Get in shape for back to school with a wearable fitness device!

I find that when school starts getting busy and stressful, my workouts are the first thing to get abandoned. But in reality, it should really be the opposite. Regular physical activity has been proven over and over to help relieve stress, decrease anxiety and improve your immune system. So before school starts, take this opportunity to make fitness a priority and start to get in shape. By starting to integrate fitness into your life now, you are more likely to establish some habits which will decrease the chances of your ditching your workouts as soon as times get tough.  If you’re looking for something to guide and motivate you, think about investing in a wearable fitness device.

There are a ton of advantages to wearable fitness devices. Firstly, all of them are simple, both in design and function. They normally have a bracelet style, like the Fitbit or Jawbone, but there are also others like the Misfit, that can be a bracelet or can be clipped on to your clothing. I also love the simple, streamlined function. They track your activity and that’s it. It’s so easy to be tempted by fancy watches that can do everything you’ve ever wanted and more but if you won’t use all the features, what’s the point?

This simple function also tends to make wearable fitness devices incredibly easy to use. For example, the Fitbit has a small screen that indicates how much of your daily fitness goal you’ve achieved. I like being able to glance down and see my progress because I find that it keeps me accountable. If it’s 6pm and I glance down and see that I’ve only completed half of my fitness goal for the day, I automatically feel guilty and I am far more likely to think about going for an after dinner walk than if I was not tracking my activity. You can also open the Apple or Android app throughout the day and get a more detailed update on how you’re doing. Over time, your fitness information is logged and you can see your weekly and monthly trends whic
h allows you to tweak your schedule and habits to maximize your fitness goals.

In addition to letting you track your fitness, some fitness devices like the Jawbone, also let you track your nutrition. There is an extensive database where you can input your food and drink consumption and the barcode scanner lets you scan and input packaged food. Many also let you track your sleep, which is as important as your fitness because it’s your opportunity to recover. You can accurately track how long you slept, how deep your sleep was and how many times you woke up during the night.

I also like that the Fitbit and Misfit allows you to edit your daily fitness goal. When you’re first embarking on a new fitness regime, it’s important to increase your activity in small, realistic increments. Too many people think that they can take up running one week and run 10km the next. It take months or sometimes years for your body to properly and safely adapt to a new sport or activity so if you do too much too soon, you run the risk of burning out or getting injured. These fitness devices allow you to start small and slowly work your way up so you can control your progress and see your improvement!

Lastly, I love that wearable fitness devices will go wherever you go. The Fitbit, Jawbone and MisFit are all durable and sweat resistant and some of them, like the Misfit, are even waterproof so it clip onto your swimsuit and track your activity while you’re in the water! They also all have an incredible battery life. The Fitbit can last for up to 10 days, so you can take it camping and hiking without worrying about it dying!

With a month left before school starts, it’s the perfect time to get into shape! Getting into good fitness habits now will increase the likelihood that you will stick with them when school becomes busy and stressful. Investing in a wearable fitness device will help you stay motivated and accountable and increase the likelihood you will achieve your fitness goals. You can track your activity throughout the day either on your device or on the app and the Fitbit and the Misfit will allow you can customize and set realistic daily goals, whereas the Jawbone lets your track your nutrition as well as your activity. Lastly, whichever wearable fitness device you choose, it will be able to go wherever you go as all of them are sweatproof and many of them, such as the Misfit, are waterproof. So get off the couch, strap of a fitness device and get moving before back to school!