What type of data can i track with a fitness watch?

These are the key health data you should monitor to get the most out of your physical activity monitor, Heart Rate. Steps and calories are just the tip of the iceberg. If you're looking for a fitness tracker, you're probably looking for a device that can measure statistics related to fitness, such as steps taken and calories burned. While these are useful metrics for keeping track of when you want to get in shape with the help of technology, you might not realize how many other things portable devices can measure.

It probably sounds familiar to you, since just about any activity-tracking device includes step tracking. Activity trackers, smartwatches and many smartphones include accelerometers that can measure your movement and, in turn, provide you with statistics such as steps per day. You're probably familiar with the benchmark of 10,000 steps per day (which equates to a little less than 5 miles). Practically any tracking device, even the Fitbit Zip with clip, can help you track your progress toward this goal or any other personal goal you've set for yourself.

Controlling the amount of calories burned during a workout can be very helpful, especially if you're looking to lose weight. Fortunately, this metric is another basic statistic for fitness trackers, so you should find it in just about every option that appears on your shopping comparison list. Unlike fitness trackers, smartwatches focus on wearing smartphone-like alerts directly on the wrist, so you can see information such as incoming text messages, calls, emails and upcoming calendar events at a glance. That doesn't mean they can't track activity metrics either.

This cardiovascular fitness score is a measure of your cardiovascular status based on your VO2 max (the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use when you exercise at maximum intensity) and can be found in the heart rate section of the Fitbit app. Regardless of the type of exercise they do, fitness professionals agree that the Apple Watch keeps their training progress up to date. As Katelyn DiGiorgio, vice president of training and technique at Pure Barre, says: “The activity rings on the Apple Watch have kept me more active than other fitness trackers I've used. If malicious actors manage to hack the servers of a fitness tracking company, they could sell the information they steal or try to return it to the fitness tracking company.

It's safe to say that few technologies have changed personal fitness more than portable fitness trackers. Wearable technology refers to devices, such as fitness trackers or smartwatches, that people can wear throughout the day.

Nikki Seeley
Nikki Seeley

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