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  • How Fitness Bands Can Help You Stay Active

    How Fitness Bands Can Help You Stay Active

    You’ve likely seen coworkers, friends and family sporting those trendy fitness bands, smartwatches or activity trackers. They seem interesting, but you don’t know if they’re right for you. Should you invest in one? Today we’re looking at the ways these bands can help you get active and stay active.

    Fitness Trackers and Activity

    Getting Started

    A lot of people find it hard to get started with physical fitness. Where do you even begin? Fitness trackers give you a great on-ramp to health and fitness. What better time to start than right now? Buying a fitness tracker can be your signal to yourself to start working at being more active.

    Setting Reasonable Goals

    Your fitness tracker can help you set reasonable fitness goals for yourself. You’re not about to get absolutely shredded in a week or two. You won’t be burning a thousand calories a day just to hit crazy goals. The fitness tracker, however, keeps you on track with reasonable goals to get you into an active lifestyle.

    Staying Accountable

    Fitness trackers show you the black-and-white numbers when it comes to your activity. There’s no fudging it to spare your feelings or undercutting it to make you feel bad. When you get out and work out, the fitness band records that.

    Essentially, a fitness tracker can act like a workout buddy who keeps you accountable. When you see your weekly reports about your fitness, they keep you accountable to your own goals.

    Making it Fun

    One of the best things that fitness bands do is make a healthy lifestyle into something fun. Who doesn’t love hitting goals and getting fun badges and rewards? Humans love working towards things and getting rewarded. It’s the base of many of our games and even economic systems.

    Applying this to fitness is a surefire way to make yourself excited about getting into shape. Nothing quite captures the fun of working out like an activity tracker that you use to hit your goals. Take control of your fitness with an activity tracker today!

  • Fitbit Charge 3 Review Roundup

    Fitbit Charge 3 Review Roundup

    Fitbit’s latest Charge-series watch, the Fitbit Charge 3, is here. What are people saying about this one? Is it a worthy successor to the Charge 2? Does it live up to the Fitbit name? And, most importantly, is it worth its $150 price tag? We’ll talk about all that and more in today’s review roundup!

    fitbit
    Photo Credit: Wareable

    What’s New?

    What makes this new Fitbit, well, new? There are a ton of iterative upgrades that we’re happy to see. Firstly, you’ll notice right away that this entry is lighter than the Charge 2. It’s about 20% lighter, to be exact. That’s nothing to scoff at, as you can barely even tell you’re wearing it at this point. That’s a great trait for a fitness tracker, so we’re not complaining. The screen is significantly larger this time, and it’s very easy to read. It’s an OLED screen, and it suffers from very little glare in sunlight.

    The side button is actually just a haptic feedback knob now instead of a true, physical button. That allows the Fitbit Charge 3 to be waterproof up to a depth of 50 meters, which is nothing short of excellent.

    Features

    The standard suite of fitness tracker features are here, of course. Swim tacking is excellent, as you would expect, as is running and other activity trackers. The watch has no built-in GPS, but it can pair with your phone to offer that functionality. Between the lack of GPS and the haptic button, ample space has been freed up within the tracker for battery size. The battery certainly doesn’t disappoint: most estimates clock it as lasting for a week or more. That’s a critical aspect for a fitness tracker!

    The Charge 3 even offers a few smartwatch-like features. Fitbit promises that the tracker will sport some full apps soon, including weather and timers. These are apps that make sense for what the Charge 3 is trying to be. That said, don’t expect to see Facebook on it.

    Is the Fitbit Charge 3 Worth it?

    As for the bottom line, this is an excellent fitness tracker. By bringing pitch-perfect weight and size to the table and offering just enough features, this is a tracker that knows its niche. It doesn’t try to be everything to everyone, and it does its job at a good price.

    It’s hard to not recommend this fitness tracker to those who are serious about exercise. If you’re looking for a smartwatch, of course, this isn’t for you. However, if you find yourself in the market for a fitness tracker, this is one of the best out there.

  • Fitness Tracking App Round-Up: Which Ones Fit your Lifestyle?

    Fitness Tracking App Round-Up: Which Ones Fit your Lifestyle?

    Staying motivated to exercise is important. One of the best ways to do that is to use a fitness tracking app! Helping you stick to your routine and achieve your goals, these apps make great companions for busy people looking to stay fit. Which ones fit your lifestyle the best? We’ll help you narrow it down with this round-up! We only picked apps available on both iOS and Android, so don’t sweat which kind of phone you have! 

