Apologies for the cliche, but January has marked a fresh start for me. I’ve made some significant lifestyle changes and I intend to stick to them. To help me on this path, last week I treated myself to a new Fitbit watch. Now, I’m not super techy, so this new and exciting piece of equipment is a huge deal for me! So far, the novelty hasn’t worn off and I’m hoping this fabulous watch keeps me on track. I had read a good number of reviews on different fitness watches and the verdict was clear – Fitbit Charge 2 was certainly the best of the bunch!
Some of the Features
- Step tracker
- Heart rate monitor
- Calorie tracker
- Guided breathing
- Stop watch
- Links to Smart phone
- Sleep monitor
One thing I found most appealing about the Fitbit Charge 2 was the feature that enables the watch the sync with my phone. Once I bought the watch, I simply downloaded the Fitbit app which provided a step-by-step guide to set up my watch. The setting up process was extremely easy and took only a matter of minutes. The connection is made via Bluetooth, once this connection is made, all of the information stored on my watch is also recorded in the app.
The app contains a number of excellent features which are very user friendly. I can record my daily food and water intake, track my weekly exercise as well as input my weight. Another useful feature is one which reminds me to aim to take 250 steps per hour throughout the day. The watch vibrates to alert me if I have not managed to hit my target. This then prompts me to move around a little.
Steps
For my purposes, the most important feature is the step counter. Walking is my preferred exercise and so I wanted to track my progress on a daily basis. I have downloaded countless apps in the past which haven’t always been accurate. Thus far, the Fitbit watch has been extremely accurate in tracking my daily steps. I set myself a target of 10,000 steps per day. The watch has made me realise just how surprising easy this is to achieve. Whenever I go for a walk, I set my watch to exercise mode and the app records this as part of my weekly exercise regime. The app also records the speed I walked at as well as the distance covered. An additional GPS feature provides me with a map on my app displaying the route I took.
Heart Rate
The watch is also fitted with a heart rate monitor. This is especially useful during exercise as the watch display notifies me when I am in the ‘fat burning’ zone. This monitor is also used to track sleeping habit and access the amount of sleep I get each night.
Guided Breathing
Guided breathing exercises are a valuable feature of this watch, I can set them for 2 or 5 minute sessions. These encourage relaxation and are particularly useful during stressful times of the day. I have found them especially helpful at the end of the day when I ordinarily struggle to relax prior to going to bed.
Alerts
Not only does the offer exercise prompts, but it also alerts me when someone has either called or sent a text message.
Other features
Additional straps can be purchased for the watch and are easy to change. I opted for the plum coloured strap as it seems more discreet than some of the other bright colours, such as the turquoise colour. The watch is also available in two sizes; small or large. A handy measuring guide is on the side of the box – simply put your wrist against the diagram and you will be able to see which size you require.
Another feature I like is that the screen is dark, however when I turn the watch towards my face, it lights up and shows the display. The display can be configured in the settings of the app. The battery lasts for upto 5 days and the battery life is displayed on the app. Charging the phone takes only a speedy 2 hours.
Having used the Fitbit watch for the past week, I can honest find nothing negative to say about it. It does exactly as advertised and is extremely accurate in the data it collects. It is small and discreet and is comfortable to wear. I can see this new piece of equipment continuing to be an integral and important part of my daily life.
I purchased my Fitbit Charge 2 watch from Curry’s PC World for £89.99 (still available at this price as of 15/01/2018).
