Should you use a fitness tracker?
The question that often crosses the minds of many individuals on their journey to better health and fitness is, “Should I get a fitness tracker?” The answer, as with many things in life, is not a simple yes or no but rather a thoughtful consideration of various factors.
For some, a fitness tracker can be an invaluable tool, serving as a companion in their quest for a healthier lifestyle. This holds especially true if you find yourself in one of the following categories:
1. The Numbers-Oriented Individual:
Do you possess a penchant for numbers and data? Perhaps you have an engineering, actuarial, or accounting mindset. For individuals like you, a fitness tracker can be a powerful ally in the pursuit of health and fitness goals. The precision and quantifiable nature of the data provided by these devices align seamlessly with your analytical approach to life.
2. Those with Advanced Fitness Goals:
Consider elite athletes, bodybuilders, models, and individuals whose livelihoods depend on their physical appearance and performance. For these individuals, the ability to track and measure various fitness metrics is not a luxury but a necessity. A fitness tracker can be an essential tool in optimizing training, recovery, and overall performance.
3. Data as Information, Not Identity:
If you view data as mere information, divorced from your sense of self-worth, a fitness tracker can serve as a valuable source of insights. The numbers generated by the device are not seen as a reflection of your identity but rather as objective indicators of your physical activity and well-being. This detachment from the data allows for a more balanced and rational interpretation of the information.
However, the utility of fitness trackers is not universal, and for some, they may lead to feelings of inadequacy and frustration. This group often perceives metrics such as weight, heart rate variability, or sleep quality as judgments on their character and worth.
You may find yourself in this category if you identify with the following characteristics:
1. Chore-Based Mindset:
If you view the behaviors you track with your fitness tracker as burdensome chores, it can lead to a negative mindset. Phrases like, “I have to do this to lose weight,” reflect an obligation rather than a choice, which can be mentally draining.
2. External Mandate:
Feeling compelled to exercise due to external pressure, such as a doctor’s recommendation, can create a sense of resentment and resistance. Phrases like, “I don’t want to exercise, but my doctor told me I have to,” capture this sentiment.
3. Guilt-Driven Behavior:
Engaging in physical activity primarily to avoid feelings of guilt or self-criticism can be counterproductive. If you exercise solely to assuage guilt about not exercising, it may lead to a strained relationship with fitness.
The Bottom Line:
In considering whether a fitness tracker is right for you, it’s essential to remember that there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. While experimentation with a fitness tracker can be beneficial, especially if you have a genuine curiosity about its potential impact, it’s not a mandatory component of success on your health and fitness journey.
It’s worth noting that people were pursuing and optimizing their health long before the era of Fitbit, Oura, and Apple Watches. These devices, while innovative and informative, are not prerequisites for achieving and maintaining good health.
Your experience with a fitness tracker can vary greatly. It might initially feel awesome and motivating, only to become unnecessary or even frustrating down the road. Alternatively, it may never quite align with your preferences and needs from the outset.
As you navigate your fitness journey, whether with or without a fitness tracker, periodically ask yourself a few critical questions:
1. How’s this working for me?
Consider whether the fitness tracker is enhancing your motivation and engagement with your health goals or hindering them.
2. Do I appreciate the data, or do I ruminate over it?
Reflect on whether you view the data as helpful information or if it fosters unhealthy preoccupation and stress.
3. Does it keep me engaged in a healthy way, or does it leave me feeling guilty and frustrated?
Evaluate whether the device contributes to a positive and sustainable relationship with physical activity or if it fosters negative emotions.
Your answers to these questions will provide valuable insights into the impact of a fitness tracker on your well-being and whether it aligns with your overall health and fitness philosophy. Ultimately, the decision to use or discontinue the use of a fitness tracker should be guided by your unique needs, preferences, and the impact it has on your journey toward a healthier, happier life.
I hope this helps, and while you’re here, I want to make sure you know that if there’s any way I can help you achieve your health and fitness goals, I’m here for you.
I offer online nutrition coaching to clients who are ready to quit dieting and start looking and feeling better, with more confidence and increased energy levels – without complicated diets or painful workouts
What exactly is “nutrition coaching”… and how will it help you reach your goals?
When it comes to losing weight and getting the body you want, “eating better” is one of the most important steps. The only problem?
Most of the common diet advice you receive simply isn’t sustainable…
- “Avoid your favorite foods… forever!”
- “Don’t eat after 7pm!”
- “Weigh and measure every morsel of food you eat!”
If you’ve tried something like this before and “failed”—or just couldn’t stick with it—you’re not alone.
(And it’s definitely NOT your fault.)
I talk to people every day who are trying to muster up all the willpower they can find to diet their way to a better body… but they still aren’t getting the results they want.
The good news? There’s a better way.
My nutrition coaching focuses on strategic, doable daily actions that are designed to fit into YOUR lifestyle. With this approach, you’ll learn how to:
- Eat better—without dieting or feeling deprived.
- Lose weight—without giving up your favorite foods.
- Ditch the food rules—overcoming the guilt and shame.
- Feel energized all day—so you can enjoy all the things you want and need to do.
- Get the results you’ve always wanted—and build the healthy habits you need to stay that way for good.
Bottom line: My goal is to help you learn how to “eat better” so that it becomes easy, consistent, and automatic.
No restrictive dieting. No weighing or measuring your food. No “one size fits all” meal plan.
Instead, you’ll learn how to bring healthy eating into your lifestyle and get in amazing shape—while building the habits you need to stay that way for good.
How is nutrition coaching different from fitness coaching or personal training?
As a coach, my number one goal is to help my clients reach THEIR goals. Doing that effectively requires me to constantly look for opportunities to learn new skills and hone my craft.
This is exactly why I chose to become a Certified Nutrition Coach through Precision Nutrition.
I’ve now been trained by the best of the best, so I know what works.
(The nutrition method they teach is backed by science and has been proven to work with over 100,000 of their own clients… so it’s the real deal.)
The best part? The knowledge and skills I’ve gained can help you finally get the results you want—and keep them for life.
Through the rigorous training I’ve received, I learned that while exercise is a crucial part of losing weight, feeling good, and achieving optimal health… it’s only half the equation.
The other half—as you may have guessed—is nutrition.
I’d actually argue that nutrition is more important than exercise, because while you spend a few hours working out each week, challenges around eating and food can happen anytime (some would say all the time!).
That’s why having a coach there to guide and support you is crucial.
Don’t get me wrong: Exercise is very important. But no amount of exercise will ever be able to “outwork” bad nutrition habits. So in order to help you get the life-transforming results you deserve—I’m excited to be able to offer nutrition coaching in an official capacity.
What I learned while becoming a Certified Nutrition Coach opened my eyes to a whole new way of doing things. And through this science-proven approach, I’m ready to help you get even better results through healthy nutrition habits.
Interested? Have questions? Let’s talk…
If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, or if you have questions about what this would look like… I’d love to discuss how my online nutrition coaching program could help you get the results you’re looking for.
Click here to get started and I’ll answer any questions you have. Plus, we can connect to talk more about what this would look like for you.
Dedicated to your success,
Nico.
P.S. Just so you know: I’m offer fitness coaching as well—and it doesn’t have to be “either or.”
If you’re in a place where guidance and support from an experienced coach could help you reach your goals, I’m here to help in whatever capacity will be most beneficial for you.
Simply learn more here and we can talk about the different coaching options I have available.