STACK #228 October 2023

OUT & ABOUT

TECH FEATURE

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WATCHING YOUR HEALTH & FITNESS

Fashionable fitness

A smartwatch is an essential companion when getting out and about for fitness and fun. It’s a personal trainer and a phone on your wrist! Here’s how to pick one that’s just right for you. Words Bec Summer

From traditional analogue faces to smart designs that can look equally at home in the gym or boardroom, a smartwatch is also a fashion statement, with many models available in a variety of colours. And watch faces and bands can be easily customised to match your style!

Smartwatch or fitness tracker? It all depends on which one best suits your lifestyle, fitness goals and budget, as each is basically defined by its feature set and functionality. Activity trackers are ideal entry-level devices for casual

health and activity, and while the data collected and analysed is largely accurate, it shouldn’t replace a proper check-up with a health professional. Features that fit Wearables pack an amazing amount of features and functions into their compact shells to track your health and fitness proficiently and accurately. Work out (no pun intended) in advance the key data that you want to track, and the functions you’ll use the most. Smartwatches and activity trackers

exercisers who just want to monitor heart rate and daily activity, use GPS to track distances, and receive notifications and calls to the wrist. Smartwatches have all of the above and also pack a plethora of health and fitness tracking features, including sleep and stress monitoring. Premium models can offer specialised workout, recovery and coaching modes for aspiring athletes, and tools and maps for daredevil adventurers. Wearable tech is an excellent tool for gaining a general overview of your

have more advanced location positioning like GNSS, and can also pinpoint the nearest golf course or ski slope. And should you ever need a gyroscope or a barometric altimeter, you’ve got them!

have basic 24/7 health tracking – steps, calories burned, heart rate and blood oxygen (Sp02). Watches can also measure blood pressure, energy

Sleep monitoring works during the wee hours to analyse the quality of your kip, including duration, sleep cycles and snoring patterns (although you can just ask your spouse/partner about those). Restless sleepers can get a good insight into their nocturnal habits to identify problem areas. Smartwatches can also track your stress levels to detect and identify

levels, body temperature and composition, track women’s health cycles, and even take an ECG (electrocardiogram) using specialised sensors, depending on the model. Watches designed for adventure

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