Get on track! These 4 fitness trackers help boost your workouts
Health experts recommend that we take 10,000 steps a day. The best way to keep track? Fitness trackers. You do the leg work (literally) and they do the counting.
From basic pedometers that log your steps to more sophisticated technologies that track everything from calories burned to your sleep rhythms, here’s how to find the best fitness tracker for you.
A basic pedometer
Sportline Digital Distance Tracker Pedometer, $14.77 (plus Cash Back), Walmart
Get walking! The American Heart Association recommends 10,000 steps a day for improving your health and lowering your heart disease risk. If you’re looking for a basic pedometer, this sleek, clip-on pedometer will track your speed and distance and also calculate your calories burned. Clip it on your shoes, the waist of your clothing or tuck it into your pocket. Sportline Digital Distance Tracker Pedometer, $14.77 (plus 3% Cash Back), walmart.com
Fitness tracker + Smartwatch
Vivoactive Fitness Assessment Monitor, $249.99 (plus Cash Back), Target
A waterproof wrist device acts as both a fitness tracker and a smartwatch. This GPS-enabled device will track everything from your steps on a hike to your motion in a pool. It also keeps the time, links with your smartphone to deliver you alerts and comes with social media and mobile apps. You’ll also get real-time weather updates on this watch. Garmin Vivoactive Fitness Assessment Monitor, $249.99 (plus .5% Cash Back), target.com
Jawbone
Jawbone – UP24 Wireless Activity Tracker, on sale $59.99 (plus Cash Back), Best Buy
This versatile fitness tracker not just logs your steps, but it also keeps track of all other activity — like yoga, hiking, tennis and dance and logs the calories that you burn. Wear this lightweight band to bed and a sleep graph will show you your good, bad and improving sleep cycles and a “Smart Alarm” feature will wake you at the ideal point in your sleep cycle. A Power Nap alarm will wake you after you’ve slept the optimal amount of time for short naps. You can also track nutritional information with a calorie counter and access a library of restaurant menus and nutritional information. Jawbone – UP24 Wireless Activity Tracker, on sale $59.99 (plus 2% Cash Back), bestbuy.com
Shine on
Misfit Shine Activity Monitor, $99.99 (plus Cash Back), Target
Need a little extra motivation? This fitness and sleep tracker emits a halo of lights that show your progress toward your daily activity goal. You can use the Shine app to set your activity goals and track your running, cycling and swimming. This tracker is water-resistant so you can take it swimming, as well as on runs, bike rides or to your dance class. You can also add friends and help one another stay accountable by comparing goal progress or getting involved in a lil’ friendly competition. Misfit Shine Activity Monitor, $99.99 (plus .5% Cash Back), target.com
