Fitness trackers such as pedometers and heart rate monitors could be one of the most important investments you will ever make.These modern gadgets are designed to keep track of your fitness progress.There are a wide variety of these original items that can assist you in all kinds of sports or fitness related activities.A fitness tracker can keep collecting data during training and even later while you rest.This information can be used to determine how and where you should focus your efforts during the training routine which will help you later to set superior and strategic goals.
Fitness trackers allow you to track and keep you informed of activities such as calorie intake.They are also very useful for distance traveled.These amazing high-tech devices can even measure the functioning of vital organs of your body such as the heart.
Pedometer App
A pedometer is a small device that tracks the number of steps a person takes all day. It’s usually used by brisk walkers to see how many steps it takes for them to cover a certain distance and also to measure their speed.
If you’re trying to lose weight, a pedometer is highly motivational and essential. This is especially true if you lead a very sedentary lifestyle. The more steps you take, the more active you are and the more calories you burn.
Overweight and obese people may wish to get a pedometer to track their steps per day. Just increasing the number of steps you take each day by 30 will add up over the long run. This is a very gradual increase that many people can handle. They have a target to meet and once they meet it, they are done for the day.
The average person needs to take about 10,000 steps a day. While this may seem like a huge number, it really is not. You will be surprised by how many steps you will take in a 30-minute walk.
A pedometer is also pretty inexpensive. So, there really is no excuse not to get one.
The beauty of a pedometer is the number it displays. It is not a vague instruction such as eat fewer calories or engage in resistance training. The pedometer shows the hard truth. The number of steps you took. It’s there. It’s not a lie. It’s almost tangible.
If your target is 5,000 steps for that day and you only took 3,750 you know you are short. You must go and complete the remaining steps to meet your target. The amazing thing is that most people report feeling much more motivated to finish the remainder and meet the target.
They can see the numbers decreasing and each step they take is one step closer to the goal. Every step literally counts. If you need motivation and an absolute target to meet, you really should invest in a good pedometer.
Heart Rate Monitors And Fat loss
A heart rate monitor is another device that can be very helpful for fat loss. They can improve your fitness level by keeping a record of your heart rate during exercise. This serves as a great advantage since it helps you to know your heart rate at any time and thus determine the level of intensity of training. Maintaining a high heart rate over an extended period of time could result in medical complications.
If you are just starting to train, you probably will not need one. However, it doesn’t hurt to get one because it will help you train in the fat burning zone.
Fat loss is maximized when you train at 80% to 90% of your maximum heart rate . An easy way to calculate your maximum heart rate will be to take 220 and deduct your age from it. For example, if you’re 50 years old your maximum heart rate is 220 – 50 = 170 beats per minute.
When you train at a percentage above 80% of your maximum heart rate, you are engaged in high-intensity training. The difference between training at 60% and 80% is the way the fat is burned.
If you train at 60% of your max heart rate for 1 hour, your body will burn calories from its fat stores for that hour. Your workout will also be less intense and much easier. Once you finish your workout, your fat burning will decrease rapidly within an hour or less.
If you do a 20-minute workout at 80% of your maximum heart rate, a number of calories your body burns during that 20 minutes will be less than the calories burned at the 60% maximum heart rate workout.
However, your body will keep burning calories for up to 12 hours and overall, you will burn way more calories than the 60-minute workout. The reason for this is known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. Your metabolic rate has been elevated and the body stays fat burning for hours and hours after your workout.
The heart rate monitor helps to gauge where you are during your workout. If you can stay within the 80% to 90% zone throughout your workout, your fat burning will be optimal. Your stamina and strength will also increase by leaps and bounds over time. You will train less and benefit more. Of course, your training will be tougher and more draining.
Conclusion
Heart rate monitors are easy to use. They help motivate us to perform exercise better thus making the most realistic and achievable goals. These are not just for people who have a strict exercise regimen or high-performance training.
They can also be used by anyone who wants to stay in their heart rate zone or at a suitable intensity to have a more productive exercise routine. There are many physical reasons why anyone can use a heart rate monitor.
Both pedometers and heart rate monitors come in a variety of prices and brands. You’ll definitely be able to find the ones that suit your budget and needs. These two gadgets will be handy if you’re trying to lose weight.
