there isn’t a reason NOT to keep track. As with any type of technology, the options get better and better. If you’re looking for a holiday gift idea for yourself or a family member, there are plenty of options covering a variety of features. Personally, I’ve used a FitBit, Nike FuelBand and currently swear by the Samsung Galaxy Gear Fit. Scott uses a Jawbone UP. All these bands sync with related apps on our iPhones and Samsung Galaxy S5 phones or even our iPads. This arms us with the knowledge that we’re moving enough or need to get off our butts. Used in conjunction with MyFitnessPal, these can add up to great tools for creating a healthy new you as you navigate the holidays and move into the new year.
Here are a few examples of some of the available options in wearable technology:
Jawbone UP
The Jawbone UP is a simple, low-key wristband that monitors everything in the background. There aren’t readouts or a clock to look at on your wrist. It vibrates to remind you to get up and moving. Sync with your phone and you’ll get details such as distance walked, calories burned and even sleep patterns. If you want to go a little deeper, you can input food and drink consumption to better monitor your calories. If you’re looking for something non-intrusive, this is a good band for that.
Samsung Galaxy Gear Fit / Samsung Galaxy Gear 2
I’m using a Galaxy Gear Fit and love the comfort and look of it. It’s sleek looking with a built-in clock. Despite owning a variety of watches, lately this has been the only watch I have worn. When I wear it to the gym, I can set the timer for interval training. It tracks my steps and my heart rate and has options to track running, walking, hiking and cycling as well. The Galaxy Gear Fit syncs with my U.S. Cellular phone and alerts me to email and text messages as well as phone calls and voice mail. There is also an option to track sleep patterns. The Galaxy Gear 2 offers real-time information through the personalized fitness manager. Based on the results of your workouts, it personalizes and gives adaptive recommendations for your next workout.
Pulse Activity Tracker
I don’t have personal knowledge of the quality of the Pulse Activity Tracker but in my opinion, having options and finding something that works for you is key. The Pulse Activity Tracker can be worn as a watch, clipped on a pocket or dropped in a bag. It monitors steps, distance traveled and calories burned. Just like the Samsung and the UP, it tracks sleep patterns. It can also reveal heart rate and blood oxygen levels. Sync it with your favorite fitness tracker app on your phone and it will catalog your data so you can see progress and access coaching options available through the app.
Apple Watch
Okay, so this one isn’t available yet but it’s coming in early 2015. The variety of bands and faces bring wearable technology into the fashion market. This is the future of wearable technology.
There are also a variety of ancillary devices that help you with your fitness goals. A few examples are scales that sync with your phone.
Wireless Scale WS-30
The Withings WS-30 scale measures your weight and body mass index as well as connects with the partnered fitness app of your choice to more closely monitor the ups and downs.
Weight Gurus Body Scale
For those (of us) too lazy to record our weight the normal way… scanning it with the phone! Weight Gurus scale lets you do that.
So what am I saying here? In a nutshell, our phones are powerful tools in our quest to be healthier. When we incorporate additional tools like wearable technology, we don’t really have any excuses for not trying to manage our health and our weight. It’s just too easy.
So as you navigate the holidays and get ready for the new year, remember that your U.S. Cellular phone with 4G LTE is your friend in helping you reach your fitness goals!
I know what you mean about having candy in the house. It is too tempting. I like the devices that can help me keep my eating under control and see what my calorie intake is. The Jawbone UP sounds like a good device for me. It really helps with knowing my activity levels.
I am very impresses with the Galaxy Gear Fit and how it syncs with your cellphone to alert you by email and text as well as phone calls and voice mail, I love also how it can track sleep patterns. Pretty amazing how far tech has come. I am thinking about getting a fit band this holiday, but after the holidays lol
We are pretty good at keeping candy out of the house. Since the food drive is at the same time as Halloween, the kids will switch off asking for canned goods instead of candy. And then I hide it the next day when they go to school so they don’t eat it all and crash!
I gave my daughter and he boyfriend a FitBit last year for Christmas and they really appreciated it. I did not know Apple had made a watch.
You totally read my mind; I kind of woke up this morning and wondered about all these different “candies” for me out there and then I saw a report on TV and deals about them but had no idea what works best for me, loved your post and it gave me a better idea of which would fit me and my lifestyle .. thanks for sharing, can’t wait to pick mine up and see how it works for me, I’m leaning towards the Apple watch …:-)
I am actually eagerly awaiting the promised Apple Watch. I am wondering it if might be a good fit for my son.
These are all really great gadgets. I should definitely get one. I always add a few pounds during the colder months.
I love all the gear that pairs up with the Samsung smartphones. My brother recently got the watch and it is amazing all the things that it can control.
I’ve been wanting to try one of these. There is so much cool info that you get.
I have to check this out. I love these kind of gadgets.
I finally upgraded my “fancy” slider phone to a smartphone this summer, and I would LOVE to get my hands on some fitness tech!! I love My Fitness Pal, and I even have an app for tracking my cycle (18 months into secondary infertility – it’s a must, and WAY better than trying to track it by hand and losing track all the time). Thanks for the overview of some of the options available!
I need some type of fitness device to get me moving around again. One of these would be a perfect addition to my Christmas list.
I need one of these for the new year. Sounds like a great motivation tool!
I’ve wanted to try the FitBit for awhile now. It’s really cool to see the other options available and what they have to offer. I am putting one on my Christmas list! Just have to decide! 🙂
I love these type of gadgets. I have been thinking about getting a new one
Great tips! I am already getting a head start on getting healthier for the new year. I love wearable tech to make it easier.