Picking the Best Fitness Tracker for Your Money

Garmin has a Vivofit Fitness Band that is a wise purchase for people who are couch potatoes or have a desk job, since the tracker monitors your sleep, the calories you have burned and your base metabolic rate. The device has a bar that reminds you to get up and move after you have been inactive for 60 minutes, while another bar alerts you that you have been inactive for a quarter of an hour. Once you get up and engage in a physical activity, such as walking, you’ll notice the bar disappears. Take note that this Garmin device has no backlight; therefore, it can be difficult to read at night or in dim lighting.

The Fitbit Flex is one of the Fitbit fitness trackers with excellent reviews. This device helps encourage you to reach your activity goals because the lights show how close you are to meeting them. The Fitbit Flex enables you to keep a log of the food you consume and your caloric intake, and it also monitors how well you sleep. Although you can wear the device while swimming or bathing, you’ll notice how it doesn’t count swimming as an activity; therefore, if you are an avid swimmer, you won’t find this device to be the right tracker for you.

Nike makes a fitness tracker called Nike+ FuelBand that designates the foods you eat as “fuel,” and this helps you think of food consumption in a realistic manner. The tracker doesn’t monitor your sleep patterns or allow you to keep a log of your food intake, but it is less expensive than similar devices. You’ll find it is quite easy to read in sunlight, and you can wear it while showering.

Purchasing a fitness tracker is an excellent way to be proactive about your health, since wearing the device results in a heightened awareness about your physical activity, sleep and food intake. Sometimes this gentle nudge is all it takes to improve your quality of life and overall health.