Wearable Fitness Trackers May Help People Keep Their New Year’s Resolutions

The newest crop of wearable fitness trackers are a big upgrade from the devices of the past. They can help people to keep track of where they’ve been, how hard they’ve worked and how far they’ve progressed toward their fitness goals. Experts say these new trackers can help you stay on track to keeping your New Year’s resolution to get fit in 2015.

Wearable fitness trackers have actually been around for a long time. Back in the Jurassic, analog days, people could strap a mechanical device to their leg that helped count their strides as they walked or ran.

In more recent years, we’ve had trackers that could measure certain body functions, keep time and issue alerts, among other features. But the latest crop of devices are integrating new features and becoming more affordable, all at the same time.

PC Magazine’s Jill Duffy recently did a rundown of the best fitness trackers on the market heading into 2015. Here are a few of her top picks:

Duffy calls the $199.99 MyBasis The Basis Peak “…the best activity tracker you can buy right now.” The device can keep track runs, walks, bicycle rides, and sleep automatically, and comes with a built-in heart rate monitor. The company plans to add a new feature that will synch the tracker to your phone, allowing you to get notifications on your wrist.

At $170.00, Garmin’s Vivosmart activity tracker already has the ability to forward notifications to your wrist. The device counts steps, measures sleep and reminds you when it’s time to move.

If you’re looking for a capable tracker at a lower price point, you may like the $49 Jawbone UP Move. Duffy found this basic trainer to be easy to use, and liked its ability to change from wristband to clip-on device. It even has a companion app, called UP Coffee, which tracks the correlation between your caffeine intake and your sleep.

Another budget choice, the $49 Misfit Flash, is a very good one for newbie fitness enthusiasts who want to try out the wearable device option. It’s fully waterproof and, like the Jawbone Up Move, the Misfit Flash lets you change form factors – in this case from wrist strap to clip-on holster. Duffy called this basic unit , “the best entry-level activity tracker you can buy for less than $99.”

You can read Duffy’s full article here.

These devices can be really handy tools for helping you to set, and keep, your workout program goals. Doctors say that the ability many have to monitor your heart can help you to stay out of trouble when working out.

Most of all, they help to keep you honest about the effort you’re expending over time. Too many people give up on their New Year’s fitness resolution because they don’t see immediate results from working out (except pain!). With these devices, you can plan for steady progress, and keep track of your daily efforts.