For some women the thought of exercise during pregnancy is as appealing as a root canal without novacane. In their minds they have a nine month pass to keeping up with their gym routine. The first three months they are battling morning sickness and exhaustion. The next three months they are beginning to show. The last three months are so uncomfortable that walking ten feet to the bathroom is pure torture, so there is no way they will be able to walk on a treadmill for ten minutes.

On the other side of the coin, there are some women who do not let something as little as creating a life stand in their way of exercise. These are the women we might see actually teaching a class at the gym, or speed walking throughout our neighborhood with their protruding bellies.

Most of us however fall somewhere in the middle and that is just how their doctors like it. Exercise comes highly recommended when pregnant. Not only does it help control weight gain, but some women swear it helps with delivery also. There are some things to keep in mind in order to protect yourself and your growing little one.

For starters you need to keep an eye on your heart rate as you are working out. Letting your heart rate rise to high could be dangerous to your little one especially in your first trimester. You want to maintain a steady heart rate and should do the talk test throughout your workout to make sure you are at a safe level. The talk test is when you talk during your workout. If you are having a hard time talking and wind up huffy and puffing more than getting out actual words, then you are working too hard and need to take it down. Most doctors recommend that you work at a pace where talking is challenging but still doable.

Pregnancy is not the time to try out new exercise routines. This means that you should not try the new spinning class that your gym offers. Stick with the routine you have already been doing and that your body is use to. You may find that you have to make some modifications to some of your exercises as your pregnancy progresses. If you are a runner, a modified low impact jog through out your first trimester is fine but once you enter your second trimester and begin to show, your jog has to be brought down to a walk. For those of you who love sit ups, crunches and floor pushups, you can continue to do these up until you hit about 14 weeks or so. After that time period no floor exercises are recommending.

If you do not have any sort of exercise routine in place before you get pregnant, this still does not give you a free pass. Almost every doctor will tell you that walking is a great exercise for any pregnant women who are not high risk. Walking at least thirty minutes, three times a week is a safe way for a pregnant woman to stay active.

Walking is something you can do through out all three trimesters though you might find yourself moving at a slower pace by your third trimester. Another great plus to walking, especially as you approach your due date, is that walking can actually bring on labor. Many doctors will advise their patients to walk, walk and walk some more in the weeks leading up to their due dates to get things rolling. Some women who have walked throughout their entire pregnancy have an easier delivery and recovery period.

The days of pregnant women kicking their feet up and not moving from the couch for nine months are days of the past. While strenuous exercise is a no no pregnancy is no longer a good excuse to stop moving.

Technological advancement has given rise to many smart applications that not only improve efficiency but also make tracking and monitoring of different activities easier.
It's always important to monitor your progress as far as your health and fitness regimen is concerned. A fitness tracker is therefore that application or device used in tracking and monitoring fitness goals. It measures metrics such as distance run or walked, rate of heartbeat, calories consumed and sometimes even the quality of your sleep. Most of these tracking devices are wirelessly synchronized to a smartphone or computer for the purposes of regular data tracking and reporting.

In many cases, people have fitness goals or targets, whether monthly or on a daily basis, that they hope to achieve. Monitoring the progress of your fitness regimen can be a challenge especially if you are not a certified fitness trainer or health practitioner. Fitness tracking devices give you the capability to monitor your progress and determine how far you are from meeting your targets, or if indeed you achieved or exceeded them. Most of them are wearable and can also serve as regular digital watches. Some people wear them as accessories because of their fashion forward designs. These devices have become so main stream that some firms have decided to use them in encouraging consumers to live healthily.

The electronic fitness trackersare basically an advanced version of pedometers. Apart from counting

steps, they also use accelerometers to determine distance covered, graph general physical activity and

calculate calorie usage. In some cases they also keep track of and graph quality of sleep and heart rate. As you go about your fitness routines, there are various activities that you engage in such as walking, running, swimming, jogging, bike rides and normal house chores. It is important that you stay true to your goals and monitor your progress because that is the only way you'll be able to achieve your objectives.

