Being a senior in this age of rapidly evolving technology can be overwhelming. You may want to catch up on the latest gadgets but don’t know where to start, and you don’t necessarily want to depend on a child or grandchild to get you up to speed. However, not everything comes decked out with all of the confusing bells and whistles. The following fitness trackers are examples of helpful technology done simply, giving you control over monitoring your health while staying up-to-date.
Fitbit Options
Fitbit was founded in 2007 and have since become a pioneer in technological health and fitness accessories. Over the past 11 years, Fitbit has come out with a plethora of different wearable health trackers, each with different focuses and features.
Fitbit Zip
The Fitbit Zip is an entry-level health tracker that is small and simple. One of Fitbit’s early designs created in 2012, the Zip clips onto your clothes, bag, or belt loop and doesn’t come loose with brisk walking or even running. This is a great option for someone who doesn’t want to wear a fitness tracker around their wrist like most other trackers. The Zip counts your steps, distance traveled, and calories burned through activity. Tap the screen to cycle through those stats and to see the time of day. The Fitbit Zip also has a lengthy battery time of around six months, helping you to avoid having to remember charging and re-charging every few days. At $59.95, this Fitbit is one of the more affordable options on the market.
Fitbit Flex 2
If you’re looking for a few more features, the Fitbit Flex 2 is one of the more popular fitness trackers that still maintains a simplistic approach to health monitoring. The Flex 2 is a removable tracker that can fit into the provided wristband, or other Fitbit bangle and pendant accessories. The five dot LED light display avoids the flashiness of other full-screen trackers, so if you’d like to be a bit more discreet with your health journey, this might be the Fitbit for you. It’s also waterproof, which is fantastic if you don’t want to worry about taking it off to shower, or if you’re enrolled in any water fitness classes. The Flex 2 also tracks your steps, calories, movement, as well as sleep cycle, and sends you gentle reminders to stay active by taking 250 steps an hour with light vibrations. You can view all data details on the Fitbit app that the Flex 2 will automatically sync to upon opening on your phone or tablet.
Garmin Options
Garmin is an international technology company that’s been around for almost 30 years. As experts on GPS navigation and outdoor tech supplies, it makes sense that their line of fitness trackers and smart watches are highly-rated.
vívomove HR
The vívomove HR by Garmin has the appearance of a sleek and sophisticated wristwatch and comes in several color schemes and interchangeable bands. It’s a less sporty-looking fitness tracker that can be paired with all sorts of outfits for a more polished look. This tracker covers all of the basics including step counter, sleep monitoring, and calories burned through activity, but it also can be hooked up to display incoming text messages and missed calls from your phone. The vívomove also tracks your heart rate, which may be helpful if that is something your doctor or physician told you to look out for. Although the battery life on this fitness tracker is five days, choosing the option to wear it on ‘watch-mode’ will increase the battery life up to two additional weeks.
vívofit 4
Garmin’s less expensive vívofit 4 is perfect to wear around the clock with a sturdy yet lightweight sports-band design and small digital face. This tracker is waterproof, so feel free to wear it in the shower or pool, and the LED display is easy to see in dim or bright sunny areas. In addition to displaying the time of day, the vívofit counts calories burned, tracks steps, and monitors your sleep quality. This tracker has a long term battery life of one year, so remembering to charge it won’t be an issue.
Others
Even though they don’t carry the brand recognition of Fitbit and Garmin, the following activity trackers are also excellent options for a simple wearable health monitor.
Moov Now
With six months of battery life, you won’t have to worry about constantly charging this inexpensive, comfortable fitness tracker. Connect it to your wrist or ankle for the normal step and sleep-tracking, but also opt in to real-time guided feedback during a workout depending on which activities you opt in to. The award-winning Moov Now syncs to your smartphone app to give you advice based on your movements and helps correct bad form. Waterproof and lightweight, you can even wear this tracker while swimming laps.
Misfit Shine 2
This inexpensive fitness tracker automatically tracks steps, distance, and calories burned during activity as well as monitors your sleep cycle. Its modern, stylish look comes in several different color combinations for personalization, and the reflective band is a safety feature perfect for those who go on evening walks. The Misfit Shine 2 has a long-lasting six month battery, and will also vibrate to alert when someone is calling or texting your phone, or to remind you to get more steps in throughout the day.
Technology doesn’t have to be overly-complicated if you know what features are most important to you. Try out one of these fitness trackers and see the benefits to actively monitoring your health, and start feeling in control of your technological journey.
