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3 Fitness Tracker Tips To Improve Weight Loss

by Mae Ferguson

Fitness trackers, whether you wear them around your waist or clip them to a belt, are one of the latest gadgets available to help you lose weight and get more fit. Most are made to be used in tandem with an app on your smartphone that will help you track steps, calories burned, activity and sleep levels, and even your heart rate. Unfortunately, simply wearing a tracker isn't enough to help the pounds drop off. The following tips can help you get the most of your tracker.

Tip #1: Customize Your Settings

Every tracker available is made to be customized to the user. Make sure you are honest when entering the details, like height, weight, and activity level, since this information helps the device track your activity levels and calories burned more accurately. You should also calibrate the device to your movements. The way this is done differs by device, but it is usually done by activating something in the app, and then walking for a specified distance. This allows the device to time you and determine the length of your stride.

Tip #2: Use the Food Trackers

Many fitness trackers also allow food tracking, but you will have to enter this information manually. This is another area where honesty really matters. By accurately entering servings sizes and foods eaten, you will get a more realistic picture of your dining habits. This can help you find trouble areas and devise solutions. For example, if your tracker shows you have a sugary snack mid-afternoon most days, you may want to switch to a healthier, protein-rich snack to up your energy at this time. Many trackers now allow you to use your phone to scan food item bar codes, which makes it easier to input your meals.

Tip #3: Try the Buddy System

Fitness trackers may not be enough on their own. While monitoring is helpful for finding bad habits or places where you can improve your activity levels, they aren't always enough to keep you motivated. Fortunately, the apps usually allow you to set up buddies or teams. You and your buddies can track each others' progress or even set up friendly competitions to encourage everyone to increase their activity levels. Some trackers also work with third party apps, so you can be buddies with those using different trackers or no tracker at all. Another option is to work with a weight loss clinic. The tracker will provide monitoring, while the clinic will provide the support you need.

For a weight loss clinic in your area, contact a company like Chicago Weight Loss Clinic.

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