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To track or not to track?

Do you have a fitness tracker? Loads of you will have just started a new exercise routine. Maybe you’ve bought one to help you keep an eye on what you’re doing. Do you trust it? Is it accurately tracking your movement? Maybe not.

MyZone tracker

I’ve just started using a fitness tracker. The one in question is provided by MyZone. It tracks my heart rate via a strap I fit around my middle. I’ve never used a tracker before. Never really felt the need but Barons has just had the system fitted and I was offered a try. So why not.

One of the reasons I’ve avoided buying one is there are so many out there and I couldn’t work out which was best. Also I was sceptical about how accurate they were. In a previous life, my work revolved around making sure that the data we were collecting was as accurate as possible. Surely if they not accurate, what’s the point?

Some recent research has not helped my scepticism. They found all the trackers tested underestimated and overestimated calorie burn at some point. Sometimes as much as 50%! Not great if you’re after accuracy. However I am confident that the MyZone system is up there with the most accurate.

However, having said all that, I am finding the tracker to be a great motivational tool. I can see what other people in my network are doing and how hard they’re working. How do I stack up? Am I taking things too easily?!?! It has pushed me on to work a little harder during my sessions and made me do a little more cardio than usual which is something I do avoid. Mainly because it pushes my heart rate to the yellow and red zone where I can get more fitness points! And what do points make….?

So all in all I am a tracker convertee. Do I trust the data 100%? No. Does it matter, not really. It’s keeping me accountable which along with consistency, really counts when trying to increase your current fitness level.

So if you’re on the fence like I was, I think you should give one a go. Ask around to find out what your friends use or what your gym recommends. They could be what you need to keep you going past the post January rush of enthusiasm.

T