Do You Need a Fitness Tracker?
When you’ve been in the industry as long as we have (especially in the bodybuilding/competitor world) it can be easy to start thinking you need every gadget, watch and supplement on the market. Per usual, we wanna clear the noise - this time, about fitness trackers. Do you need one or what?
The short answer is… no. You don’t need a fitness tracker of any kind. It can be one more thing that makes fitness/wellness more expensive, and the reality is you don’t need any flashy tech to reach your goals. HOWEVER (there’s always a caveat) having one can be really useful, depending on those goals. Let’s break it down.
Types of Fitness Trackers
Smart watches (including your Apple watch, but also includes more cost effective ones like Google Fitbit, Garmin, etc)
Smart rings (the most popular one is by Oura, but there are others on the market)
Phone apps
Basic pedometers
What We Use & Recommend
Brittany - Oura Ring: The ring is comfortable and more lightweight than expected. It isn’t cheap at~$300 for the base model, but you can use your HSA/flex spending account to pay for it. If you don’t like having notifications constantly on your wrist (this is what I disliked about my Fitbit smartwatch that I wore for years!) and you’re more into tracking health/wellness stats (like sleep, menstruation, stress, etc) then you will get a lot out of the Oura ring. This year I used mine to figure out my sleep chronotype and tailored my schedule to it, and it has been a game changer! I’d recommend skipping the trial kit and just visiting Best Buy to figure out what size you need (Oura ring sizes are not the same as your normal ring size) then order it from Oura directly. I also like that it holds a charge for around 5 days, so I get a consistent stream of data and can keep an eye out for any patterns with my health.
Ron - Apple Watch: Ron loves having notifications on his wrist! The more, the better. Beyond tracking workouts, steps and daily movements, he wanted to be able to text/call on his smartwatch (something the Fitbit smartwatches aren’t great at with iPhones,) so he opted to snag an Apple Watch this year. Overall he loves it, although the one con is that it needs to be charged nearly everyday, so he doesn’t usually end up with much sleep data (he charges it when he’s sleeping!) Closing the rings on the Apple Watch does provide a boost of accomplishment for sure.
You Should Get One If…
You’re an elite athlete (like college/pro sports, bodybuilding competitor, etc.) Having all of your health stats accessible and as accurate as possible gives you a full picture of your health, making it easier for you and your coach to check progress.
You’d like to track your menstrual cycle, especially if you have irregular periods. Most trackers, like the Oura Ring and Fitbit smartwatches, track your body temperature and enable you to monitor any pre-menstrual symptoms, so that you can take more control of that aspect of your health.
You have a more sedentary job and need reminders to take more steps, move around more, etc.
You Should AVOID Them If…
Certain notifications give you anxiety or increase disordered thoughts/behaviors. Mental health comes first, so if using a tracker negatively impacts your mental health for any reason, you should avoid utilizing them.
Buying one is inaccessible to you. You might feel a fitness tracker would be useful for you, but perhaps it would be financially unwise to purchase. There’s nothing wrong with that! If you really feel like having a fitness tracker would help, investing in a more cost effective option like a basic pedometer could be acceptable. Brands like Garmin and Polar also have fitness trackers that are cheaper than the top tier Fitbit/Apple watches, but if those are out of reach, even setting movement reminders on your phone or work computer can suffice. Keep in mind that all your hard work counts, even if a fitness tracker isn’t, well, tracking it.
Like I said, you don’t need a fitness tracker! You really don’t, especially if your focus is just overall health + wellness. But if you’re considering getting one, we’re here to chat about the pros and cons (and about everything else to get you Phenomenally fit!) These trackers can be an excellent tool but it’s not a must-have. Whether you have the best, newest tech (and clothes, supplements, gym membership and so on,) or you don’t, your fitness journey is valid and your goals are attainable. Do you have more questions? Here to help! Email us at info@phenomfitnessnc.com or DM us on social media (we’re on FB and Instagram, @phenomfitnessnc!)