Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

    Stepping Towards Savings

    In the quest to get healthy, many people have turned to fitness trackers to monitor their activity levels throughout the day and provide motivation to make better choices.

    With the wide variety of options available, it can be difficult to determine what exactly you’re looking for. Many fitness trackers come with a large price tag, but a range of options are available. If you’re in the market for a tracker, it’s important to compare the different products to ensure you’re getting the most for your money.

    Withings Pulse O2

    (Picture: www.withings.com)

    At $120, the Pulse is a clip-on tracker that monitors your steps taken, distance traveled, change in elevation, calories burned, sleeping patterns, heart rate and blood oxygen level. The Pulse is compatible with both iOS and Android systems and a free app is available to sync your data. In addition to monitoring your daily goals, you can see the past 10 days’ data on the Pulse. With a battery life of two weeks, you can head out the door worry-free.

    Colorful clips and wristbands are available for purchase to spice up your Pulse tracker.

    FitBit Flex

    (Picture: www.FitBit.com/flex)

    Just under the Pulse at $100, the FitBit Flex is a slim wristband that comes in a variety of colors to match your style. The Flex monitors activity level, your sleep quality, calories burned and distance traveled. The Flex wirelessly syncs to your iPhone, iPad or select Android devices. You can also set daily goals and earn badges to help keep you motivated.

    In addition to these features, the Flex also acts as an alarm clock, waking you up in the morning.

    Striiv Play

    (Picture: www.Striiv.com)

    With a price tag of $70, the Striiv Play is only compatible with the iPhone. A sleek clip-on, the Striiv Play tracks your steps, distance, stairs and calories burned. The Striiv is known for being designed like a video game: you can set customizable challenges, such as taking 2,000 steps a day or walking the distance of a marathon in a set time frame.

    Bowflex Boost

    (Picture: www.BowflexBoost.com)

    On the lower end of the price spectrum is the Boost at $50. The Boost tracks all of the basics: calories burned, steps taken, distance traveled and your sleep stats. Your data is wirelessly synced with iOS systems and select Androids. When you accomplish your goals, a notification will be sent to encourage you to keep moving. With an 11 day battery life, you can charge it over the weekend and be set all week.

    No matter which product you go with, activity trackers aren’tcheap. It’s important that you think about what you want in a tracker and read reviews of all the comparable products. If you are looking for a product to monitor how many steps you take in a day, for example, you can pick up a pedometer from the store for a relatively cheap price. There are also a few apps that are available for download that can track your distance over the day.

    Despite the fact that you will have to pay some money for a tracker, be sure to look at all of the features and not solely rely on price. As with most products, if you invest in a quality product, you will get years of use from it. Be sure to check sites like Amazon.com or Groupon to save a little money on the devices.

    More to Discover