How are you doing with your fitness goals that you set at the beginning of the year? Oh! Well, that’s okay. If you’re like many seniors, your best intentions may have been way-layed by life events. Not to worry, there are plenty of ways to get back on track, no matter what.
One of the best ways is to track your progress. Thanks to so many fitness gadgets and watches, it’s becoming easier and enjoyable to do.
If not, even a simple notebook or calendar will suffice if you don’t have an electronic fitness tracker. Simply record your goals, activities and health benchmarks (current test results). Each time you engage in behaviors that will contribute toward your goals, write them down.
Even better is to use an electronic “smart” fitness tracker. Today’s trackers provide a way for everyone to take charge of their health and exercise, recording output (steps, distance covered, calories burned, food logs) and input (food and calories consumed), along with weight, heart rate, hydration, and sleep. If you haven’t tried one of these popular devices, I encourage you to start with one of the free apps for a smartphone. I think you’ll find that it’s fun to get feedback on your efforts.
My Fitness Tracker
My personal experience using a fitness tracking device for four years is that a step tracker has a positive effect on motivation. For example, if I know I took 10,000 steps yesterday (the American Heart Association’s daily recommendation), I can decide to increase my goal the next day. And when I see that I recorded only 8,000 steps, I might decide to walk to the store instead of jumping in the car. Little motivational efforts add up and count for a lot.
Another reason trackers are fun is that they are social. I can share results with a friend and we can even compete. Most trackers allow you to connect with friends to view their data. This built-in social aspect makes the solitary work of fitness much more enjoyable.
While the numbers aren’t 100 percent accurate, one latest device, a Fitbit wrist model, has been tested at 90 percent accuracy. It also tells time and replaces the need for a watch. I used one for a long time before deciding to upgrade to another system.
For the last two years I’ve been wearing an Apple Watch to track my progress. It seems accurate enough for my purposes and is convenient and easy to use.
To find out more about wearable tech, use Google or any search engine. New devices are coming online all the time, so read the reviews and choose one that best suits your needs. Here’s to your senior fitness, for life!
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