A fitness tracker is an ideal way to easily monitor your activity with great accuracy. You can imagine it to be an electronic finger on your pulse, measuring your vitals on a regular basis. These trackers have made use of the latest technology to enable fitness enthusiasts monitor their activities and keep track of their progress. Most people spend so much time on their smartphones or tablets which is why fitness trackers are synchronized with these devices for report displays. Trackers can also be connected to social media apps like Facebook but one has to be careful since there are some instances when private information has ended up in the internet and public domain. There are different trackers available in the market and people can therefore make buying decisions based on prices, functionality and personal style.

A lot of us rely on our morning cup of coffee or tea to wake up and feel more alert in the morning. This can help us to clear the fog of ‘sleep inertia’ that will typically follow us around for a while after we have been asleep and it has been shown in studies to improve memory, focus and even long-term brain health.

And yet despite all this, caffeine is also something we’re often told not to rely on too much. We’re told that caffeine is bad for us and that it is addictive. So what’s the reality? Should we use it to wake up? Or are we causing more harm than good?

How Caffeine Works

A good place to start is by looking at precisely what caffeine does to the body.

Essentially, caffeine’s effects occur because it is able to replace a substance called adenosine. Caffeine and adenosine are molecularly very similar and this means that when you have more caffeine in the blood, your body will mistake it for adenosine.

This then allows the caffeine to bind to adenosine receptors, preventing it from being effective. It’s like putting a fake key in the lock so that the real key can’t fit in.

To understand what caffeine does then, we need to figure out what it stops adenosine from doing. And the easy answer to that, is that it prevents adenosine from making us feel groggy and sleepy. Adenosine is a by-product of the energy process in the brain and so the longer we’re awake and more we use our brain, the more adenosine builds up. Adenosine is a neuroinhibitor, meaning that it reduces activity in the brain cells and makes them less likely to fire. That’s why we can barely think by the end of the day and need to go to sleep.

When you consume caffeine, it reverses this effect, making us feel more awake and alert. This then triggers a cascade of other neurotransmitters in the brain associated with wakefulness and attention – such as dopamine (the motivation neurotransmitter), such as norepinephrine (an analogue of adrenaline) and such as cortisol.

The Good and the Bad

So the good news is that caffeine really does wake you up and it really does make you more focussed. The bad news is that in many ways, caffeine acts like ‘stress in a cup’ – it triggers the release of excitatory neurotransmitters that are normally associated with ‘fight or flight’ and this is why we feel anxious and see our heartrate increase. This isn’t good if you’re someone who is already stressed at work and it means that sometimes caffeine is the last thing you need.

The other problem is that this can cause changes in the brain that make you dependent on caffeine. This is where withdrawal symptoms come from and it’s why some people actually need that coffee before they can wake up.

So what should you do? It all depends on your personal biology and habits. Just try not to rely too much on your cuppa Joe!

This relatively short weight loss report will probably not be like any other weight loss guide you may have read before. This report is different.

You’re probably wondering, “How is it different?”

For starters, there is barely any sugar coating in this report. You will not find any ridiculously bold statements such as “Lose 10 pounds in 7 days!” or “Shed your fat in 5 easy minutes a day!”

Nope… It’s not going to happen. The weight loss pills sold on infomercials and sitting comfortably on the health store shelves are not going to work either.

Weight loss is not easy. Whatever you may have heard, rest assured that it is not easy. If losing weight was easy and came in a bottle, obesity would not have reached epidemic proportions.

The concepts of weight loss are very simple. Everybody knows that you just need to eat less and exercise more. We all know the foods that are best avoided. We also know the wholesome foods that we’re supposed to eat.

We know all that but we don’t do it. The spirit is willing but the flesh is often weak. The sacrifices, the effort, the waiting for slow results… it all seems too much. Finally, the towel is thrown in and we accept our fate that we were born to be fat.

This is a very common scenario that millions of people experience.

Despite the fact that millions give up on their weight loss quest, it’s not all gloom and doom. There is a sliver of hope. If you digest the pointers in this report, you will be well-prepared for the weight loss journey that lies ahead.

