It was in 2016 when I had the chance to wear for the first time a smart watch called Fitbit Charge 2. At the time, I had no idea to what extent this watch can monitor activities besides report metrics. Below are some of its amazing features.
Basically, Fitbit tracks a range of stats: (1) steps taken, which you can set to 10,000 steps as its default setting or by using the Fitbit app settings, change the step goal; (2) distance covered; (3) calories burned; (4) floors climbed; (5) all day heart rate and heart zones such as peak, cardio, fat burn, and out of zone; and, (6) active minutes with activities ranging from walking to elliptical workouts.
One of the best features of Fitbit Charge 2 is that it tracks sleep time in light, deep and REM modes plus it shows whether you have achieved your sleep goal for the week or not. We live in a world that is so fast-paced and most of the time we are so caught up to take shortcuts but time to sleep is the one commodity in life that we need to get more of nowadays. Setting bedtime reminder is one great way to also maintain a consistent sleep schedule.
Having a problem waking up? The gentle vibration and silent alarm features can be managed using the Fitbit app to alert any time of the day. Feeling stressed? Take a deep breath. The two-minute or five-minute guided breathing session of Fitbit Charge 2 can help you feel connected to your body and quiet the mind any time. I have done this when so stressed, freaking out, or can’t think straight.
The “Reminders to Move” feature of Fitbit Charge 2 helps you get moving every hour. Researchers say a long period of sitting is as bad for your health as smoking. Fitbit Charge 2 can also receive phone call, text message, and calendar alert notifications when near your phone. You can personalize the Fitbit app settings to include this feature in your Charge 2.
Fitbit Charged 2 is a good companion when running or biking outdoors as it detects movement using the SmartTrack feature which recognizes at least a 15-minute movement for each exercise type. Been using Charge 2 in most of my run or bike workouts to monitor my heart rate as well.
The holiday rush last year congested roads and worsened traffic in Metro Manila as Christmas drew near. It was too difficult to even get a ride. My Charge 2 was a huge motivator to walk home and walking was way faster than by taking public transportation. Since there was a bit effort put into walking, it allowed the Fitbit tracker to unlock badges. In addition, a fellow blogger invited me to join two Fitbit challenges such as the Weekend Warrior (who can get the most steps on a weekend) and Workweek Hustle (who can get the most steps beginning Monday through Friday). Unlocking achievements in a form of badges add a fun element to my walks! Below were some of the awards received or unlocked:
Top Badges
Daily Steps
Daily Climb
Bridge (175 floors in a day)
Lifetime Climb
Skydiver (1,000 lifetime floors)
Lifetime Distance
Weight Goal
Trophies
Weekend Warrior Challenge – 1st Place earned 3x Personal Best 46,049 steps Goal Streak earned 4x
In a nutshell, the use of fitness tracker has skyrocketed and with the many choices out there it’s easy to get lost in the hype. Fitness tracker wants you to keep moving. So wearing one everyday will only let you track a variety of stats, but it does not necessarily help you lose weight or get fit. You still need to get out there and make time for fitness!
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The best fitness tracker : it doesn’t matter how many sensors you have—it’s how you use them. (2017, December 1). Retrieved from https://www.reviews.com/
