Getting fit can seem like a slog if you don’t have access to the gym. We all know there are ways to make due with what we have, like running or yoga at home, but the entertainment options for at home, quarantine approved entertainment are rather sparse.
Fortunately, technology is starting to catch up to our growing demand for convenient healthcare and fitness technology. These days, you can find a solution to just about every problem in the book when it comes to reaching your fitness goals. If you can think of it, there is a digital tool or an app that helps you get there!
Here are 5 technologies to get you fit in 2021.
Food Tracking
All else controlled, participants in a study found that using a free smartphone app that helps users track food consumption found that they lost a significant amount of weight compared to other means they had trialed.
There is something deceptively simple about tracking your food which may be why it is so difficult to grasp. Surely there must be something more complex, right? But the truth is, when it comes to weight loss, keeping your calorie intake lower than your body’s total daily expenditure of calories is the best way to get weight off and keep it off.
Success via the calories in, calories out method is contingent on users remaining disciplined and keeping consistent over a long period of time.
Nine times out of ten, these food tracking apps are free to use. The convenience of having everything on your phone means that there are no excuses not to immediately log your food after consumption, which ensures more accurate results.
If you don’t have a smart phone at your disposal for whatever reason, the beauty of this method is that you can always go back and add it in later, no harm no foul.
Wireless Earbuds
If your fitness journey is anything like mine, then you know that there is a serious need for wireless technology on the road, on the trail, or at the gym. There just is no pocket deep enough or tight enough to keep a wire from tripping you up and ruining a perfect deadlift.
Wireless earbuds are not necessarily new, but the technology they boast in 2021 is a far cry from the dollar store nonsense we have passed off as “wireless.” Today’s earbuds can sustain a strong, consistent connection via WiFi, Bluetooth, or otherwise.
Their design has also vastly improved, too. Today you can find neckband wireless earbuds, true wireless earbuds, convertible headphones…the list just goes on and on!
Smart Scale
As though we need our scales to give us any more bad news, right? Fortunately, there is a panacea for your scale weary heart. You can find scales that cater to all sorts of needs, and these services extend beyond simple vanity and may not be fitness related at all.
Smart scales can connect to your phone or tablet and provide a wealth of information for you to reference over time. There is nothing better than seeing the visual representation of your progress, whether it is in the form of “before and after” pictures or an automated graph generated by your smart scale.
Some smart scales can even tell you your body mass index or your blood pressure.
Wearable Tech
Wearable technology has been around for the last decade or so but has exploded in the last five years. Advancements in technology in concert made the FitBit more affordable for average consumers and, thus, more accessible.
While wearable tech has exploded into socks, belts, bras, underpants, hats, earrings, sunglasses, etc., watches are still the most bankable of the bunch. They are easy to use and tend to go with everything. Plus, they are multifunctional!
Smart watches and other wearable devices can detect things like heart rate, the number of steps you take, your speed, your blood pressure, and so much more. You can also just use them as an actual time telling device in classic watch fashion, but many watches these days even let you look at and respond to text messages. It goes lightyears beyond the capabilities of something like the smart scale.
Like other smart devices, the beauty of smart watches is that you can connect them to your other devices.
Massage Gun
What do you need a massage gun for? Trust me, you will not understand until you try it out for yourself. Also referred to as “percussive devices,” handheld electric massage guns are said to help improve muscle recovery after intense workouts.
Just like stretching relieves aches, so can a deep tissue massage. This stimulates blood flow to the region and encourages healing that will stave off soreness.