By: Robyn Sukatski
Have you been thinking about getting a fitness band but don’t know which to buy? Fitness bands not only track your exercise and sleep patterns, but help you get in shape and stay in shape. There are multiple bands on the market and some do more than others, while some cost more than others. It’s up to you to decide which is going to work best for you and fit your lifestyle.
Here’s a quick breakdown of some of the top rated bands:
Garmin Vivofit 2
The Garmin is not as well advertised but may be one of the best bands out there. This fitness band syncs with Bluetooth and is both Android and iOS compatible. It connects with heart rate monitors, is waterproof up to 50 meters and has a battery life that lasts 1 year blowing the competition out of the water. Not only does it track your progress daily, weekly and monthly, it adjusts your goals based on whether you reach them or not. Visually it also reigns as you can purchase interchangeable bands from patterns to solids to metallic finishes. The Garmin retails at $129.99.
It displays:
- Steps
- Distance
- Calories
- Time
- Heart rate
Nike + FuelBand
Very sporty and available in an array of colors. The fuelband has Bluetooth for continuous syncing and is highly water resistant. Also, this band has motivational reminders to help you through your day. The visible screen makes it convenient to know what you’ve accomplished throughout the day. With the push of a button, you can see how many steps you have taken, calories burned, etc. and the progress bar below the screen shows you a string of lights that enables you to see your daily progress. The bad? It doesn’t track your sleep patterns. The Nike + FuelBand retails at $99.00.
Features Include:
- Track your activity life
- Nike+FuelBand App
- Have fun getting more active
- Android and iOS compatibility
- See your progress on the LED display
- Bluetooth 4.0: Always connected with your smartphone
- Nike+ account: Sync your activity life data
- Share your progress with your friends
FitBit Flex
The Fitbit is the closest comparison to the Jawbone UP. It is also limited by not having a visible screen. The 5 LED lights track your activity progress. Like the Jawbone UP, your sleep patterns are tracked and the FitBit can be synced via Bluetooth with iOS and Android devices. Additionally, the platform allows you to track your calories, activity, log your food intake and more. I think that between the FitBit and the Jawbone UP, it’s really a matter of personal choice as they both offer close to the same options. The FitBit Flex retails at $99.95.
Features Include:
- Track both your activity and also your sleep
- Sync your stats wirelessly with iOS and Android devices
- See all your progress in real-time
Track your:
- Steps
- Calories
- Hours slept
- Distance
- Activity
Jawbone UP24
This is the band both my daughter and I use. This band doesn’t have a display which I feel is the greatest negative aspect however, it does sync with iOS and Android so you are able to check your progress at any time. I sync this with my iPad in the morning which gives me the data from the day before and from my sleep. Additionally, the UP platform allows you to input your food, scan food, and count calories to see if you are as active as you need to be. If you don’t need a screen, this is a great gadget. It’s comfortable and attractive and honestly, since I have been using it, I have definitely noticed a change in my activity levels and food choices. Jawbone UP24 retails at $129.99.
Features Include:
- iOS and Android compatible
- Smart Coach
- Track your fitness activity
- Track your sleep
- Wireless Syncing
- Water resistant
- Idle alert
- Smart alarm. It wakes you up silently at the best moment
Knowledge is power and with this knowledge, we are given the tools to improve our daily habits. It is still up to you to do the actual exercise. The good thing is that it’s hard to ignore when it’s strapped to your wrist.
No time to get to the gym? That’s not a problem. When you are aware of how many steps you take and how many more you need, you can easily fit this into your breaks or lunch at work. Before and after work you can walk or jog at home.
And, if you have stairs, you can get some great calorie burning by following this 15 minute stair workout posted on fitness magazine online at http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/cardio/staircase-climbing-workout/.
Whether you purchase the most expensive tracker or the least expensive, the value lies in whether you use the features and modify your lifestyle. I recently spoke with an employee at an Apple store who told me that he and other salespeople purchased the Nike FuelBand when it first came out and then graduated to the Jawbone UP. As they used the features, and compared notes, they realized that some were more attractive than others. It really comes down to personal choice. So, are you ready to buy one? You can find a great variety of fitness bands at Amazon.com.
You can find a comparison chart of fitness bands at: http://bestfitnesstrackerdevice.net/fitness-bands-comparison-chart.
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6 comments
What are the three fit watches at top of this article? I see a few other people have asked but do not see any response. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
What are the three at the top called?
What are the watches at the top of the page?? I can’t find them anywhere!
Yes I’d like to know what the watches at the top of the page are too!?
What are the three watches at the top of this article? They aren’t mentioned in article and they are definitely the most astheticaly pleasing. Anyone know what brand model they are?
Thanks
I’ve had both a Fitbit Flex and Jawbone UP, and even though Jawbone’s app is better, the Fitbit Flex is my favourite.
With only three size options, the Jawbone tends to be too tight or too big which can make the band very uncomfortable. As well, I found it caught on a lot of my clothes.
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