When it comes to exercise, motivation can be somewhat elusive. Good intentions fall by the wayside and soon enough we find ourselves stuck in the same old routine, or, probably more often, the routine of not exercising at all.
Enter fitness trackers and fitness bands. Fitbits, Garmin Vivofits, Fitbugs, iFits and more. You name it, your local sporting goods or electronic stores are sure to have it. But the question is, do they really work and, more importantly, do they keep their users motivated?
Lora Bogatz, among many other Omaha moms, certainly thinks so. Bogatz has used both a BodyBug and a Fitbit and has found that both devices not only kept her motivated, they brought out her competitive side.
“Almost my entire family has Fitbits,” she says. “We all sync ours together and do either daily or weekly challenges. It has definitely brought out my competitive side. I will even walk extra laps while at work to stay in the lead.”
It’s not only the competition that has Bogatz moving more. Her Fitbit counts steps, measures her heart rate, sets goals for her, and awards badges when goals are attained, all of which she feels keeps her motivated and accountable.r
“I feel like I am always checking in with either my Fitbit or my Fitness Pal. It definitely keep me honest.”r-Sarah Trout
r“It definitely gets me to the gym more. I want to reach my 10,000 steps each day and want to earn the next badge.”
Sarah Trout, another Fitbit enthusiast, has seen a change in how often she exercises and how hard.
“I like to know how many calories I am burning and if I see that number drop from one day to another, I know I have to work harder. I think I tended to be somewhat lazier before and wouldn’t push myself nearly as much,” Trout says.
Trout’s Fitbit syncs with her iPhone and Fitness Pal app, a feature she utilizes daily.
“I feel like I am always checking in with either my Fitbit or my Fitness Pal. It definitely keep me honest,” Trout says.
Both Bogatz and Trout wear their Fitbits nearly every day and have come to appreciate their little sidekick.
“I am a very visual person,” Trout says, “ Being able to look at my Fitbit at any point during the day and see how many steps I have taken is a huge bonus, as well as a huge motivator.”
Like Bogatz and Trout, Jeanne Vlcek has found that wearing a fitness band while working out keeps her accountable and keeps her moving as much as she can. The one difference being that Vlcek is seven months pregnant and thinks her fitness band, a Timex fitness watch, is possibly picking up the heart rate of her baby in addition to her own.
“I think my watch is a little confused because it’s telling me I am burning way more calories than is possible,” Vlcek says.
In spite of that issue, Vlcek has appreciated having the watch while exercising. She thinks she’ll appreciate it even more after her baby is born.
“I think I’ll be counting on it much, much more after our baby is born to help me get back in shape,” she says.
