Do Fitness Trackers Really Help? With every object that has been introduced on this planet, there come its positives and negatives. The same goes for a fitness tracker, there has been quite a recent development in the wearable devices industry and is suggested to explode in the next couple of years.
For those who are fitness enthusiasts and have a preference for technology in every aspect of their lives, the idea of a fitness tracker is like a dream come true.
This device updates you on a regular basis about your weight and health habits and encouraging you to work on your fitness routines. Even though with all the benefits that this gadget has to provide there are questions that are still there in the mind of its users like do these trackers really help? What am I supposed to do with all the data and information?
To answer these questions many researchers have conducted researches that brought to light some eye-opening revelations and results associated with a fitness tracker. The study was mostly conducted by different universities for a span of over one to two years.
It included individuals from different walks of life who were also working full-time. Each of the individuals were given a fitness tracking device. Some of these were even given incentives to continue with the plan and the research regardless of their activity levels. Others were not directly given cash as an incentive but a payment to charity was paid on their behalf while for others their health insurance premiums were reduced. Apart from these, another group was included in the research process, one that was not offered any tracking device but only paid an incentive to stay a part of the study.
The study revealed that those who were given incentives and the tracker to track their routine initially were the best groups shedding more weight and taking more steps on a daily basis.
After a while, these incentives were stopped and the results changed. Those who were receiving incentives and seemed to be motivated enough to focus on their activity levels stopped working out and most of them even stopped using the tracking device. While on the other hand, by the end of the study period what was noticed that those who were not provided the tracking device and were allowed to design their own routine actually managed to lose more weight.
This should not be however a source of discouragement for those who use a fitness tracking device. Because the studies also revealed that those who continued to use the device provided to then even after the incentives were stopped also managed to reduce a considerable amount of weight.
In conclusion, it can be said that these fitness tracking devices and the data that they provide through tracking movements is highly useful for those who are highly motivated and have the willingness to workout. It works best for those who love taking challenges and like to feel that there is someone who is concerned about their progress. To have a better impact on health the device must be used in innovative ways, also backed up with high-quality research.