It is also worth noting that this report is just a primer to give you a head start and make you aware of what mistakes most people make in regards to weight loss.

Ideally, you will want to get solid, in-depth information and guidance to help you shed the pounds quickly. There are several bestselling weight loss guides sold online such as the 3 Week Diet program which have helped thousands in their journey. You might want to give these programs a try.

Are you ready for a wake-up call? You are? Excellent! Read on.

The Hard Truths You MUST Know!

Truth #1

It’s NOT easy. Once you understand this truth, the rest of the journey will be more bearable. Many people quit because they do not see results fast enough. They work their butts off for two weeks and expect all their flab to miraculously vaporize.

When it doesn’t happen, they get depressed and feel like their efforts have been in vain.

It is difficult. Sticking to a diet and eating right when your body craves junk food is a torture. Training on days when you’re totally not in the mood for exercise, requires herculean will-power. It’s tough.

Yet, it’s par for the course.

The number one New Year resolution is to lose weight and get in shape. Most people feel excited and actually believe that this time they can do it. By January 20, more than 90% have given up on this resolution.

Why?

They quit because they thought it would be easy. Once the diet and training start becoming mundane and the initial excitement wanes, reality sets in. They realize it is no fun at all. So, they quit.

Tip: If you’re about to embark on a weight loss quest, tell yourself that it’s going to be tough as hell. Lose any unrealistic expectations that you may have. Always remember, it’s going to be hard… but you’re going to do it hard and succeed!

Truth #2

Losing weight takes time. Nowadays, we live in a world of instant updates, text messaging, Instagram, etc. Everything is fast and people expect no less.

Your body however, does not follow society’s pace of life. Your body follows its own internal schedule and can’t give two hoots about how desperate you are to see results fast.

It will take its time and burn off the fat. Forget what the magazines say about getting a beach body in 2 months. If you look like a beached whale, it’s going to take you much longer. It could even be 9 months before you reach the body you desire.

You have to be in this for the long haul.

The average person is able to lose about 1% of their bodyweight per week. This is a reasonable goal to aim for. If this 1% equates to about 2 pounds, then you can expect to lose 2 pounds a week.

If you’re 40 pounds overweight, you’re looking at a 20 week stretch. Are you ready for that?

Or were you expecting to be ripped in 3 weeks?

Tempering your expectations and actually getting an idea of how long it will take is imperative to succeeding in your weight loss journey. Most people give up too soon because they expect fast results.

If you know that it will take you about 5 months to get to your desired bodyweight, you will be less likely to short-change yourself and give up in week 3.

Sometimes it can be demoralising to see how long it takes. If you’ve calculated how long it will take and see that it may take you 7 months to reach your goal, you may think that it’s just too long.

Here’s a question you should ask yourself… “Why does it matter how long it takes?”

Earl Nightingale, once said, “Don't let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it. The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use.

These are wise words to remember.

Tip: Multiply your bodyweight by 0.01. That’s how much weight you can expect to lose a week. Some weeks you may lose more, some weeks less. On average, it will even out at 1%.

Then calculate how long it will take to reach your ideal body weight. Now that you know, tell yourself that you’ll be in this for the full stretch. Finish what you start and do something today that your future self will thank you for.

Truth #3

You can’t exercise away a bad diet.

Exercise is difficult. Eating is easy.

All that running, lifting, skipping, gasping and panting is tiring. It’s hard work. Most people assume that since it’s such hard work, the benefits will be immense. That means they can be lax with their diet.

The truth is that a 10 minute meal can undo an hour long workout. This is a fact that you must wrap your head around.

You may burn about 400 calories from a moderately intense 45 minute cardio session.

However, if you eat 2 slices of pizza, you would have consumed about 500 calories. You have actually consumed more calories than you burned and you did it in 10 minutes without any effort.

That essentially means that you have negated the efforts of an entire workout. So many people don’t realize this. They keep exercising and wonder why the fat is not coming off. Now you know why.

