Do fitness tracker really track fitness?

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Does your fitness tracker really tell you how fit you are?

The definition of fitness for health is “The ability to carry out daily tasks with vigor and alertness, without undue fatigue, and with ample energy to enjoy leisure-time pursuits and respond to emergencies” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

The ability to do daily tasks, meet emergencies and do activities you enjoy require a certain level of strength, stamina and mobility. Getting steps does not train the body to have these three qualities. Exercise does.

Remember, exercise is practice for the things we want to be easier in life.

When we exercise, we help our body have the stamina, strength and mobility to be fit for what we need and want to do.

So why track steps?

The purpose of tracking steps is to avoid being inactive. Prolonged stillness seems to increase the risk for many diseases. This recent study found that moving your body in some way every 30 minutes seems to offer the best protection for your longevity.

So, fitness trackers are really physical activity trackers. Your fitness is measured by how easily you live your daily life and can do the things you enjoy. Your fitness can only be tracked by you.

Use your fitness tracker to remind you to move often. Use your daily life to remind you to set some time aside to practice having the stamina, strength and mobility to enjoy it!

Keep Moving, Be Well,

Janet

Janet Huehls, MA, RCEP, CYT, CHWC

UMass Memorial Weight Center Exercise Program

Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist

Certified Health and Wellness Coach

These weekly blogs are general guidelines. These guidelines apply to patients who are cleared by a physician for the type of exercise described. Please contact your physician with any concerns or questions. Always report any symptoms associated with exercise, such as pain, irregular heartbeats, and dizziness or fainting, to your physician.

Please share these posts with anyone you know interested in losing weight with or without weight loss surgery. Click here to learn more about the UMass Memorial Weight Center