Important points
Basic fitness is possible without any smart technology at hand. Once you reach an intermediate or advanced level, you may need help with logging and metrics. There must be an incentive to stay healthy, with or without expensive consumer technology.
I’m pretty into the world of smartwatches and other fitness trackers, and one thing that comes up regularly is people giving me credit for getting in shape. Apple Watch owners in particular will point to the fitness app’s Activity Ring, which encourages people to exercise daily. Of course, there are equivalents elsewhere, such as Heart Points in Google Fit and the incredible amount of data available in Garmin Connect. It doesn’t mention the usefulness of apps like calorie counters and workout loggers.
But do we actually need smart technology to stay healthy? It might seem that way at first, given all the scope there is to absorb. But that’s not necessarily true. We’ll break it down into areas that smart technology is trying to address.
Improved nutrition and hydration
fitness basics
If you want to be healthy, optimizing your nutrition is inevitable. Whether “healthy” means losing fat, benching 200 pounds, or running a 5K. Food is fuel, so you need the right amount to reach your goals.
Calorie counting apps like Cronometer or MyFitnessPal can go a long way in uncovering dietary issues, as long as you’re honest and log everything. For example, you can find out how many empty calories you are consuming through beer and sugary drinks. In fact, you’ll have a better idea of what you’re taking in and out, not to mention whether you’re hitting your macronutrient goals like protein, carbohydrates, and fat. People often eat too many carbohydrates and too much protein.
Calorie counting apps can be of great help in uncovering dietary issues.
That said, once you’ve established a diet that you’re ready to stick with (snacks aside), you can usually skip the calorie counter. You can also calculate calories manually if you have the nutrition label handy. Some of the healthiest people on the planet adjust their diets based on their intuition. If you’re slacking off at the gym, eat a little more, and if you notice that you’re gaining fat too quickly, eat less. It takes experience to get it right.
Once you learn the key concepts, you can skip smart nutrition techniques altogether. The most basic concept is that if you want to gain weight, your calorie intake must exceed the calories you burn, and vice versa if you want to lose weight. When it comes to macronutrients, weightlifters use the rule that they should consume 1 gram of protein per pound of target (lean) body weight. The full scientific picture is of course more complex, but it’s something that can be explored without an app or fitness tracker. Wearable products can sometimes lead you astray. Even the best ones tend to be hundreds of calories off your estimated calorie burn, so you’ll need to adjust and adjust your nutrition.
Smart technology is completely useless when it comes to hydration, so forget about buying a smart water bottle or logging liters in an app. If you drink it when it’s hot and you’re thirsty, you’ll get enough.
Record your workout
How thorough does it need to be?
If you just want to sit less, logging isn’t important. If you’re glued to your chair, just 30 minutes of walking a day can do wonders. If you feel that’s not enough, you can walk further or jog the same distance until it feels easier.
People who need to worry about details are people who have specific exercise goals. For example, if you’re training for your first marathon, you should plan your route and gradually increase the distance until you reach 26.2 miles (42 kilometers). On the other hand, weightlifters regularly adjust the sets, reps, and total weight of various exercises, which some find difficult to remember without writing them down. This is one of the reasons people pay for pre-designed programs.
If you have time, you can track all of this on paper. I sometimes see others doing it at the gyms I visit. In many cases, you don’t even need notes. I memorize my lifting routine and am experienced enough to understand progressive overload.
For best performance, you may need smart technology as it gives you access to more complex metrics. Competitive runners need to know things like their cadence and VO2 max. Lifters often prefer to adjust weight by dynamic percentages. Usually, all athletes are concerned with factors such as efficiency and training readiness, the latter being determined by the severity of the session on their overall health.
However, it’s worth remembering that some of the most famous athletes were born generations before smartphones and smartwatches. Schwarzenegger wasn’t wearing a Garmin watch when he won Mr. Olympia.
Is digital coaching worth it?
complicated situation
Braden Newell/Pocketlint
I’ll be honest: I have limited experience with coaching apps myself. I started running and lifting before these apps were popular, and they’re pretty much unnecessary to me at this point. I know what I’m doing, it’s just a matter of optimizing things and running.
From what I’ve seen, it’s definitely worth coaching apps and services like Apple Fitness+, Peloton, and Couch up to 5K if you’re at a beginner or pre-intermediate level. Good form and session programming can be difficult to learn, but you can at least get some basics. Some apps allow you to train until you run a marathon.
Good form and session programming can be difficult to learn, but you can at least get some basics.
However, we found these apps to be less comprehensive when it comes to exercises like yoga and running. For example, Fitness+ isn’t meant to train you to lift heavy barbells. I think some companies are worried about liability because most people don’t have the necessary equipment at home. The last thing Apple wants is a lawsuit from someone who tries to squat 300 pounds too soon.
In fact, most people do well by purchasing a reliable training book or program and watching videos if they need help with a particular exercise. If that’s not enough, we recommend relying on an in-person trainer. Please check your credentials before paying cash. For example, if you want to learn bodybuilding, you should train with a competitive bodybuilder.
For example, if you want to learn bodybuilding, you should train with a competitive bodybuilder.
Monitor your health
Skepticism is your friend
This is perhaps the area where smart technology is least important. With good nutrition, form, and programming, there’s often no need to monitor statistics like heart rate or blood oxygen. If you don’t have any chronic illnesses and push yourself moderately, you’ll go far.
However, if you know how to interpret the data, health sensors can help you avoid chronic conditions and optimize performance. For example, if your heart rate between sets is normally 90 beats per minute, but it’s now 110, it’s because you’re overloading yourself or putting too much stress on your next lift. It may mean that there is. Runners often aim to stay within a certain heart rate zone, and I can’t imagine doing that without some sort of sensor strap.
Whether you’re pursuing peak athletic performance or not, an attitude of skepticism is required. While consumer wearables can be incredibly accurate, they are not completely protective and may not be useful for some metrics. The main thing I think about is sleep. It may not measure your sleep time correctly, but it doesn’t care about analyzing whether it’s light sleep or REM sleep. It may help detect hidden conditions like atrial fibrillation and sleep apnea, but these symptoms must be addressed whether you strive to stay healthy or not.
In fact, most people need to learn to pay attention to their bodies and go further when they can, and step back when it’s unsustainable. You should also see your doctor regularly if you have any particular concerns.
Do we really need smart technology to stay healthy?
Don’t give in to the desire for technology
Strictly speaking, no. Smartphones, apps, and wearables always make the process more convenient, but you can get the job done without them. It’s not complicated at all, as long as you just get up from the couch. It is better to do some activity than to do nothing.
It’s important not to treat smart technology like some kind of magic key.
Usually, intermediate and advanced level people may find it difficult to get by without smart technology. Breaking through plateaus requires extracting every advantage you can, and when fitness is so important, it would be foolish to ignore the consumer technology available. I wouldn’t have maintained my current weight if technology hadn’t given me a better view of my calorie balance.
No matter which camp you fall into, it’s important not to treat smart technology like some kind of magic key. Don’t think that buying an Apple Watch Ultra will turn you into a beast or inspire you to do better at your job. The drive and discipline must be present without having to spend hundreds of dollars on your wrist.
