Family kayaking

Everyone’s summer should include some downtime, but downtime doesn’t have to mean you take time off from a healthy diet or exercising. Many of us find we have more energy when the days get longer, the weather gets better, and we know we’ve got some downtime, so summer is when we really put our minds to staying fit and healthy.

If summer fitness and summer relaxation are your two main goals this season, here are a few devices that can help you stick to your fitness plan without adding any stress to your day.

A GPS watch keeps you motivated

Fitbit gps watchA fitness tracker will track your steps, but a GPS watch will simply hand you the data you need to improve your running time, map out your favourite routes, and track every activity from bike riding to hiking. Unlike fitness watches that use your smartphone’s GPS, a GPS watch has its own GPS built-in.

If you want an easy way to stay fit, a Fitbit Versa 3 is a smartwatch with built-in GPS that tracks your exercise and shows you how well you’re taking advantage of your downtime. It tracks your heart rate, calories burned during exercise, steps taken, and sleep. It will also keep an eye on your SpO2 so you can see your blood oxygen levels at a glance and has Google Assistant and Alexa built-in so you can use voice commands for calls and texts.

Garmin GPS watchThe Garmin Instinct 45mm is a GPS watch with built-in advanced GPS technology. It gives you an automatic goal setting, so even if you’re relaxing it will keep you motivated to stick to your fitness routine. It can monitor your heart rate, track your calories and all activities, and monitor your sleep.

Stay fit with a fitness trainer on your tablet

Circuit training is one way to improve fitness, and you don’t have to spend any extra time commuting in hot summer traffic to a gym to do it. With a Samsung Tablet and a set of headphones or earbuds, you’ll be able to load a workout video online and stay fit without leaving the cool comfort of your home.

Not only does the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite have a 10.4-inch touchscreen to give you a clear picture of your workout videos, games, and movies, it also has 64GB of storage space and Bluetooth 5.0 to give you a solid connection to external devices like headphones.

Pump up your energy with headphones

Headphones are one of the best motivators for staying fit. You can pump up your energy level by listening to music or adding them to your tablet to follow along on a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout with an online trainer. Depending on what style of headphones you’d like, there are quite a few different wireless headphone choices.

JBL headphones Jabra headphones for workout Beats for workouts

The JBL Live Pro+ noise-cancelling truly wireless headphones eliminate outside distractions while delivering immersive sound. They also have an IPX4-certified water-resistant design to withstand water splashes or sweat. The Jabra Elite Active 75t truly wireless headphones are another great option. They are in-ear headphones with active noise cancellation, fantastic sound, and an IP57 waterproof rating for every workout.

There’s also Beats by Dr. Dre Studio Buds in-ear truly wireless headphones. They offer amazing sound quality, long-lasting battery, and active noise cancelling. Plus, the IPX4 sweat and water resistance protects your headphones when you’re in the middle of a summer sweat session.

If you’d like to boost the volume of your tablet during a workout or just take it outside to stream music with friends, you can also connect a portable party speaker to your tablet. The latest portable party speakers have big, booming audio, are splash resistant and have great features like lights or karaoke mode.

Stay fit while having fun

paddleboards for summerThere are some summer activities that give you a great workout, but they don’t feel like a workout; they’re just fun. Paddleboards are a fun way to improve your strength. The latest paddle boards are inflatable and give you the perfect platform for core exercises, yoga, or just relaxing as you glide.

You might be surprised to hear it, but a scooter is a great way to improve your balance and give yourself a cardio workout. You can use a kick scooter to improve your fitness, and if you’d like to use a scooter as a mode of transportation, bring home an electric scooter to cruise at speeds up to 55 km/hr.

Relax and enjoy your downtime this summer

board games for summerNot only is it important to keep your body healthy through exercise and diet, but you should also spend your summer downtime focusing on activities that can improve your mind. There are a few things you can add to your home or outdoor space that will let you kick back and relax or stay sharp.

Outdoor TVs and outdoor projectors are one way to make sure you get enough fresh air, and you can have friends and family over for a movie night. Outdoor TVs offer you the same amazing picture quality you can find on new 4K TVs, but they’re weather-resistant so you can install them outside in your yard, on a patio, or even on a boat.

Reading is well known to promote a healthy mindset and improve your intellect, and you can read as many summer books as you’d like when you have an ebook reader or tablet. With anti-glare technology, your book will be bright and clear, even in bright light.

Or, if you’d like to spend some quality time with the family, summer board games and puzzles are a great way to have fun in a group. You can set up a board game or a puzzle on your patio and go back to it whenever you’d like to spend some time relaxing.

How will you stay healthy this summer?

This summer is the perfect time to focus on your overall health, and you can focus on staying fit without adding extra stress. Exercising doesn’t have to be tedious when you use a GPS watch for running and biking, and you can up the fun factor by adding in outdoor gear like paddleboards, bikes, and scooters. When it’s time to stop moving, you can keep your mind sharp with books, board games, and puzzles.

You’ll find everything you need for a fun, fit summer by shopping Best Buy.

Shelly Wutke
Editor TV & Home Theatre
I'm a Vancouver freelancer and tech enthusiast. When I'm not writing you'll find me on my farm with my alpacas, chickens, and honeybees. Visit my website Survivemag