Fitness trackers and smart watches are getting more and more detailed, complex and unsurprisingly, expensive too! In the last few years of my online coaching one of the most common questions I get is ‘Should I Buy a Fitness Tracker?’
This is always a good question, and often when the person is overweight and has always struggled with higher levels of body fat, the answer is usually yes. This is because larger clients will usually be unknowingly repeating a combination of low activity and overeating, and a fitness tracker can help us appreciate that fact, and change it over time.
However, I do not suggest an expensive smart watch, unless the client has the disposable income, and it would work with their phone succinctly and be convenient for their lifestyle too. Fitness trackers can do almost everything expensive options like Garmin and Apple watches can do, for around £40. And ultimately, we only really need a tracker for our step count in most cases anyway!
I personally have had a Tom Tom Sport (which I was gifted so didn’t buy it intentionally) and currently have a Fitbit ionic (which I was bought as a gift). Both were handy for tracking my step count day-to-day, and for running GPS (once they locate you!), but I would be just as happy with a cheaper option, and making use of free apps like Strava and Map My Run!