Components of Wellness We Should be Tracking

With the seemingly endless amount of technology in the fitness world, a person begins to question if any of it is really necessary, and if so, what and why. To answer these questions you need to know what goals you are setting and how you plan to achieve them. Instead of comparing the many types of fitness trackers, diets, and workout plans, I will talk about the information you will need to manage your health and wellness. This will in turn allow you to choose what type of tracker is best for you.

Throughout college I remember being told it is always best to collect as much data as possible when performing a research study in order to determine the factors affecting the outcome. This is also true when it comes to your fitness tracker, because your training program is a single-subject experiment, YOU. The more information you have, the more feedback from your day you're getting, the clearer the picture.

There are so many aspects to living healthy, but we only need to focus on a few to really start seeing a difference in our bodies and the way we feel. The trifecta of fitness data is heart rate ranges (intensity), diet and recovery (sleep). Tracking the number of steps is important also, especially if you are just starting your exercise program, but as you get into a routine, these other variables will be much more important. 

• Heart Rate: First off, know your resting and active heart rate ranges. This is the basis in which you will gauge the intensity of your physical activity throughout the day.  Most individuals should maintain 50-85% of their max heart rate during exercise. This website will help you find those ranges. (Note if you are on certain blood pressure meds like beta-blockers, this will not be accurate).
• Diet: Once we move past the activity aspect of fitness, we need to assess how we are fueling our bodies with our dietary choices. The easier it is to enter this information accurately, the better. Some trackers use bar code scanners, most have food libraries to assist with entry as well. 
• Recovery: We train, we eat, and now we need to allow our bodies to recover. A full night sleep is important for our immune system, mental health, and overall physical well-being. 

Regardless of your health or fitness goals, an activity tracker can be a great wellness partner in your journey. It will keep you accountable, goad you to achieve more and give you confidence in your routine.