The fitness industry is entering another important phase. Technology, when used appropriately, can help people identify areas in their health and fitness routines that need improvement. In his new blog, certified personal fitness instructor Johnny Gillespie reveals his thoughts about those high-tech fitness wrist bands, and the fitness apps that can be downloaded to your smart phone. “I actually think they have some benefit. But like anything else, you have to look at them as a tool. Not an excuse,” he writes.
He explains that the fitness devices and apps are good, if you are using them to keep yourself accountable. “But my wife read an article recently that said many people who use this kind of fitness technology are actually gaining weight. Their rationale is that they think they can eat more, since they moved so much! Don’t fall into that trap,” he cautions.
Use these things as they are intended. They can be really good, for example, at counting the number of steps you take each day. “Maybe you didn’t realize how sedentary you are. Maybe you’ll buy a headset and move around while you’re on a conference call. Some devices also read your sleep patterns. Maybe you’ll discover that the reason you’re always so tired is that you’re not getting good quality sleep at night. Maybe you’ll see a difference after taking Suntheanine for a couple nights in a row,” he advises.
But by itself, there’s not an app or a device that will replace Hatha yoga for stress relief, or a good old-fashioned weight training and resistance training for strength and conditioning.
“Just as there’s still no miracle pill that will, by itself, cause you to lose weight while you continue to sit on the couch and eat ice cream, technology by itself won’t improve your physical fitness. But like the bathroom mirror, technology may provide you with insights that show you where to focus your energies so that you get better results,” writes Gillespie.
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