    JEFIT 

    JEFIT is great for anyone who wants to be spending time in the gym. Designed to be great for users of all skill levels, JEFIT lets you record you reps and weights and keep track of your progress. The app allows you to choose from tons of user submitted workouts to help keep things fresh. On the downside, the app doesn’t have routine planning, but this is a small gripe for a free app. Not to mention, the app’s other functionality is good enough to make it a great pickfor fitness tracking app.  

    Keelo 

    This fitness tracking app is great for those who want to do quick, one-off style workouts on the fly. Utilizing the HIIT strategy for workouts, Keelo is great for really busy users. If you can set aside between 10 and 20 minutes three or four times a week, this is the app for you. These fast-paced workouts are meant to get your blood pumping and show results in a few weeks! Did I mention the app is free? Because that’s worth mentioning! 

    Sworkit 

    If you really want to get in shape and really don’t want to (or can’t) go to the gym, Sworkit is your fitness tracking app. You tell the app what your fitness goals are and tell it how much time you can dedicate to a routine. The app then builds you a personalized regiment for a six-week program. It’s surprisingly in-depth for being a free app. You can also spring for the premium subscription ($60 per year, or $30 per 4 months) that gives you access to more features. Real fitness trainers and exclusive workours are available to premium users, too.  

    Our Favorite Fitness Tracking App: Aaptive 

    Aaptive is a cool app: you pay either monthly ($15) or yearly ($100) for access to thousands of audio fitness classes. New classes are added by the trainers each week, so you’ll never run out of engaging exercises. There are classes for lifting, cycling, running and more. If you’re really serious about fitness and don’t mind spending money on a subscription, you’ll find Aaptive a great app for working out.  

  • Find Out Which Fitness Tracker is For You

    Find Out Which Fitness Tracker is For You

    The fitness tracker has been around for some time, but they are always getting better. Whether you’re looking to upgrade from an older model or seeking to get started tracking your fitness, we’ve got a list for you! Read on to see which fitness trackers we love!

    Samsung GearFit 2 Pro

    The sleek, fashionable fitness tracker has a lot to love. From offline Spotify playlist support to GPS support, this is certainly a modern piece of tech. Additionally, your stats are easy to track from the watch itself, as it sports a bright, luminous AMOLED display and clearly displays all of your stats. It also has a very advanced heart rate tracker and fully tracks swimming and is waterproof.

    It has a less-than-optimal user set-up experience, though this is a small gripe. The main drawback to Samsung’s fitness tracker is its high price: it retails for $150, which is quite steep. However, with its large screen and advanced heart rate tracker, this is to be expected: if you’re looking for a great fitness tracker with a fantastic display and awesome features, this is for you. If you’re looking for something more afforable, keep reading!

    TomTom Spark 3

    The Spark 3 is a good spot less expensive than the GearFit, retailing for around $100. This fitness tracker features a monochrome display and clearly displays stats. It also supports on-wrist GPS, which is awesome for running in new areas and discovering new routes. You can also load music directly into the tracker, allowing you to keep your phone at home or in your bag while you run or exercise.

    On the negative side, this fitness tracker doesn’t have terribly impressive sound quality and the menus are difficult to navigate. Set-up was roughly as cumbersome as the GearFit, but as this tracker is significantly less expensive, that is somewhat more forgivable.

    Moov Now

    If you don’t mind a lack of a screen and you want an affordable fitness tracker, the Moov Now is a great find for you. Working as the polar opposite of the GearFit 2, the Moov now is minimalist and doesn’t include a heart tracker. Instead, it opts for a more stripped-down tracker experience. It focusses nearly exclusively on fitness, offering tracking for jogging, boxing and swimming and sleep monitoring.

    That all being said, the Moov is a simple device with few features unrelated to tracking. You won’t find support for GPS or music with this fitness tracker. However, you already have a smart phone and likely a computer and even laptop; how many more ways do you need to listen to music or navigate via GPS? Retailing around $50 and usually available for less, the Moov is an excellent choice for those who are seeking to simply start tracking their fitness.

  • The 5 Must Have Tech Devices for the Gym

    The Gym is the place you  squeeze in to your busy day, for no other reason than it has to be. 

    You roll in to your local YMCA to workout and get out as quickly as possible completely sweaty and gross. This is the only acceptable place to ever wear sweatpants.

