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My husband wanted a Fitbit for Father’s Day after hearing his son and some of his patients talk about how they felt the device made a difference in their lives. One of his patients especially felt the tracker motivated her to exercise and that she had lost weight as a result.

Today most fitness trackers count steps, track distance covered, show calories burned and measure sleep while presenting this information through an App on your phone in an easy to understand way. Fancier versions can monitor your heart rate and use GPS to track your location. Though there are not many scientific studies on exactly how exact these devices are, most devices are fairly accurate at counting steps but data is mixed when measuring calories burned and heart rate.

Fitness trackers measure sleep by using sensors called accelerometers which basically detect the wearer’s motion and speed. While fitness trackers can measure the amount of sleep you get, they are prone to mistakes. Some trackers claim to be able to measure how long you spend in light versus deep sleep or even REM sleep. Experts aren’t so sure these are true readings. Therefore if you think you have a sleep disorder or some type of sleep issue, it would be better to have a sleep study done by a medical professional.

The main question is: Do these devices help you lose weight and become more fit so that they are worth the cost? The answer varies from person to person but overall, unless you are motivated and use other means to achieve your health goals than a fitness tracker alone, probably not. That said, I’m in favor of anything that reminds or encourages people to exercise so if you aren’t doing anything at all and a fitness tracker would help to get you moving, get one! Fitness trackers can be part of the path to leading a healthy lifestyle, especially if you like using technology and love data.

Select a fitness tracker based on your needs; consider price, style and the activities you plan to do. Prices on Amazon range from $36.95 for the Withings Go to over $500 for the Apple Watch Series 2. Style and comfort are important if you are going to continue to wear it. Also consider whether you need a waterproof version so you don’t ruin it taking a shower or jumping in the pool.

Use your fitness tracker as a part of your overall plan to achieve your health goals. It’s great for a little motivation on those days when you’d like to be a couch potato or to remind you that you need to get more sleep than you currently are. You still have to eat a healthy, balanced diet and avoid consuming too many calories.

My son enjoys the competitive feature on his Fitbit. His friends challenge each other and compete to see who has done the most exercise. My husband has enjoyed using his Fitbit because it does encourage him to go for a walk after work if he hasn’t reached his exercise goal for the day.