Losing weight or getting in shape is a very common new year’s resolution. It’s true that you can hire a personal trainer or get a gym membership to get into shape but this is pretty expensive and there may be an alternative.
Walking is one of the easiest ways that a person could start living a much healthier life and lose weight. It is recommended for adults to receive at least 150 minutes per week of aerobic activity with mild intensity, like walking, by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The sudden explosion of connected devices on the market has made tracking daily activity a lot easier. We have tested a lot of fitness trackers but only a few have impressed us so far. The following is a list of what we think are the best fitness trackers that will help you to keep your new year’s resolution.
1. Misfit Flash
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Misfit Flash is a fitness device that is able to track your steps, the distance travelled and calories burned. Misfit Flash is even capable of tracking sleep and does so automatically and it makes use of a replaceable battery that can last for six months or so.
The fitness tracker can be placed on the wrist or the waist with the help of a clip-on accessory that is included in the package. The app is available for iOS and Android and can even connect with other systems like MapMyFitness, MyFitnessPal and RunKeeper.
However, there are some things you must take into consideration before purchasing a Misfit Flash. The device doesn’t have a display and uses 12 LEDs arranged in the shape of a ring that notify the user and shows the time. The Misfit Flash retails for $50 in the United States, £50 in the United Kingdom and in Australia for around AU$55.
2. Pivotal Tracker 1
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This is the most affordable tracker we have tested. A company based in Seattle called Pivotal Living is offering the tracker as a yearly subscription plan. The device is only available in the United States and it costs $12, which also includes an app that is compatible with both iOS and Android devices. When your subscription expires you can pay another $12 to access the app for one more year, and so on. You will also be offered a new fitness band by Pivotal Living, free of charge.
The device is able of tracking the distance traveled, steps taken, active time, sleep and calories burned. The battery lasts for around a week and there are alerts to warn you about inactivity, a silent alarm for waking the user in the morning and activity goals that are made available by the bracelet.
A down side, however, is the fact that it is not waterproof and it’s not very accurate when it comes to tracking distances. We also feel the build quality is sort of shabby but this is to be expected because of the very low retail price.
The app is very well designed even though it doesn’t feature a food tracker and the device can’t be synced with other apps. The traffic from these bracelets has also put a great load on the company’s servers and more than one time it has caused problems. People have said that they have experienced reboots, crashes of the app and issues with syncing.
3. Fitbit Charge
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Fitbit is one of the oldest manufacturers of fitness trackers. Fitbit Charge improves upon the earlier Fitbit Force which was earlier this year recalled because some users reported irritation of the skin when using it. Fitbit Charge features a small OLED screen that can display incoming calls from your smartphone in addition of tracking steps, calories burned, stairs climbed, distance traveled and sleep.
It also features a silent alarm and the user can put in daily goals. The app can also sync with other third-party ones such as RunKeeper and MyFitnessPal. The app is available for iOS and Android. However, Fitbit Charge is a little inaccurate when tracking distance and it’s not waterproof.
The retail price of the Fitbit Charge is $130 in the United States, £100 in the United Kingdom and in Australia it costs AU$150. Fitbit announced that a newer version of the fitness device will be available in 2015 and it seems like their newest version will be worth waiting for. The new Fitbit Charge HR features a heart rate monitor and a watch strap for only $20 extra.
4. Jawbone Up24
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Jawbone and Fitbit come to mind when thinking of fitness trackers. The Up24 is very difficult to beat. It is able of tracking almost anything – distance, steps, sleep and calories – and a new update improved its battery life and now lasts 14 days. You can set a silent alarm to wake you, alerts that remind you to start moving and activity goals. It is waterproof which means you don’t have to remember to take it off when getting into the shower.
The app, which is available for iOS and Android, is one of the best we’ve ever seen. It’s able to sync with third party apps such as RunKeeper and MyFitnessPal. However, the Jawbone Up24 doesn’t feature a screen on which you can view your progress but the good part is that it’s one of the most stylish fitness trackers currently available. Jawbone Up3 was announced by the company to be available in 2015. The company’s new model will feature a heart rate monitor which most likely will improve sleep and calorie tracking.
The Up24 costs $130 in the United States, £125 in the United Kingdom and in Australia it costs AU$150 but with the newest version coming this year, the Up24 should be purchased only at a discount.
5. Basis Peak
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Manufacturers are currently making a lot smarter fitness trackers. These new devices, like the Basis Peak and Microsoft Band aim to help you improve your fitness workout with feedback and coaching.
There isn’t a perfect smart fitness tracker yet but the one that comes close to this is the Basis Peak. This smart device constantly tracks your activity and heart rate. It offers you feedback about your activity and is capable of tracking your sleep automatically. The device almost feels like it’s built especially for you as it offers goals and daily achievements that fit you best.
The battery lasts for up to three days and the device is waterproof. However, the Basis app could be better. It is compatible with iOS and Android but doesn’t sync with other apps and does not track food. The company promised that a future update will allow the device to receive notifications from your smartphone but it’s uncertain when it will be available.
The Basis Peak costs $199 in the United States and £170 in the United Kingdom.
Although most smartwatches these days have the ability to track certain fitness activities we chose not to include them in our list as they are not designed specifically with fitness in mind. Some of them even offer a heart rate monitor and can track distances traveled but are built for another purpose.
However, if you wish to purchase a smartwatch because it is capable of doing a lot more than fitness trackers we recommend that you search for details before buying one because some of them are more capable than others.