Tip: Always be aware of the calories you’re consuming. You do not have to obsess over it but you must know if you are at a daily caloric deficit. This is the cornerstone of successful weight loss.

Truth #4

Most people have no idea what they are doing. When they decide to lose weight, they either join a gym or just put on a pair of running shoes and go running.

The activities may vary but the practice of starting a weight loss journey without a plan is constant with the masses of people who decide to lose weight.

You absolutely must have a plan for your weight loss quest. You must know details about your daily caloric requirement. You must know what your caloric deficit should be.

You can find both out at http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

You’ll also need to have a training regimen that incorporates both cardio and resistance training. This will apply for both men and women.

Depending on your stamina and fitness level, you will need to know if you should be doing steady state cardio or engaging in high intensity interval training (HIIT).

This is a lot of info to know and it varies from individual to individual. That is why programs such as 3 Week Diet are so essential in tailoring a fitness and diet program that will be best suited to your specific needs.

Truth #5

You will make mistakes. This is inevitable.

Everybody who embarks on a weight loss journey will slip up on their diet or workouts. You might eat a slice of cake that you knew you were not supposed to. Or you may go watch a movie even though you had a gym session scheduled at that time.

It happens. We all slip up. Success is not linear. Nobody ever progresses in a straight line without falling back.

True success often is littered with many failures, missteps and errors. That’s the way it will always be.

Tip: Aim to be as compliant with your plan as possible but do NOT expect to be perfect. Many folks make the mistake of trying to be perfect. The moment they make a mistake, they lose all hope and just give up.

This is crazy. That’s almost like accidentally dropping your mobile phone and instead of picking it up and dusting it off, you repeatedly smash it on the floor just because you dropped it once.

It just doesn’t make sense. Expect to make a few mistakes here and there. Acknowledge your mistakes and tell yourself to improve… and most importantly, keep moving forward without giving up!

Truth #6

You will lose motivation. This too is inevitable.

Like Zig Ziglar once said, “People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily.”

After some time, you may wonder if the dieting and exercise is really necessary. It would be much easier to just quit. This happens to most of us.

Tip: Before you start your weight loss journey, write down why you’re doing it. It’s always an emotional reason.

Do you want to be healthy so that you can be around for your family? Maybe you are interested in someone and want to look better in order to catch their eye? Or you got dumped by your lover and you want to become so hot that they regret their decision?

Whatever the case may be, always remember why you started. Your “why” will keep you going when you have lost the motivation.

Also, do spend some time on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, etc. and look for pictures of fit people such as Frank Medrano, Emily Skye, Jen Selter, etc. or like fitness pages on Facebook that have daily posts to motivate their followers. Every bit helps.

Truth #7

Comparing yourself with others hurts your progress.

Many people compare themselves with actors they see in the movies, models they see on magazine covers or people they know in real life.

Do not compare yourself with others. There will always be people who seem better off and people who seem worse off than you. Envying someone else’s body does nothing for your own.

Tip: Be the best you that you can be. You’re on your own path. Stay on it and work towards your goal. All you can do is all you can do… and all you can do is enough.

Truth #8

You MUST drink enough water. Many people hamper their weight loss efforts by not staying hydrated.

Your body needs water to metabolize the fat.

Tip: Keep a bottle of water with you at all times and drink some at regular intervals. You don’t need to overdo it but you must at least get the minimum 8 glasses of water a day.

Truth #9

The scales are an inaccurate measurement of your progress.

The first point to note is the difference between weight loss and fat loss. You can lose fat but not see a weight change.

You could have gained lean muscle during your training. The new muscle weight may have offset the actual fat loss. So, the numbers on the scale don’t change.

In reality, your body’s lean muscle mass has increased. That’s excellent.

Another point is that your body could be retaining water. Your body’s water weight fluctuates daily.

Tip: The best way is to track your progress with body composition tests over a period of time. You’re concerned with fat loss not weight loss.

You may also use photos to track your progress. Take photos of yourself every Monday and compare these photos as time progresses. It’s an excellent way to stay motivated.

