To Have or Not to Have a Fitness Tracker
Fitbit remains a powerhouse tracker for any gym-goer. Between caloric intake and heart rate monitoring, this popular device has helped many people achieve their fitness goals—but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s right for everyone. Let’s explore Fitbit’s pros and cons together.
1. You Can Count Calories
The biggest perk of Fitbit is calorie counting. Not only do some models let you keep a digital food journal, but fitness trackers also track calories lost during exercise. That’s a big deal because inaccurate tracking is a massive downside to self-tracking, with studies showing that people often overestimate how many calories they lose during a workout!
2. Tracking Sleep
Sleep plays a big part in our overall health, least of all for our weight. Enough sleep allows metabolism to build and prevents us from overeating—today’s fitness trackers monitor sleep patterns and help you score more Zs.
3. Workout Routines Provided
If you’re not a gym person, you can always turn to your fitness tracker for inspo. Many of today’s models come with downloadable sister apps or fitness routines programmed right into their features. You can then focus on which ones you know work best for you.
4. It Reminds You to Move
Fitbit isn’t shy about its reminders. Rest assured, your fitness tracker will remind you to move at least once every hour to ensure you get those steps in. It’s particularly useful for anyone with a desk job because it’s easy to zone out and forget you haven’t moved in a few hours!
5. Sets Realistic Goals
A big problem many face with weight management is unrealistic goals. As much as we’d love to shed pounds quickly, people shouldn’t aim to lose more than one to two pounds every week. That said, Fitbits help with healthy expectations and let you achieve goals the right way.
6. Heart Rate Monitor
As with any exercise, it’s important to know your heart rate. Fitness trackers monitor yours throughout the day, including your resting heart rate. It’s handy during a workout to know when you’re in an optimal calorie loss zone and when you need to pick it up! Trackers can also alert you of any discrepancies, which are crucial when it’s time to see a doctor.
7. You Have Options
In this day and age, fitness trackers come in all shapes and sizes. You have several choices between bands, colors, and even sizes, which lets you pick the best one for your style. Fitness trackers can be as flashy or modest as you like!
8. They’re Basically Smart Watches
Fitbits do way more than track calories and heart rate—the newest models do all kinds of neat things like accept calls, connect to music apps, and track the weather. If you’re looking for an all-in-one device that fits in the palm of your hand, Fitbit is likely the option for you.
9. Encourages a Healthier Lifestyle
A Fitbit can keep you on track with your health goals, allowing you to monitor calories and giving the nudge you need for a better lifestyle. They also track your progress down to a T, which is exactly the motivation you need to succeed!
10. Self-Monitoring Works
Studies show that those who self-monitor hit their fitness goals faster than those who don’t. Tallying everything from sleep cycles to calories burned ensures you reach those targets a lot quicker.
While Fitbits come with their fair share of benefits, that doesn’t mean they’re right for you. Let’s dive into some popular reasons people keep their distance.
1. They’re Expensive
As you can imagine, it costs a pretty penny for in-demand trackers. If you’re not looking to spend hundreds of dollars on a Fitbit, you can always use good old-fashioned pen and paper to track calories.
2. They’re Not Always Accurate
As amazing as Fitbits are, their accuracy is up for debate sometimes. Some users have griped about iffy numbers during their workouts or sleep schedules, which is worth paying attention to. The good news is that it’s not a common complaint and most people find more value in fitness trackers than inaccuracies.
3. Some People Complain of Burns
It thankfully doesn’t happen very often, but some users have voiced concerns about their Fitbits burning. In fact, Fitbit recently paid $12.2 million in a lawsuit against their Ionic model; the overheating battery caused at least 115 burns across the U.S., and some people claimed to suffer second or third-degree burns.
4. Too Many Features
Not everyone wants the bells and whistles of a Fitbit, so modest options may be a better match. Plenty of inexpensive fitness trackers monitor your heart rate and caloric intake without the fancier gamification elements.
5. Google Changed Things
In case you didn’t know, Google actually scooped up Fitbit in 2021. That might not seem like the biggest change but this popular tracker has undergone some serious changes—including its slow phase out. Yes, getting a Fitbit isn’t the dream it once was and the company announced in 2024 that it will reportedly stop manufacturing Versa and Sense smartwatch models.
6. They Can Cause Stress
Though it’s beneficial to track calories and weight loss, some people obsess over the numbers. The point of a fitness tracker is to work with you, not against you, so it’s probably best to avoid them if they’re a bigger hindrance than they are a help.
7. Device Compatibility
You’d think all our technological advancements would make life easier, but not every Fitbit connects to every phone or tablet. It can be frustrating when such an important device isn’t compatible, so make sure you double-check its capabilities before committing!
8. They Might Push Too Hard
A Fitbit is a useful tool, not a person—which means it’ll miss internal cues. It doesn’t matter if you’re under the weather or physically unable to perform certain exercises, your tracker recommends what it thinks is best. It gets a little overwhelming to feel like you haven’t accomplished enough, even if you can’t.
9. Recurring Costs
You need to pony up the dough for top-of-the-line performance. That can mean anything from subscriptions to in-app purchases. You can always wait for deals or free trials, but some people prefer a one-and-done purchase.
10. Limited Battery Life
You likely won’t have to worry about the battery for a couple of days, though that’s still annoying for some people. Like any tech, they seem to drain when we need them most, so diligent charging is a must.
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