When it comes to fitness tracking, there are many options. Fitbit is the industry leader, but there are different options. Behind Fitbit is the Garmin Vivofit, and Nike used to make a Fuelband that you can still buy online. Another option is the Apple Watch, but much more expensive than the rest of the fitness trackers in the industry. Fitbit really put fitness trackers on the map and increased their popularity, and now they have more than five different products just for personal fitness monitoring. Fitbit Charge is your best product when it comes to price and product features. Fitbit has more and less expensive options if the Charge has a bit more features than you’re looking for, but I really think it has the best value.

The Fitbit Charge monitors the steps taken by the user, the distance traveled (on foot, of course), the calories burned, the flights of stairs climbed, the number of active minutes (when the heart rate is above a certain level) and heart rate. It also tracks sleep and has an alarm to wake you up. You keep track of these numbers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and all the information is available to view on the device screen. It is then sent to the application where the user can view their physical activity history. These features are beneficial to a user’s fitness goals because you want to make sure you get at least 10,000 steps, as well as meet the other goals that Fitbit will help you set. The great thing about the Fitbit is that while you wear it, it gives you a little more motivation to stay active. The tracker also has advanced features that know the movements of certain exercises and record them in your Fitbit profile. Fitbit also has a community where you can compete with family and friends to stay active and have fun with the competition. To say the least, this piece of technology is a great device to help you meet and exceed your fitness goals. The price is $ 149.95 but it will be worth it if you use it every day.

The next item I’d like to recommend is a bit cheaper than the Fitbit Charge. It’s the free app called MyFitnessPal. I downloaded this app late last year and it has blown me away. This app is so awesome that I feel guilty that it’s free. Get started by creating a profile with MyFitnessPal. Enter your gender, height, weight, and weight loss / gain goal. MyFitnessPal then creates a profile for you and tells you exactly how many calories you should eat per day.

After finishing your profile, your job is to register your food on MyFitnessPal every time you eat. The amount of food that MyFitnessPal has in its database is staggering. I have never scanned a food that did not have MyFitnessPal. All you have to do is scan the barcode or search for the food and record it in your journal. It keeps track of all the nutrients in each food and shows it to you in a diagram. The chart has your total amount of each nutrient consumed (protein, carbohydrates, fiber, sugar, fat, cholesterol, sodium, potassium, vitamin A and C, calcium, and iron), your goal for the day, and the amount you have available in your food intake or in the percentage of the daily value that you still need. MyFitnessPal also keeps track of how much water you drink throughout the day. One benefit of MyFitnessPal is that it tracks your steps and you can also add exercise and my calories and other nutrients are allowed if you have an active day.