Are Fitness Watches WORTH the Expense?
By
Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Posted April 4, 2024
I wear a fitness tracker. A patient pointed to it the other day and asked me if it was worth the expense.
It caught me off guard at first.
But then I explained, “It depends…”
I personally enjoy wearing a fitness tracker because I like tracking my exercise. And it helps keep me motivated.
These devices have surged in popularity recently, with companies like Apple, Garmin, and Fitbit releasing newer and more advanced models every year.
Fitness trackers or fitness watches cost from around $100 to well over $1000. Whether making an investment like that is worth it depends on various factors.
Fitness trackers do offer some valuable features that can make them a worthwhile buy:
- Activity tracking: Fitness watches use built-in accelerometers and heart rate sensors to track stats like how many steps you take, calories burned, distance covered, floors climbed, and intensity of workouts. Seeing data on your daily activity levels can motivate you to move more.
- Sleep monitoring: Many fitness trackers monitor the duration and quality of your sleep, allowing you to spot trends and work on improving them.
- Goal setting and reminders: Most devices allow you to set activity goals, receive reminders to get up and move, and provide feedback showing your progress. This makes it easier to stay consistent with healthy routines.
- Safety features: Some high-end fitness watches have features like fall detection, emergency SOS signaling, and anomaly heart rate alerts that can help keep you safe. These can provide peace of mind to seniors, adventure seekers, or fitness buffs.
On the other hand, there are some reasons why pricey fitness watches may not warrant the investment:
- Inaccuracy: While fitness trackers aim to provide accurate data, they can be off by up to 20–30 percent. This can be frustrating.
- Limited usefulness: Besides activity tracking, most fitness watches provide a whole little utility compared to a smartphone. So, your watch could become just another device that needs daily charging but doesn’t get used much.
- Not for everyone: These devices are more useful for active people who want to reach certain fitness goals or monitor performance. If you tend to be more sedentary, you may not get enough value for your money.
While many of these watches are focused on hardcore athletes, adventurers, or those obsessed with tracking every aspect of their health and fitness, they can also act as health coaches and training partners for the rest of us.
As with most things, deciding whether a fitness tracker is worth owning depends on personal preference and budget.
P.S. Research has revealed a surprising fitness tracker benefit.
Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.
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