Truth #10

The majority of people can definitely lose weight if they apply themselves and stay the course.

There is a very small minority of people who can’t lose weight due to certain health problems. However, these are a rare few. The majority of people are definitely more than capable of losing the excess flab.

It doesn’t matter if you’re an endomorph and gain weight more easily than other body types. It doesn’t matter if everyone in your family is fat. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been fat ever since you were a kid. It doesn’t even matter if you’re above 50 years old and think it’s too late. It’s never too late.

Tip: As long as your body is at a caloric deficit and you exercise, you will shed the pounds. They may come off slowly, but come off they will.

You’re not condemned to a life-sentence of being overweight or obese. Make small, incremental goals and progress slowly. Do not try to do too much too soon.

Small changes in your diet and training program will have a cumulative effect and create staggering results. Over time, you will shed the ugly fat and become fitter and healthier.

To conclude, the 10 truths mentioned above are just the tip of the iceberg. However, these 10 truths are the most common reasons why people quit.

You may know people who try their best to lose weight and don’t achieve their goal. You may know others who have given up and started over, only to give up again. You may even have been one of these people.

Now that you know these 10 truths, you’ll probably know why most people fail to reach their goals. The path to successful weight loss is littered with the carcasses of the many who tried and failed.

You do not have to be one of them. Observe the truths mentioned above, glean tips and advice from the 3 Week Diet program and keep moving forward.

Patience, persistence and perseverance will be your travel buddies in this weight loss quest and as long as you keep them close to you, success is inevitable.

"It Takes 4 Weeks for You to Notice Your Body Changing, 8 Weeks for Your Friends to Notice, and 12 Weeks for the Rest of the World to Notice. Give It 12 Weeks. Don’t QUIT!"

So what is our coverall strategy for boosting vim?

It actually comes behind to a few things. The front is direction: managing our instance gambler and mentation about how some vigour we're belike to bed in a supposition day and what we actually require to do with it. And by finding construction to refrain wasting vigour, we can prevent writer for the things that we ultimately decide rattling thing.

The next manoeuvre is to act slender and not be too ambitious. That's honorable with the separate things we're disagreeable to succeed and it's also genuine of the manner changes we're introducing in this playscript. Just put? You're not achievement to alter your life levels and your health overnight - and you shouldn't try! Transform up to it slow and be hurting about how you're rearing your push. We're achievement to commence the construct of 'kaizen' here, which agency that we're introducing minuscule changes with the aim of yet sight big results. Kaizen is a Asiatic conception that essentially substance any jaunt is optimum, we're exploit to difference everything. We're effort to lie at our eudaimonia and our lifestyles holistically. We're accomplishment to know that to increment strength, it is not discriminating enough that we only pioneer one new style misuse, or start uptake smoothies. We pauperization to rethink everything.

This collection instrument be your handbook and by the end the aim is for you to be noise with doe. You should appear same a convoluted spring set to turn. And then you can succeed some truly surprising things!

6 Things ToConsider Before Purchasing Fitness Wearable Technology

Just as you wouldn’t go out and purchase the first phone you come across, without doing some research, you shouldn’t go out and purchase the first fitness wearable tech you come across solely because you like the style of it. In this infographic, we present 6 things to consider before buying fitness wearable tech …

Price

This is the major thing to consider for most people before purchase. Determine how much you are ready to spend for a particular device. Of course, price usually goes hand-in-hand with how useful a gadget is to your specific situation

Brandand model

Many wearable devices fall under the category “fitness tracker,” but each one offers different features which you should definitely research according to your specific needs. For instance, the FitBit Charge HR is known for its heart rate monitoring, while the Jawbone UP3 has one of the best sleep-tracking feature of all current devices

Design/Wearability

Design is an important factor to consider because you will be wearing majority of these gadgets daily. Generally, the wearable device has to be comfortable

BatteryLife

It is important to determine how long a wearable device can go before it needs to be recharged. This is particularly important if you’re going on a long run or hike. Be aware that maintaining a gadget’s battery can become a task in the long-term

DataSecurity

One of the most important things to consider is how secured your personal data will be once you connect a device to a third-party website or app. Your personal information is of utmost importance so it is best to choose popular brands that are known for continuously testing their products.

