By Brendon Peterson, Tech Editor at PriceCheck
It’s a new year, which means that you probably have a new set of fitness goals. Achieving those goals can, however, be difficult at times.
Fortunately, technology can make things a little easier, allowing you to monitor your progress, keep track of your workouts, and even distract you from the fact that you’re forcing your body into levels of activity it probably hasn’t seen since high school.
With that in mind, here’s a selection of gadgets that’ll help make 2018 the year you rock your fitness goals:
Moov Now Personal Coach & Workout Tracker
Right now, there are plenty of fitness and activity trackers on the market. With many of them offering similar features and coming in at a similar price point, it can be difficult to know which one to choose.
That said, we have a serious spot for the Moov Now. Not only does it track things like movement, a variety of workouts, and sleep, it also comes with audio coaching capabilities. That means you won’t be left lost and confused every time you try a new workout.
Oh, it doesn’t hurt that it looks ridiculously cool either.
You might wonder what a scale is doing in an article about fitness goals, rather than one on weight loss. If so, we’re here to inform you that the scales of today have moved on somewhat from the humble version you used to have lying around in the family bathroom.
The Garmin Index Smart Scale gives you detailed body composition measurements, including weight, body mass index, body fat, muscle mass, and bone mass. It’s also compatible with other Garmin devices, meaning you can get a near-complete picture of your health and fitness.
Lifebeam Hat & Heart Rate Monitor
If you’re starting to make progress in your fitness journey, but aren’t quite ready to commit to a sports watch, the Lifebeam Hat and Heart Rate Monitor may be the ideal option for you. The hat can take precise measurements of your heart rate, steps, and calories and send them to your fitness app of choice.
The fact that it looks like any other cap also makes it ideal for safety-conscious South Africans eager not to flash more valuable tracking devices to potential thieves.
Look, if you’re trying to build fitness from a relatively low level, then the Fenix 5 probably isn’t for you. If, however, you’re looking to take your outdoor activities to the next level, you’d be hard-pressed to beat it.
Part multi-sport watch and part smartwatch, it can guide you through even the toughest of trails while delivering notifications from your smartphone to your wrist. Capable of delivering a host of performance metrics, it also features serious battery power, meaning you won’t be let down mid-activity.
When it comes to out and out smartwatches, Apple’s led the pack for some time now. In part, that’s because the Cupertino-based giant’s recognised the value of health and fitness data. The Apple Watch Series 3 takes this understanding to a new level.
While South Africans can’t yet get their hands on the version of the watch that comes with a built-in SIM card (allowing users to really break free from their phones), they can still benefit from built-in GPS, a heart rate monitor, and a slew of apps designed to help with their health and fitness journeys.
Brendon Petersen is the Tech Editor for PriceCheck. Brendon is a passionate tech creative with a particular interest in consumer technology and future integrations of tech.
Author: Tanja Schmitz
Founder and Editor of Fitness Magazine. You’ll find her behind her computer or on her bike, dreaming up new ways to improve or create content for you.
