Commit yourself to getting healthier this year — day by day. No matter which step you need to work on, technology can help you get where you want to go. Some of you are high tech, others are low tech. Still others are somewhere in between. Which are you? No matter, there are gadgets and apps to help you eat better, exercise smarter, walk or run faster, sleep longer, meditate deeper, stop smoking, check your blood pressure, meet people, train your brain, get up off your butt and move(!), etc. Over the next few weeks, I’m going to introduce you to a few strategies and tools that can definitely help you. But you have to actually use them.
Many of you know that I am a big proponent of walking. Why? Because it works. Walking can help you lose weight, lose belly fat, live longer, think more clearly… And it’s easy. Put on some shoes and go. Or don’t put on shoes and walk around your house, up stairs, room to room.
If you want to get a handle on how much walking you’re doing, monitor your steps. If you’re old school and you’re just starting out, just time yourself. Start off with something easy by giving yourself between 5 and 15 minutes to walk. Do an interval early in the day, and then repeat it later.
3D TriSport Pedometer
Are you middle tech? You want a gadget, but you don’t want to deal with all the bells and whistles of a new-fangled thing. Is that you? If so, get a pedometer. One of the best, and one that I used for years, is the Realalt 3D TriSport Pedometer. It’s accurate and easy to set up. Wear it around your neck with the included lanyard, clip it to your belt, or throw it in your pocket or bag. Track your steps walking or running, calories, exercise time, and more. Motivate yourself by setting a daily step goal.
Fitbit Ionic
Are you high tech? Then you’ll love the Fitbit Ionic. It’s been called, “the best health and activity tracker on the market”. The activity tracking is accurate. It will help you track, evaluate and improve your sleep. It has 24/7 heart rate tracking. Yes, you can get your call, text and calendar alerts. It’s water resistant to 50 meters so you can wear it in the pool. You can even get on screen workouts and coaching!
What if you don’t feel like setting up a pedometer or fitness tracker, but you want an idea of how many steps you take each day? Just carry your smartphone. If you’re using an iPhone, check out the Health app. It will record your steps, stair flights climbed and walking/running distance. You can also set it up to track mindfulness/meditation, sleep and nutrition.
Here’s something you probably didn’t know about. You can record your steps using Sensoria Fitness Socks. Unlike the socks you already have, these are smart due to an attached anklet. Use it to pair the socks with the Sensoria Fitness app. A virtual coach in the app monitors your running and provides feedback.
HEALTHYMODELLIFE Ankle Weights
What if you already walk? Make it a little harder by wearing ankle weights. Walk or jog with them. You can even wear them to Pilates. The HealthyModelLife Ankle Weights Set are some of the most comfortable sets around, and they come in 1, 2, 5 and 8 pounds.
Those are just a few things you can use to spice up your fitness life in 2019. Keep checking back for more…
