Technology makes many things in our lives simpler, but can technology really help you to get in shape? Recently, there has been a lot of talk about fitness apps for your smart phone and fitness trackers that help to track your workouts and/or how many steps you take per day. We thought we would shed a little light on the topic what option(s) would be best.

Let’s talk about some fitness app options:

MyFitnessPal (Available for Android, Apple, and Windows Bonus, It’s Free)

This app gives you the ability to track food and exercise with a built-in database of over 4 million items. It provides a detailed summary of calories consumed and burned. Plus, it also gives you the ability to sync with many popular fitness trackers such as FitBit, Nike and Jawbone. It also easily syncs with the step counter on iPhone 5s and up.

NutritionX (Available for Apple; Bonus, It’s Free)

Although this app is only available to iPhone users, it is a great option. NutritionX has the ability to get accurate nutritional info instantly for over 400,000 food items ranging from packaged snacks to Chipotle Burritos. It also gives you the ability to customize menu items to match your order at restaurants, giving you an accurate estimate of calories consumed.

FitBit (Available for Android, Apple, and Windows; Bonus, It’s Free)

Although this app works optimal with the use of a FitBit tracker, there are many features that can be used with no tracker at all. Take advantage of the calorie counter, weight log, and other health records such as blood pressure or glucose levels. With the tracker, you can log your steps, how far you’ve walked, set goals for steps/distance per day, and track your sleep schedule with deep/restless sleep.

Now for the fitness trackers:

What Exactly is a Fitness Tracker?

Fitness trackers are small devices, often in the form of a bracelet, watch, or clip, that help track your steps and other exercise data. Offering features such as step counting, distance walked, food intake and more, these little devices can help you to keep track of your workout and set goals for these workouts. There are many different options out there, but here are a few of the most popular:

FitBit Surge (MSRP $249.95)

The top-of-the-line model for FitBit, this fitness watch gives you almost any feature you can ask for. With features such as continuous heart rate monitoring, Caller ID, the ability to read text messages, and a built-in GPS, there isn’t much this watch can’t do. Wirelessly sync data to the FitBit app on your smartphone or sync to your computer via the USB sensor included. You can also track activities such as hiking, weight lifting, and yoga to see how many calories are burned. Additionally, you can set silent alarms on the app to gently wake you up with the built-in vibrate feature.

FitBit Charge HR (MSRP $149.95)

This tracker is more simplistic than the Surge. Instead of being a fitness watch, the Charge HR looks more like a bracelet. It gives you many of the same functions as the Surge such as the ability to track steps, set silent alarms, and continuous heart rate monitoring in a smaller package. The main difference is the lack of some additional features such as text message reading, GPS, and music control.

There is also a more basic Charge model which has all the same features as the HR without the heart rate monitoring for $20 less (MSRP $129.95)!

Jawbone UP Move (MSRP $49)

The most affordable option, this tracker is as simple as it gets. Coming in the form of a wristband or a waist clip, this tracker has the ability to log steps and activities In addition to tracking sleep habits. There aren’t any fancy features such as caller ID or heart rate monitoring, but if you’re looking for an affordable option to start tracking your fitness, this may be the option for you!

Fitness trackers and apps can be great motivators to help you get into the shape you want to be in. If you are looking for a bare bones fitness tracker that’s affordable, the Jawbone UP may be best for you. If you are looking for a tracker with more features, then the FitBit Surge may be your best option. Regardless of what tracker you choose, we hope this blog has answered any questions you may have regarding one of the latest trends in fitness technology.

#GetFit #FitnessTracking