In an era where technology permeates every facet of our lives, fitness trackers have become mainstream tools for monitoring and helping to inform change of different health outcomes. These wearable devices have certainly made it easier for individuals to stay on top of their fitness goals, but they come with their own set of advantages and disadvantages.

When I talk about fitness wearables, I’m referring to a gamut of products including Fitbit, Garmin, smartwatches, Wahoo, Coros, Oura, Whoop, Polar, and more. Also, not worn on the body (but can sync with some wearables) there’s Strava, MyFitnessPal, MapMyRun, Runkeeper, Chronometer, and others.

Fitness wearables and tracking apps provide a comprehensive view of your daily activity, including steps taken, distance covered, calories burned, and sleep patterns. Some even provide additional information like heartrate and other cardiac data, stress mapping, and display blood glucose information from real-time apps (Dexcom, Freestyle) right to your wrist. This data is invaluable for those looking to maintain or improve various health outcomes.

These devices are excellent motivators, but we cannot rely on motivation alone. The ability to set goals, track progress, and receive real-time feedback can inspire individuals to stay active and push themselves toward a goal. Fitness wearables allow you to set specific goals, whether it’s walking a certain number of steps, running a particular distance, or achieving a target heart rate. This goal-oriented approach keeps users engaged and committed to their fitness journey.

There are some downsides of wearables too–they can be expensive, especially the more advanced models. The initial investment and potential replacement costs if the device is lost or damaged can be a drawback. Also, with data collection comes privacy concerns. Wearables usually have some type of Bluetooth or wired connection to your phone, tablet, or computer to access data and other features. Users may worry about how their personal health data is stored and who has access to it. Ensuring the security of this sensitive information is a priority.

One of the most notable concerns is that while fitness wearables have improved in accuracy, they are not infallible. Factors like wrist placement, skin type, and device calibration can affect the precision of measurements. Users should be aware of these limitations and not base health decisions solely on information provided by the device.

Relying solely on a fitness wearable to gauge your health can be problematic. These devices do not replace a doctor’s advice or comprehensive health assessments. They are tools, not substitutes for healthy habits, preventative screenings, and regular checkups.

Some users become overly fixated on their fitness data, which can lead to stress or unhealthy behaviors. It’s essential to maintain a balanced perspective and not obsess over numbers. I speak to individuals often that berate themselves for not getting a minimum step count for a day instead of looking at an average over a week—some days are simply more active than others.

Other individuals will concentrate on calories burned in a workout, which is wildly inaccurate because it takes more information than your height, weight, and heartrate to determine individual calorie expenditure—and in turn, using apps that track dietary information require accuracy that few provide well—so a level of frustration that occurs when someone does not see results trying to rely on calorie-in-calorie-out data.

Data from fitness wearables provides information and can be a valuable tool, but a reliance on this data can go further than stress, to affecting someone’s mental health, causing someone to engage in orthorexia-like activities (highly restrictive eating, overexercising), and other damaging practices.

Fitness wearables offer motivation, accountability, and valuable data when used in conjunction with habits and other healthy behaviors. However, their cost, privacy concerns, and the risk of overreliance are important factors to consider. It’s crucial to strike a balance between using these devices as a helpful tool and maintaining a holistic approach to health and wellness. Ultimately, the key to a successful wellness journey is to use technology as a complement to, rather than a replacement for, your natural intuition, common sense, and professional guidance when it comes to health and well-being.

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