CompatibilityWith Other Devices

Determine if the wearable device you plan to buy is compatible with your existing devices. Generally, the Apple Watch requires iPhone 5 or newer, while Android-based smartwatches won’t work on any iPhone

Investing into any fitness wearable technology is definitely a way to transform your health, hopefully these 6 important considerations will help you decide if a wearable device is appropriate for your situation or not, or ensure you buy the best one to fit your needs.

Nike+ SportWatch GPS Powered byTomTom

Getting in shape isn’t easy, and when it isn’t easy or very much fun, it’s hard to find the motivation to get yourself moving. Wristband activity trackers are increasingly popular and the technology used to power them continues to get better. Actually seeing the number of steps you have taken towards your goal motivates you to push harder. When you see empty data in your results graph where your workout should be, you strive to do better. Nike has taken these pieces of motivation and workout information and put it all together in a wristband tracker.

Overview

The Nike+ SportWatch GPS activity tracker enables you to collect data on your run/jog/walk such as distance and pace. Perfect information if you’re in training. As far as sport watches or activity trackers go, the Nike+ can be oversized and a bit bulky for the wrist. The Nike+ looks a bit unwieldy with its large wristband and large display. It may look fine on a man’s wrist but might be a little overpowering on a woman.

The watch screen displays the time, date, and battery life and a button on the left of the display allows you to scroll through its functions. Functions include tracking your time, distance, pace, heart rate and calories burned. You can view your route as well as changes in elevation. The battery charges via USB and needs to be charged about every 8 hours if you are using GPS and sensor. The Nike+ is also water resistant.

Specifications and Features

· Weight 2.2 ounces

· 1.5 x 1.5 x 1 inches

· Lithium battery

· Display size 0.72 inches

· Battery life 9 hours

· Track Time, distance, pace, heart rate

· Track Calories burned

· View route via GPS

· Transfer workout data to PC/Mac and view summary

· Water resistant

Using the SportWatch during a workout is simple. When ready to start press and hold the yellow button until it begins looking for a GPS signal and off you go. It uses the GPS to track your location, speed, and distance. When you want to check your progress tap the screen to see the data. When you have completed your workout, press the yellow button again to signal you have finished.

Like all products, there are some Pro’s and Con’s to the Nike+ SportWatch.

Pro’s

· Easy to use

· Accurate tracking

· Long battery life

· Attractive design

· Good Website for tracking workouts

Con’s

· Expensive

· Problems with GPS connectivity

· GPS not always accurate

· No auto-pause/stop mode

What Others are Saying

Consumers either really love the Nike+ SportWatch or they are really unhappy with it. Those that like it like the fact that runs are tracked showing mile splits and that you can set challenges, goals or even a training plan for yourself. As for the GPS feature, it maps your run showing you your route and where along it you ran the fastest and the slowest. Connecting to the website to track your progress over time has helped many users stick with their fitness program. It has helped motivate them to not give up and many express that their running time has improved significantly.

Then there are many who have bought the device and are unhappy about the shortcomings of it, the first of which is the price tag. Consumers are saying that the Nike+ SportWatch should be more reliable at a price of 200.00. A common complaint from all consumers was the inordinate length of time it took for the GPS to connect with the satellite, and once connected it sometimes lost the connection throwing off the entire route. Many, Many reviews have complaints with the reliability of the GPS working at all. The SportWatch appears to age out very quickly, meaning that after one year it begins to malfunction and battery life is greatly diminished.

Conclusion

While the Nike+ Sport Watch with TomTom GPS is a fantastic concept, it is expensive for the features it provides and the heavy feel of the band on your wrist is not a selling point. The largest complaint is that the device won’t connect to the satellite most of the time, if it does it takes between 10 and 30 minutes and often drops the run half way through. It is unreliable.

