By Michael Krueger
Just so you are aware of where I’m coming from and in the name of full disclosure, I want to state that I don’t wear a fitness tracker and I’ve never worn one. I never felt the need, nor do I see any specific benefit for me.
I know many people who have worn a fitness tracker. You name the brand and model, and I probably know someone who’s worn one. They spoke with much excitement of the benefits they would see and the positive results they would experience.
I only know a person or two who currently wears a fitness tracker …
…What happened?
The Promise
First, a few statistics. Industry numbers show that more than a third of fitness tracker users abandon them in the first six months and more than half ultimately stop using them altogether. That’s actually better compliance than for people who join and abandon gym memberships (that’s about 80 percent), but it’s still awfully high for a technology that could be beneficial to many people.
People who were already exercising were divided on whether or not the trackers were useful. Some felt that trackers simply told them what they already knew. First, they said the trackers didn’t supply anything that improved their training, so why bother? Second, they felt that trackers sometimes gave muddled or contradictory data and often didn’t even record their activity. On the upside, some felt that the data regarding their nontraining hours were interesting and perhaps could be used to up their daily activity level.
People new to exercise or who had problems maintaining an exercise program experienced the most problems and frustrations. These people didn’t know quite what to expect from their device and because of that didn’t get very much. They were hoping that their new tracker would provide motivation but found that raw data aren’t particularly motivating. They were made aware of how many steps they took but not how to effectively increase that number. They learned that they weren’t getting enough sleep, but it didn’t tell them how to cut back on work or Netflix binge watching or whatever else was cutting into their sleep.
Some said that they didn’t track their activities accurately although they couldn’t point to anything specific; they just felt that they were “doing more stuff” than the device indicated. Others were frustrated because they received “credit” for steps but hardly anything for strength training. Some complained that the one they purchased wasn’t waterproof (you’d think if they were swimmers they would have considered that before purchasing) or that it was uncomfortable or ugly, the battery didn’t last long enough, or that they had trouble remembering to put it on and it was too easy to lose. An interesting complaint was that after the initial excitement of buying it, putting it on, showing it off, joining the online community, and setting a goal, the tracker turned into an annoying little nag–always there, constantly telling them what to do or that they weren’t doing enough. Some liked the idea of knowing how any steps they took in a day, while others said it made going for a walk a competition, a death march rather than a delight. Others said that they liked the health data such as heart rate while other said they became obsessed with it and found themselves constantly checking to see if it was up or down. Of course, some of these are (more or less) valid and addressable complaints. Unfortunately, often they were used as excuses to throw the device, along with their exercise program, into a drawer and quit. So, in my analysis, the reasons given for quitting on the trackers reflect the frustrations and fallout of unreasonable expectations. This situation shouldn’t have surprised anyone; it’s human nature in action.
Finally, let’s talk about marketing. These devices are sold as the solution to all your exercise problems. Just go online, make your payment, and the next day a box arrives at your door containing the solution to all your problems. It’s as if wrapping a watch around your wrist will change everything. It’s still the same wrist attached to the same body guided by the same mind that didn’t exercise before you made the purchase.
As with all things designed to capture and captivate people with glitter, glitz, and big promises, when they don’t pan out we get frustrated and then bored; it’s just the way we are. Of course, the next step is assigning blame; it’s can’t be our fault, it’s the device’s fault (see the excuses above). But wait! Look! The 2.0 version is out, and it will address all my complaints and solve all my problems … where’s my credit card?!
How It Can Work?
It may seem that I have nothing but disdain for this technology, but that’s not (entirely) true. I don’t care for the marketing and big promises that so often cause frustration and heartache for those who believed the hype. For most people, calling it a “fitness tracker” is more than a bit optimistic. But, I’m a fan of useful data, provided you put this newfound knowledge into practical use.
No fitness tracker can change your behavior. No scale ever made anyone lose weight, just as no new piece of trendy fitness equipment made anyone get fit. They are all simply tools that you must use to get the results you want.
The data provided by a fitness tracker can be used by you to modify your behavior in very positive ways. You may find after a few days’ worth of data that you are even more sedentary than you thought and that might at least get you thinking about your lifestyle. Some people who regularly get up and go for a walk or work out every morning are surprised to find that the rest of the day they hardly move at all. This info can help them to plan short exercise breaks throughout their day. They not only use some additional calories (if they are trying to lose weight) but the added activity can reduce their risk for cardiovascular disease.
For some people, just putting on their tracker focuses their mind just as putting on workout clothes or walking into the gym does for others. They are aware that for the rest of the day they will be accumulating data that they can use to improve their health and fitness. This helps them to make better decisions all day long and not just involving the parameters that their tracker will record.
Doing obvious things like parking on the far end of the lot or taking the stairs will show up in a quantifiable way at the end of the day. But self-awareness in their activities and movements, understanding why they do what they do, why they eat what they eat, how they think, and how they deal with stress and food and drink temptations are things that don’t come directly from the fitness tracker but rather from applying the information to take control of their lives.
And if these positive changes are triggered by a digital device they wear on their wrist, then I’m all for it.
It’s All Up to You
As always and in all things, it’s up to you to live the life you want. If this involves digital monitoring, so be it. If you like data and new toys, that’s the way to go. If this isn’t your idea of progress or fun, then pass on it.
Knowing how you work, how you think, what’s important to you, and what you are willing to do to get it is the secret to your success.
So, if you know exactly how many steps you took yesterday, good for you, and if you know how many trips to the bathroom you made, that’s nice too …
just remember, some things are best kept to yourself!
Michael Krueger is an NSCA-certified personal trainer. He got his start in fitness training while serving in the United States Coast Guard. He works with firefighters and others in and around Madison, Wisconsin. He is available to fire departments, civic organizations, and athletic teams for training, consulting, and speaking engagements. He has published numerous articles on fitness, health, and the mind-body connection and was a featured speaker at the IAFC’s FRI 2009 Health Day in Dallas, Texas. E-mail him at MKPTLLC@gmail.
