As warmer months arrive, many seniors may look forward to the warm weather ahead and sunny days spent with friends and family. As much time as we've spent indoors for the last year, active seniors are likely eager to get out of their assisted living apartments and enjoy the new season. If you're trying to get more active for this spring, you might want to consider investing in a fitness watch.
User-friendly and lightweight, a fitness watch is a small tech device that can help seniors track and manage their fitness goals. These types of devices can provide motivation for older adults to get more active as apart of their everyday lives. Fitness watches offer many features that can be helpful for seniors who want to succeed with fitness or health goals. These watches are designed to aid seniors in managing a daily exercise routine, keep track of the number of calories burned during a workout, record progress and perform many other functions.
These devices allow seniors to customize their personal goals for fitness, monitor heart health (helpful for those who struggle with cardiovascular-related issues) and keep track of sleeping patterns.
Almost everyone has struggled with maintaining fitness routines. Whether you have a sweet tooth you've been meaning to curb or have difficulty finding motivation, a fitness tracker can help kickstart your daily fitness routine. Wearing one daily helps you become more aware of your routine, especially how much you're moving, so you can work on being consistent with those patterns.
Active seniors also might be seeking some independence when trying to establish a daily exercise routine. Fitness watches give seniors the ability to keep a close eye on their vitals. Most watches come with a built-in heart rate monitor that helps you understand how your heart is doing as you move or when you're at rest.
Other important features that fitness trackers offer include calorie calculators that can measure how many calories you are losing during each workout, the ability to provide feedback on how your workout is going in real-time and records of your personal bests. This is especially helpful for seniors looking to lose weight and to stay motivated by being aware of the progress they're making over time. Another feature that is often overlooked is that fitness watches can track your sleep patterns, which can help you understand even more about your physiological needs.
It's important to address some key differences between fitness watches and popular smart watches like the Apple Watch. Both offer fitness-related applications that help users manage their health goals, but smart watches offer many more features that include text messaging and receiving phone calls.
Although you might think you want all the features, it might not be what you need from your watch. Fitness trackers are specifically designed for exercise and physical activity, and they won't provide as many of the distractions that smart watches might. They can also be easier to operate—not to mention the fact that the extra features on smart watches tend to make them much more expensive.
There are many reliable brands of fitness trackers to choose from, so it's important to be certain of your preferences when selecting the perfect watch for you. If you're looking to purchase a fitness watch in the future, here are a few recommended watches from the two most trusted brands in fitness trackers.
Fitbit is a fitness brand well-known for its lightweight, compact fitness watches. The touch-screen interface allows seniors to jump right into a healthier lifestyle with a swipe of their finger.
This watch offers Bluetooth connectivity, is water-resistant and can last up to 5 days without a recharge. The Fitbit Inspire HR has a uniquely designed elastomer wristband that makes the band flexible and malleable, which is good for seniors who plan to incorporate a weight routine with the durable wristband.
The Fitbit Charge 3 is a bit more pricey than the Inspire HR, but it comes with more refined and accurate features such as a better calorie calculator. It's also water-proof and can keep a week-long battery life without recharge. This watch also features the ability to change what type of workout you're doing so you can track activities such as running, cycling and yoga.
Garmin's Forerunner series is a favorite among avid runners. With its large touch screen and user-friendly button navigation, this is a great option for seniors who want advanced features in a fitness watch without making the device harder to use.
The Forerunner 235 has smart notifications that work when you connect your smartphone. You can receive emails, text messages and other information right on your wrist. This watch holds a charge up to 9 days, though more active seniors may find they need to charge their device a bit more often.
This is an older but cheaper model of the Forerunner series that may be ideal for those who prefer a simple, easy-to-use interface. This watch also works with Garmin Connect and supports music when paired with a compatible phone.
