Activity trackers can help to improve your fitness (update)

Fitbit Charge HR
Credit: Fitbit/Wearable

Activity trackers appeared on the market only recently, but have achieved substantial popularity. Most popular is the Fitbit range¹.

Obviously, by itself, an activity tracker will not improve your fitness. You do have to actually get out there & walk, run, play sports or whatever, but, a fitness tracker can:

● accurately² count all of your steps in a day without any monitoring or other intervention on your part
● for at least some users, act as an incentive^3,4

A happy user:

http://www.citeworld.com/article/2114901/mobile-byod/fitbit-pebble-smartwatch-apps.html

Comparison tests:

http://au.pcmag.com/health-fitness/159/feature/the-best-activity-trackers-for-fitness

http://www.wareable.com/fitness-trackers/the-best-fitness-tracker

An alternative to a dedicated device, is the Misfit app for the Pebble smartwatch. Free on the Pebble app store.

A user did a side-by-side comparison with a Fitbit Flex, which is known to be accurate:²

http://forums.connectedly.com/pebble-apps-f65/misfit-app-pebble-vs-fitbit-flex-4618/

In both instances, the Misfit app on the Pebble counted high:

6 hour test
Fitbit Flex - 7,249 steps
Misfit app for Pebble - 7,485 steps
(7,485 - 7249) / 7249 * 100 = 3.26% higher

9 hour test
Fitbit Flex - 10,222 steps
Misfit app for Pebble - 10,536 steps
(10,536 - 10,222) / 10,222 * 100 = 3.07% higher

Keeping in mind that this is based on only one sample of each device, the inaccuracy is not significant.

With the Pebble now at $US99, & the Misfit app free, this combination is a viable alternative to a dedicated device. For anyone who already has a Pebble watch, it’s a no-brainer.
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¹ “Among fitness products, Fitbit is well in the lead for sales & hype – accounting for over 50% of the three million plus sales of wearable fitness devices across a one-year period in 2013 & 2014, & sales increasing at a breakneck speed.” — “How fit is that Fitbit? What the science says about fitness trackers & how well they work.” http://berkeleysciencereview.com/fit-fitbit/

² “All models of Fitbits tested showed high accuracy when it came to the number of steps taken.” — “How fit is that Fitbit? What the science says about fitness trackers & how well they work.” http://berkeleysciencereview.com/fit-fitbit/

³ “The results suggest that the use of a pedometer is associated with significant
increases in physical activity & significant decreases in body mass index &
blood pressure. Whether these changes are durable over the long term is undetermined.” — “Using Pedometers to Increase Physical Activity & Improve Health” http://web.mit.edu/mobilehealth/www/House_n/Readings/BravataETAL07.pdf

⁴ “From my own experience (& the testimonials of many others on the Internet), the Fitbit can inspire you to exercise more to meet your daily goals ...” — “How fit is that Fitbit? What the science says about fitness trackers & how well they work.” http://berkeleysciencereview.com/fit-fitbit/ / Basis B1 Band wrist armband trackers Fitbit Force Flex MIO Alpha BLE Jawbone UP Motorola MotoActv Nike+ FuelBand SE BodyMedia Fit Core Larklife clip-on clip on Fitbit One Withings Pulse Zip Misfit Shine Striiv Play runners Runtastic Orbit sports Basis Peak Surge Jawbone UP Move women Swarovski Shine style Withings Activité active Pop sleep tracking Misfit Shine notifications Fitbit Surge Garmin Vivosmart Sony SmartBand Talk tight budget Misfit Flash Razer Nabu X Xiaomi Mi Band Pivotal Living losing weight Withings simplicity Acer Liquid Leap /