As I write this, I am only about a month into my new residency in Fitness Tracker Land. I hadnít planned on moving here because I wasnít quite sold on the concept after reading articles that cast doubt on their usefulness.A fitness tracker is an electronic gadget that monitors heart rate, the number of steps taken, estimated calories burned and more. In recent years, these devices have exploded in popularity and sales. According to Wareable.com, one leading brand of fitness trackers sold more than 36 million units between 2014 and the first quarter of 2016. However, the authors of a February 2015 editorial in the ìJournal of the American Medical Associationî claimed that more than half of people who buy fitness trackers stop using them. When I received a fitness tracker as an early holiday gift, I wondered if my shiny new bauble would soon wind up as a denizen of the junk drawer.So far so good. My little wrist-bound companion has been like a digital drill instructor, albeit a more polite version than what I encountered in boot camp many years ago. Instead of banging on a metal trashcan, my little device gently buzzes me awake. Another quiet buzz every hour tells me Iíve been sitting too long, prompting me to get up and move around until Iíve reached my hourly step goal. It celebrates my achievements with tiny pixelated fireworks, which is nice, but what I really need is something that slaps my hand when I reach for a slice of chocolate cake. Surely thatís on the technological horizon?The biggest benefit Iíve reaped, though, is simply increased mindfulness. Itís all too easy to underestimate calories and overestimate activity if those data arenít diligently recorded. Having hard numbers to show what I actually do (or donít do) on any given day has been key to combatting a laissez faire attitude. For example, I use the trackerís app on my smartphone to log what I eat, so now I think about every bit of food I consume because I know Iíll be documenting it later.Before venturing into Fitness Tracker Land, it is important to understand the limitations of fitness trackers in general. According to a May 2016 article in ìMenís Health,î researchers at Japanís National Institute of Health and Nutrition tested 12 different wearable devices for accuracy in the estimated-calories-burned category. The results ranged from relatively accurate to several hundred calories over or under actual amounts. Other research and consumer reviews indicate that devices worn on the wrist or arm may not be completely accurate when measuring heart rates and step counts. In response to queries, manufacturers generally reiterated that the goal of fitness trackers was not to provide exact scientific data, but rather to encourage people to adopt more active lifestyles and reach long-term fitness goals. Numerous positive consumer reviews on Amazon and other websites appear to support those philosophies.Fitness trackers arenít for everyone. They canít make a person eat less or exercise more. That kind of discipline can only come from within. When used as intended, though, a fitness tracker may certainly provide some motivation for a healthier lifestyle.
