Why You Need a Fitness Tracker

If you haven't already heard, fitness trackers are the next big thing.  Think Apple Watch.  The funny thing however is that fitness trackers are not a new thing. Fitness fads come and go and back in the day the cool fitness tracker was the pedometer.  Pedometers were given to folks via health fairs and community events and there wasn't a whole lot of direction at the time.  The message at the time was walk more and try to get to between 7,000-10,000 steps.  A lot has changed since then and now pedometers are competing with tricked out gadgets that track more than your steps. 

According to a survey done by Acquity Group, a subsidiary of Accenture, wearable fitness devices will be the most popular trend over the next five years.  While this statistic is impressive the total number of people wearing fitness trackers is relatively small.  There are countless reasons why this may be the case but I have a theory.  Part of the reason that fitness trackers aren't on the wrist of every person is due to awareness, education, and cost.  I've had countless conversations with people about fitness trackers and as I reflected on these conversations I noticed a trend.  This trend can explain why some folks aren't using fitness trackers as well as give you insight on why you should get one.

I wear the cute, colorful Jawbone Up Band (see above).  The color is attractive and the bracelet itself is a unique accessory to my look.  Whenever I wear it, I get compliments.  When I tell folks that it's a fitness tracker the response is surprise and intrigue.  How can something so cute help you stay fit?  Part of the reason that pedometers weren't that successful is that they lacked style.  In fact, they were more like wearable location devices that only the 50 plus crowd wore on their belt loop with pride.  After the Up Band wow moment, people want to know what my gadget does.  That's when I get excited.  The features of the Up Band are simple but here's the thing that really wows me.  Everyday, I get to see information on my sleep patterns, overall caloric burn, and other helpful tips.  I get instant communication on the everyday choices that I make and this creates a sense of empowerment.  What if you wore a fitness tracker?  All of a sudden you would have at your disposal helpful information that can help you improve your lifestyle habits in the short term.  Sometimes all we need is a little push to improve our health.  A fitness tracker can be just that for you or someone you love.  

In my next post, I'll discuss the different kinds of fitness trackers out there and what things you should consider before investing in one.  In the meantime, check out my video talking about my fav Up Band.