Are fitness trackers helping us lose weight and reach our fitness goals

Wearables continue to be popular with one in six people owning some form wearable technology with most hoping they can improve their health and fitness. But do they work?

Customers have spent more than $4 billion on wearables and that number is expected to double by 2021.
Fit Rated conducted a study of their own and surveyed more than 1000 adults to try and find whether these devices helped or hindered their workout experiences.

The research has revealed some interesting results with 68 per cent of gym goers agreeing fitness trackers gave them a more enjoyable workout.

And they are more popular with women at 57 per cent compared with only 39 per cent of men using fitness trackers.

Fitbit was far away the most popular fitness tracker brand which was used by more than half of the people surveyed.

The MyFitnessPal app came in a close second. Other popular apps included MapMyFitness, Nike+Run Club and Strava.

Strapping on a fitness tracker is no guarantee a person will lose weight.

Researchers are only just beginning to understand the effects of fitness trackers on our overall well-being.

But you are more likely to burn a few extra calories when you’re being reminded about your step count while wearing a Fitbit or Apple Watch.

In terms of the types of activities we track, kickboxing or mixed martial arts and rowing were among the most popular (both at 77 per cent), followed by swimming (74 per cent), running (74 per cent), Pilates (72 per cent), weightlifting (71 per cent), walking (69 per cent) and yoga (65 per cent).

The research was split on how well technology actually helped people reach their fitness goals.

People playing sports like tennis, soccer and Frisbee found trackers to be most effective with 78 per cent saying the devices help them reach their goals.

But only one in five shared their fitness data.

Yet fitness trackers aren’t for everyone with the research showing two in five people abandon fitness trackers after six months.

People are less likely to quit when using more exercise specific tracker apps like Nike+Run Club or Runtastic.

But fitness trackers are not going away.

If you don’t have one now, chances are you will in the next couple of years as the market for health and wellness technology grows and improves.