Last Updated on March 18, 2017 by Ellen Christian
Have you ever wondered how to choose an activity tracker? I’ve written a few times about how important an activity tracker is for staying motivated, but how do you know which one is the right choice for you? There are so many different styles and brands of trackers to consider. A product has been provided for this post. This post contains affiliate links, and I will receive compensation if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.
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How to Choose an Activity Tracker
There are a lot of things to take into consideration when selecting an activity tracker. I’ve used many different styles and types in the past several years. There have been pluses and minuses with each one that I’ve used. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
What are you tracking
Not all activity trackers monitor every activity you may do. Are you only interested in walking? Would you like to keep track of the flights of stairs you walk? Are you interested in one that’s waterproof to keep track of your swimming sessions? Are you interested in just knowing how many steps or miles you’ve walked? Or do you want to know how many calories you’ve burned? How about what your heart rate is? You won’t be motivated to wear it if it isn’t tracking your favorite activity.
Tracker style
What style activity tracker do you prefer? Did you want one that clips to your shoe? Do you prefer a bracelet or a necklace? Did you want something upscale that you can wear with a suit to work? Did you want an activity tracker that looks like a watch?
Durability
Will you be wearing your tracker when you go rock climbing or when you play racquetball where it might get hit against something? Or is your activity more likely to include walks in the park with the kids or your dog? Keep durability in mind when you make your choice.
Smartphone integration
Do you need it to sync with your smartphone? Or perhaps you want one that will work with another smart home device? Do you have an Android, Windows or iOS smartphone? You’ll want to be sure to check what types of phones your activity tracker works with.
Extra tracking options
Are you interested in tracking more than just your activity? Some fitness trackers allow you to track your water intake, your sleep, your heart rate, your calories and a variety of other health statistics. Decide what is the most important to you.
Misfit is a wearable tracker that stands out from others. My favorite feature is that you don’t need to take it off – it is battery powered and runs for up to 6 months so you can accurately track sleep. I love this. Most other activity trackers need to be charged at least every three or four days. Misfit is also waterproof to track activities like swimming! Plus, it has a very stylish design and tracks your movement using heel strike technology so you can’t outsmart Misfit by swinging your arms!
I appreciate that you can wear the Misfit Ray as a watch with a strap or on a paracord around your neck if you prefer. There are times that my arthritis bothers me and a watch is uncomfortable. When that happens, I appreciate that I can wear it around my neck instead. Because it’s so stylish, most people have no idea that it’s an activity tracker at all.
You can set movement reminders, vibration alerts, wake up alarms, call notifications and text notifications. The Misfit Ray is Bluetooth Smart and will work with iOS 7 and above or Android 4.3 and above. Plus, you can track steps, distance, calories and it’s water resistant. Of course, there is a handy app that integrates with it to access all of your data.
Right now, you can save 15% off on any purchase at Misfit using the code 15OFF4U.
Now that I’ve shared how to choose an activity tracker, what’s the most important factor for you?
Ellen is a busy mom of a 24-year-old son and 29-year-old daughter. She owns six blogs and is addicted to social media. She believes that it doesn’t have to be difficult to lead a healthy life. She shares simple healthy living tips to show busy women how to lead fulfilling lives. If you’d like to work together, email info@confessionsofanover-workedmom.com to chat.
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