Do I Need ANOTHER Fitness Gadget?

This week I am considering getting a "FitBit" or a "Jawbone".  Why do I want to get this training item? I already have a watch with a heart rate monitor (HRM) & GPS do I really need a another item attached to my body? Some other questions I have to ask myself & you can too when purchasing an item for training:

• How will this benefit me in training & fitness goals?
• How much money do I have to spend?
• Is the product user friendly or am I now my mother who still doesn't know how to work the remote for the VCR?
• Are there "extras" that I have to buy to make the item work for me?
• How much time do I want to dedicate to learning, programming & keeping up with the item?
• I always ask myself this question, "Could this product be something that would help my friends & clients?"

My nerdy friend and client, Liz, made me sit down and review each product online before I pull the trigger and buy one of these tools. Considering the questions I had about what device I would want- if any at all- she made a chart- while I shopped for her triathlon suit. Here's what we came up with:

	Cost	Uploads Data	Where does it Go?	Display?	What Else Does it Track?	Downside?	Other Features
FitBit Flex	$100	Wireless or USB Dongle	Wrist & pretty colors too (sold separately- but would not have to buy the FitBit chip again. Bracelets run about $15 each)	tracks progress by dots/polka dots if you like them	activity level, calories burned, distance, sleep	no HRM, only tracks walking/running activities on its own (other workouts must be entered in another app), syncs with other apps	silent alarm, waterproof
FitBit Force	$130	Wireless or USB Dongle	Wrist & pretty colors too (sold separately- but would not have to buy the FitBit chip again. Bracelets run about $15 each)	tracks progress by dots/polka dots if you like them/or footprints	activity level, calories burned, distance & steps climbed elevation, sleep	no HRM, only tracks walking/running activities on its own (other workouts must be entered in another app), syncs with other apps	silent alarm, waterproof
Nike Fuel Band	$150	Wireless	Wrist	FuelPoints	Calorie burn, FuelPoints earned, sleep	No HRM, does not work with Android Devices, need to configure the Nike App to set FuelPoints	Water-resistant
Polar Loop	$110	Bluetooth or USB	Wrist	Pink polka dots, until you're doing something, then it says "walk," "run," or lazy.	Calories burned, steps	Doesn't track sleep, Iphone App only	Activity guide with examples of workouts, will remind you to get up and move (it has an attitude!), can sync with HRM, waterproof
Jawbone Up	$130	Plugs into phone via headphone jack	Wrist- different colors but not interchangeable (each color is the full $130)	No display	walking pace, calories burned, steps, sleep	All data checked with App, syncs with other apps like My Fitness Pal, will remind you (vibrate) to get up and moving	No display, water resistant

One thing that is not reflected in the chart is, "would my friends and family want one?" Well, I kind of put in the chart- reflected by my snarkiness. But each person is going to be looking for something different- while I may want a tracker that tracks my sleep, some of my clients may not see that as a requirement. Display features are going to be a big one too- some of these devices only show colors for progress, while others have a freaking light show happening once you reach your daily goal.

Now, I'm not sponsored by any of these manufacturers (but I could be! Call me!), so the review of the products are all objective and done by research and client reviews. So take what I say with a grain of salt.

As a personal trainer, I want to be able to to see heart rate (known as HR- because I like acronyms). Seeing a client's heart rate (or my own) is one of the best and easiest ways to track progress if you are trying to increase your cardiovascular capacity. I could walk 4 miles a day, but it won't have much of an impact on my training if my HR is not going- and staying- up. Having a display with that number right in front of your face at all times is a motivator- and lets me know as a trainer if I can push you any more. This is different for weight training- HRM wouldn't be too big of a feature here, but I digress.

I would also want to see sleep documented. If you're not getting ample sleep, your workouts are going to be crap. You won't push as hard, be motivated to work, and when you're tired, you're more likely to overeat or make poor nutrition choices- you go for the sugar rush (and crash) instead of the long-burning food fuel. 

Now, I need to check my bank account, see if I've gained any company sponsorships (really! call me!), and go out and get one of these devices. I'll do a more throughout review once I pick a device.

If you have one of these devices and want to tell me all about your experience with it, leave it in the comments! Maybe there's something I didn't consider, like a feature you love or a device that isn't one of the "big ones."

Leave it below!

And STAY TUNED to the unveiling of my YouTube channel, where I will be posting weekly workouts, training hints, nutrition ideas, and maybe- just maybe- do a  Q/A session!

Happy Training!