Fitness Watches: A Handy Tool to Stay Motivated

Sometimes, it can be hard to quantify our efforts. If you want to face reality and be more likely to stay motivated, there are some tools that could prove useful to you. Whether you’re a seasoned fitness enthusiast or a beginner, fitness watches can be very useful. Here are two common types of fitness watches to discover!

Heart rate monitors (POLAR, Garmin, etc.)
In view of technological progress, the name heart rate monitor does not do justice to these new training tools. Forget about watches that only indicate heart rate; the latest models are much more sophisticated than that.

Apart from heart rate, we can expect high quality models to provide data such as distance travelled, time, pace, calories burned, hill grade, and altitude. Some watches are also equipped with a pulse zone feature and fitness tests. Most models will also enable you to record your trips.

Although these watches are mostly used for running or cycling, some are now designed to provide the same data to swimmers.

Because of the small size of the screen, it might be hard to consult the details in real-time (especially if you are right in the action). You should know that generally, you can synchronize the data in your watch with your computer. Therefore, you will be able to make better plans for your workouts and ensure a good progression.

Accelerometers (Polar Loop, Nike Fuel Band, Fitbit Force, Jawbone UP24, etc.)

Have you heard about fitness wristbands? They are the latest trend! They use an accelerometer instead of a GPS to calculate the distance you travel over 24 hours. Each movements is recorded, giving you a general picture of your level of physical activity. Of course, you can synchronize them with a computer and see how much calories you spend every day. As we’ve always said: to burn calories, every effort counts. These wristbands will make you more aware of this than ever!

My only advice: don’t buy one of these on a whim, take the time to research the best product to suit your needs.

Stay active!

By Xavier Jutras

Fitness Watches: A Handy Tool to Stay Motivated is a post from Nautilus Plus. The Nautilus Plus blog aims to help people in their journey to fitness through articles on training, nutrition, motivation, exercise and healthy recipes.
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