    Fast forward to 2018 where the gym has become the new club scene. This is the place to look your best, show off your hottness and socialize with the gym elite. Its even become super important look the part while hanging at the gym and getting your pump on. If you don’t understand what I am saying, try to get that beef cake on the elliptical to give you a spot while you wear your old gym shorts, a torn tee and new balances. Its just not gonna happen. Its apparent, you need to boost your gym cred, and also to get the most from your time working out.  The Gym is the one place we should all spend a little more time, it is also the place where we definitely could stand to be smart and more efficient. Here are the 5 must have tech toys for the gym scene

    1. Athos Smart Clothing

    The Athos Smart Clothing line includes embedded sensors to track a variety of fitness and health data. They have that gym sheek look you are going for while keeping you on top of your work outs. All clothing includes an Athos Core module which is a processing unit of sorts that gathers all data from sensors in clothing and transmits it to a mobile app via Bluetooth. iOS support only, for now, sorry Android users. Purchase the corresponding garment to determine what parts of your body can be tracked. Ultimately, they can monitor biometric data, muscle activity, heart rate, calories burned, active time, sedentary time. Do remember that if you purchase just one article of clothing that it has the core module.

    2. Jabra Sport Coach Earbuds

    These babies let you eliminate of the  noise of the gym and keep you focus on your performance. They have superior sound quality, passive noise cancellation and enhanced bass, This will ensure your favorite playlist, you know the one that kicks off With Jimmy Eat Worlds – Take my sounds better than ever and will maximize your musical motivation. Add in a Built-in TrackFit motion sensor will automatically count your reps and track your every move and let the in-ear “coach” count your reps, guide you through the circuit and track your performance. These are the ear bud anyone who is anyone at the gym is rocking.

    3. Skulpt

    Skulpt measures your body fat and muscle. Skulpt is a remarkable tracker that lets you see a ton of detailed stats regarding your activity and fitness. It will measure body fat percentage – in 24 different areas of your body no less – and provide in-depth muscle analysis. It can even deliver some workout tips and guidance to help you build more muscle, boost your strength, or just burn some fat. Skulpts stylish pad loudly grunts that you know what you are doing at the gym. If your workouts involve less cardio and more strength training, this is definitely the tracker for you. All information is synced with a mobile app via Bluetooth. You can get it in a bundle that includes a tracker, charging cradle, spray water bottle, and of course access to the mobile app.

    4. Beast

    Beast is a fitness and health sensor that can tell you a little more about your body. The beast however isn’t meant for cardio, this is the big boys tracker, You wear this bad boy while you’re pumping iron. It will track things like strength levels, explosiveness, average power, weight volume, density, energy burn, reps and sets, tonnage, and much more. When you are getting your pump on this is the tracker you need to look cool, get the info and make sure you see the results.

    5. Digitsole Smart Shoes

    Digitsole Smartshoe is touted as the “first intelligent sneaker” and is equipped with technologies including self-lacing, temperature regulation, health tracking. If you want all the white boys at the gym to stop and say “what are those” you want the Digitsole Smart Shoes. These Kicks can automatically tighten themselves, keep your feet warm while you work out and once they reach a temperature threshold they will automatically turn off to conserve battery life. They also track your activity – like a wrist wearable – to help you monitor calories burned, distance traveled, steps taken, and more. All information is synced via Bluetooth 4.0 with your smartphone through a mobile app: Android and iOS flavors are available.

    Bonus Credit For Baller Hydration: Mark One Pryme Vessyl

    Now this is a useless tool for tracking how much water you drink. Everyone knows everyone needs 8 cups of water a day right? nope. Mark One’s Pryme Vessyl is an iPhone-connected cup that’s designed to track your daily liquid intake, making sure you’re at your optimal hydration level. According to Mark One, hitting an ideal hydration level can increase your energy level and improve your mental balance. Plus this will def make you look cool and boost your status at the gym club.

    The Final Thought

    You got your Athos body suit that looks like something Tony Stark wears under his Iron Man suit, Fresh Back to the Future Style Marty McFly self lacing kicks, The Beast wrist tracker, the Jabra Ear buds in and your skulplt sensor and you are ready to go looking fly. These five things will have you at your own special table in the VIP section of the gym sipping protein shakes with the elite. Also it will all give you a complete and comprehensive data detail of every movement of your work out, but please, how important can that be?