A new study compared dieters wearing activity trackers with those who didn’t.
Four hundred seventy adults were divided into two groups for a period of 24 months. All participants were given nutrition and physical information. Those who were tech-free and only recorded their activity on a website lost more weight than those who wore activity monitors.
The group using a wearable activity tracker lost on average 7.7 pounds. The other group lost on average 13 pounds.
It could be that some participants just didn’t like the device. Or they eventually got bored using it or it no longer motivated them. It doesn’t mean activity trackers don’t work for everyone. Losing weight can be a challenge and many factors can affect it.
To help you manage your weight, here are my prescriptions:
- Don’t Follow the Latest Diet Trend. Fad diets make promises that don’t work long-term.
- Don’t Get Hung Up on the Word “Diet”. It just means eating healthy, lower calorie meals.
- List Any Obstacles that Stop You from Losing Weight. Identifying them is the first step in overcoming them.
- Exercise Regularly. It helps keep the pounds off so aim for 30 minutes most days of the week.
Besides losing weight, what other benefits are there to exercising?
Exercise helps with many health conditions and diseases like stroke, type 2 diabetes, depression, arthritis and certain types of cancer. It can improve your mood, boost energy, promote better sleep and put the spark back into your sex life as well.
If you haven’t exercised for a while or have chronic health conditions, it’s a good idea to check with your doctor first.
