Clip-on Fitness Trackers. Wearing them may sound like you are openly advertising your health or having to wear some nasty and inconvenient plastic on your wrist. But don’t worry, with the rate of how fast our technology is evolving, the market has now moved well away from old-fashioned bulky fitness trackers only offering the ability to measure the number of steps.
Clip-on fitness trackers that can clip to your waistbands, bras, or belts are now available. But before getting into the details, let us first analyze the benefits of digital health and how fitness trackers fit well in the 21st-century holistic healthcare approach.
What do Fitness Trackers do?
Most fitness trackers count steps, track the distance you have traveled, show how many calories you have already burned, and measure your sleep quality while syncing this data and information straight to an app on your smartphone. Most of the fitness trackers are compatible with both Android and iOS devices.
These smart devices can quickly figure out your movement, whether you are running or spinning. The alarm in the fitness tracker also reminds and informs you about different things like- how many steps you have done today, overall distance, if you have drunk enough water, slept at the right time, and so much more.
More advanced fitness tracker devices can even track and monitor your heart rate, and some of them will also contain a GPS to define your current location and altitude. These devices offer you personalized solutions if you plan to achieve specific health and fitness goals.
Will they make me fit?
Well, it depends. Let’s say you spend your day just sitting down in front of your computer, eating a lot of takeouts, and having no time to hit the gym, then a good way to make a difference is to challenge yourself to take 10,000 steps a day, which your fitness tracker could record.
However, steps may help improve your health, but it is not the type of exercise that can help you reach your long-term fitness goals. It would help if you remembered that certain aspects of your life affect it, such as having enough sleep, the right diet, and a good workout regimen. Most fitness trackers can measure your sleep quality to make sure you have taken enough rest and also offer food-logging features.
If you aim to lose weight, you must pay close attention to what you are eating and the type of exercise you incorporate into your routine.
If you are already active and your goal is to become fitter, you must challenge your strength by incorporating some workout routines that get your heart rate up.
Are Fitness Trackers Accurate?
This question is kind of complicated. None of these devices are FDA-approved. It is important to note that fitness tracker devices are continually changing and updating. Some of these devices can perform better than others in measuring specific data. It mostly depends on how these trackers are worn on the body.
The accuracy of fitness trackers is affected by certain variables. First, high-end trackers that will be a bit more costly will provide you with more accurate results than the cheaper ones. Constantly updating your personal data such as your weight will also enhance your fitness tracker’s accuracy when calculating the number of calories spent.
These products are also hard to scrutinize because companies do not reveal the proprietary algorithms they use to measure your biometrics. For privacy reasons, they also provide limited access to the data and information they collect.
Most of the time, people buy these devices to track their steps. According to a review of 22 studies that analyzed these devices, fitness trackers like Fitbit and Jawbone are generally providing reliable data. Some doctors find that these devices’ heart-rate monitoring is reliable and accurate enough to be used in emergency medical situations.
Basically, the price is a key factor in the reliability and accuracy of the results you will collect with such devices.
Uses and Benefits of Using A Fitness Tracker
A fitness tracker provides convenient solutions to people interested in achieving a specific health or fitness goal. Here are a few uses and benefits of using this device:
- Keep track of your progress
- Free workout trainer and tips
- Helps in setting achievable goals
- Monitor your health
- User-friendly interface
- Help you stay motivated
- All in good measure
Clip-On Fitness Trackers
Some people dislike wearing wristbands or smartwatches, especially when they do not want any sweat build-up on their wrist when working out. With all different kinds of brands of fitness trackers available in the market today, you might find a hard time choosing which is the best device that would work correctly for your needs and preference.
Generally, you would want a lightweight clip-on fitness tracker. You want to forget about it and only benefit from the results at the end of the training session without worrying about the device.
Is it Worth the Investment?
Achieving your health goals can be done by actively tracking your steps. Fitness Trackers does the job while also providing you with more benefits for both your health and wellness. Here are some reasons why you should invest in a clip-on tracker as a workout companion:
- Lightweight and discreet
- Convenient for people with wearing item restrictions in their working area
- Integrated with your mobile devices for convenient tracking
- Battery life can last you for 4 to 8 months long
- Comes in with features of a wrist fitness tracker
Overall, you are investing conveniently and smartly to keep track of your workouts and improving your chances of reaching your health and fitness goals.
Considerations When Buying the Best Tracker
There are certain factors you must consider when shopping for a clip-on fitness tracker that will meet your workout needs and style preference. Here is a guide with the important factors you must pay close attention to.
Battery’s Life
This is one of the essential factors you should keep in mind when choosing and buying a clip-on fitness tracker. The longer the lifespan of your clip-on fitness tracking device, the easier it will be for you to track your health goals without having to charge or regularly change the battery. Most fitness trackers come with a battery that lasts for 4 to 8 months, just like a standard watch, it varies on how frequently you use it.
Device Compatibility
A good clip-on fitness tracker must easily sync with the smartphone you are currently using. Most devices allow connecting to your other devices through Bluetooth or WiFi. So, this way, you will have direct access to how your workout performance is going.
The Extras
Besides the features mentioned, there are some functions you must not neglect when checking out or choosing a clip-on fitness tracker. These will include the watch, altimeter, barometer, calories burned, water resistance, sleep monitor, and GPS to check your distance and speed.
Some Worthy to Mention Clip-on Fitness Trackers
Here are some fitness trackers that offer an alternative and can be clipped to your jeans’ waistband or attached to a shirt or a bra when you are not planning to show it off during the day.
Fitbit Inspire 2
Price when reviewed: $68.95 + $9.99 (clip on case)
Few people know that you can take the module out from the Fitbit Inspire 2. Using an additional clip-case, the Fitbit Inspire 2 can be used as an accessory that can be worn anywhere on your body. You can affix it to your belt, bra, or anywhere else you want. However, it doesn’t allow you to track your heart rate because this data can only be checked using optical sensors that require contact with the skin. The information you get relates to step counting, sleep patterns, and calories burned. All of them being synchronize and available with the Fitbit app.
Bellabeat Leaf Urban
Price when reviewed: $85.99
This clip-on fitness tracker has been a huge hit, thanks to its distinctive and unique design and aptitude as a clip-on fitness tracker. The data provided is a little basic with just the steps and sleep tracked, but there are some unique features. This device is targeted at women, where this can be worn as a brooch or worn at the wrist. The app features the menstrual cycle, fertility tracking, and meditation. This is not an automatic tracker, but it provides a lot of wellness data in one app.
Realalt 3DTriSport
Price when reviewed: $24.99
This clip-on tracker comes in five different colors and uses an e-paper screen to keep track of your daily progress. It is mainly designed to be clipped onto your clothing. Aside from accurately counting steps, it offers a large display, a 30-day built-in memory, and the included battery will last up to 12 months. If you want a tracker that provides a quick display of your progress, this device ticks most boxes.
Clip-on Fitness Trackers in a nutshell
We hope that you now know more about clip-on fitness trackers and that you will confidently head to the nearest fitness store and purchase one for yourself. There is no doubt that these little devices help track your progress while pursuing your fitness activities. Using this device helps you keep track of your health goals and stay motivated in reaching them. But most importantly, they will help you stay motivated!