|
This blog contains affiliate links for our full disclosure click here
Can A Smart Watch Really Help Me Lose Weight?
When trying to shed pounds, there are a plethora of factors that can make or break your endeavors. Regardless of the way you go about it, in order to see true results you have to TRACK your progress. If you just leave it up to your own judgment, it is highly likely you are going to miscalculate the results and thus waist time and effort that could have spent doing things the right way in the first place.
While there are numerous apps on your phone that will provide you the information you need, and the accuracy can be pretty spot on depending on how you utilize the program; we feel that logically it makes sense that the best information would come from a device that is constantly attached to your body (IE Smart Watch OR Smart Shoes) With that being said, we are the biggest fans of Smart Shoes, Smart Socks and of course Smart Watches. Basically anything that has constant contact with your body and can register the information for you with little input required on your part. This is important because the more you have to stop and think about how you are doing the more you are taking away from the "moment" which will only leave you with lackluster results. 
What Should I Be Tracking When Training?
No matter what kind of exercise you are performing, you need to be able to measure your progress to be able to make the necessary adjustments and improve, otherwise you will inevitably fool yourself into thinking you are making progress when in reality you are not.
While there are specific metrics one should follow for each type of exercise they perform, the general over all metrics one should be concerned about is; heart rate, calories burned and how much weight was lifted (or how fast you performed the exercise in the case of cardio). By keeping track of those three you will be well on your way to making gradual improvements each time you enter the gym granted you train hard. With the smart watch, your heart rate and calories are automatically tracked so that leaves you with only the weight or time to keep track of. This can easily be done by using an application such as my-fitness pal (yes we're a big fan of this app haha) or just keeping a simple journal using google docs so that it can be accessed from your phone. 
How Can I Use This Information To Lose Weight?
There is a good reason we chose the three metrics in the section above as the most important and there is a good chance that you are at least tracking one of these if not all three. Here is the best way to utilize the information to your advantage:
Calories Burned
We will start with the most obvious, which is the calculation of how many calories (energy) you have burned during the exercise that you performed. If you want to lose weight, one of the most fundamental rules is to ensure you are expending more energy than you consume. To do this you must first know how much energy you are burning while you are going about your normal routine which is colloquially known as your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure), if you are curious on how to calculate this check this article out. By having a gadget connected to your body that automatically tracks your calories burned, it should be no issue ensuring your workouts burn enough calories to help you meet your weight loss goals.
Heart Rate
In order to burn the most energy and push your self to attain new heights the next time you enter the gym, you need to confirm that you are pushing your body to its absolute max without reaching the dreaded point of "diminishing returns". In order to accomplish this, there is no better metric to keep track of than your heart rate. When measuring your heart rate, you need to first calculate what your appropriate resting rate is and use that calculation to ascertain what "zone" you are in (Click Here For A Great Diagram of The Zones). To calculate your resting rate, take your pulse early in the morning and count how many beats occur within 20 seconds, then multiply that number by 3.
Performance
This one is some what of a no brainier but we like to be thorough. The simple truth is, if you are looking to improve, well, you have to IMPROVE. That means lifting heavier weights each time you go to the gym or beating a personal best in terms of time when it comes to endurance training. The saying, "if you do what you've always done then you'll get what you've always gotten" rings ever true when it comes to training so you have to do everything you can to get to that next level. As stated earlier, performance can easily be measured by simply keeping a journal however for the sake of simplicity and convenience you may want to use a smart app that also tracks other metrics as well. 
How Can I Use This Information To Increase Performance?
If you are looking to manifest some serious change in your life, you can do so just by taking the three measurements listed above and using them to your advantage. Utilizing the information that is gained from the calories burned during your work, your heart rate zone and of course your progress will empower you to make intelligent choices on how to proceed next to get the result you desire.
To give you a real life example, just a few months ago I had a major dip in my progress in weightlifting. I checked my form and ensured I was getting to the right point heart rate wise and still had issues. It just so happened that was around the same time I began this website and I had neglected to utilize the food tracker in my Myfitness Pal app for almost 5 days. Once I got back on the app it turns out I had gotten into a bad habit of skimping my protein needs in the morning so by the time I got to the gym I was DRAINED. I made a simple adjustment to my diet and the RESULTS WERE AMAZING. Where ever you are in your health journey there is a good chance the key to the next level is hiding behind a slight tweak in your performance. You will never be able to catch this without first keeping track of it in the first place, so get on it now! 
Which Smartwatch Is The Best For Me?
When deciding what smart watch to choose there are a couple of factors to keep in mind. Below we have listed our top choices based on price, performance and popularity. Check them out and see if one of them is a good fit for your style.
If your looking for the "Royls Royce" of Smart Watches the Fitbit Versa is everything you could dream for and a little more. This Smart Watch doesn't just track your heart-rate and steps but will even go so far as to monitor your sleep patterns and has a unique setting depending on the particular workout your performing that day.
The Fitbit Versa has so many features, going over each one in detail would cause this review to dwarf the other two so we have opted to list them out:
Naturally the price tag for this gadget is going to be in the triple digits ($179.86 to be exact) but considering this may be the only Smart Watch purchase you will ever need to make, the price is not outlandish, especially if you are a serious athlete.
LETSCOM Fitness Tracker
If your goal is to simply track the main metrics and skip all the bells and whistles than the Letscom Fitness Tracker is your best bet. This Smart Watch will track calories burned, heart rate, sleep schedule and allows you to sync this information in your phone using the 'Veryfitpro' app.
The Letscom Fitness Tracker is the highest rated among users and we were really impressed with the fact that people reported these watches lasting for YEARS without any problems (this is rare among lower priced Smart Watches). There have been some complaints in terms of the heart rate monitor accuracy and visibility of the screen outdoors, but these appear to be minor grievances. This is a great watch for those who exercise casually and can make a great gift for your kids and loved ones to help them get excited about being active. At the price of $29.99 you can't get a better deal for a fitness tracking watch. Most Affordable
Damusy Fitness Tracker
If you are looking for the bare minimum in a Smart Watch while still having enough information to help you get the most out of your exercises the Damusy Fitness Tracker has got you covered.
Although the Damusy Fitness Tracker will not track your heart rate, it will measure the calories burned, how many steps you have taken and keep track of your sleep quality which are all important when trying to improve your health through exercise. It is also water proof. Damusy provides a one-year replacement warranty and at the cost of $19.97 it is one of the best deals your going to find on a reliable Smart Watch.
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Isiah ManzoA legal consultant and natural health advocate who loves to lift weights, eat good food and be among like minded individuals. Archives
September 2019
|
RSS Feed