The design of the Nike+ has been well received, many like the color and the placement of the scrolling buttons. For others the band was on the small side for men and a bit masculine looking for women.

Runners that want to keep track of their workouts by transferring data to the computer will like the user friendly interface. It is a simple way to keep track of your stats over time as long as you aren’t relying on GPS.

Garmin Vivofit 2 Review

There are many reasons why almost everyone wants to be in better shape. To lower the risk of heart disease, lower the risk of a stroke, to be firmer, fitter, to sleep better, and/or to help with depression and low energy. The list is long and the desire to get in shape may be there, but the motivation to either start or sustain a fitness routine isn’t. Activity trackers are neat little motivational bracelets that will hopefully keep you on the move and finally let you achieve your fitness goal.

Overview

The Garmin Vivofit 2 is an activity tracker similar to Fitbit and Jawbone. It is a wearable wristband that you never have to take off because it’s water resistant and the battery lasts for a year. The bands even come in different colors. While you wear it, it tracks your steps, calories, distance and time of day on its display so you are never far from your stats. It has an alert to remind you to get up and move after an hour of inactivity. In sleep mode it will monitor how well you sleep at night by tracking movement. .

One feature the Vivofit 2 has that the Fitbit doesn’t, is the ability to learn your current activity level and then assign you a daily goal you can attain. The Vivofit 2 automatically adjusts your goals as you meet your milestones. It can be paired with a heart rate monitor during cardio exercises and will record your heart rate in order to provide more accurate calorie burn information.

Connect the Vivofit 2 to your PC and it will sync giving you a dashboard display of all your fitness information, including your steps, distance, as well as sleep stats.

Specifications and Features

· Weight – 1 ounce

· 8.3x0.8x0.4 inches

· 2 lithium metal batteries

· 1 inch display

· Battery life – 8760 hours

· Move bar w/alert

· Backlit display

· Activity timer

· Auto-sync

· Water resistant

· Step tracker

· Automatically adjust fitness goal

· Monitors sleep

The monochrome band has a small screen that displays the time by default, but with a series of presses will cycle through the relevant fitness information. The pedometer is sensitive and accurately measures steps taken. This is an entry-level activity tracker so don’t expect it to have the fancy bells and whistles like its more expensive counterparts. That being said, there are some Pro’s just as there are con’s. To sum it up:

Pro’s

· Accurate step tracking

· Backlit display always on

· Interchangeable bands

· Long batter life

· Audible alerts

Con’s

· No vibration

· Doesn’t automatically sync

· Lacks detailed information in the Garmin app

· Lacks sleep alarm

· No diet tracking

· Non-touchscreen

What Others are Saying

The Garmin Vivofit 2 Activity Tracker has a 4 star rating on Amazon. It rates high in the looks department with its interchangeable bands as well as its backlit screen. Many customers have commented that being able to see the display in the dark and make adjustments if necessary is a huge help. The fact that it doesn’t need to be recharged and the battery lasts for a year is a plus, as is its ability to withstand water up to 50 meters. This means it can be worn swimming, showering, doing dishes etc.

On the flip side, customers were unhappy with the low tone of the alerts and the alerts are difficult to see on the display. The display also appears “frosted” or “hazy” which detracts from its appearance and makes it look “cheap”. Another very common complaint was the fact that the Garmin says it syncs automatically but in fact it does not. It will sync when you have reached 2000 steps within an hour. Many customers have also complained that the Vivofit 2 has minimal sleep tracking that isn’t always accurate and sometimes doesn’t work.

Conclusion

The always on backlit display along with its long battery life make this an ideal activity tracker for those who prefer things low maintenance. It is unobtrusive as it monitors your activity and sleep and once you put it on you can forget it’s there while you go about your daily routine.

While it is an alternative to other activity trackers, it lacks some key features such as a wake up alarm and heart rate monitor. Its main attraction seems to be the array of available wristbands.

It is perfect as a starter device but others in its class offer more features such as a better looking touchscreen, vibrating alerts, and notifications.