It’s amazing how fitness trackers are able to count our steps, measure the distance, and even monitor our heart rate. But how do they do this?

How Fitness Trackers Work

This is how fitness trackers work.

1 – Collects your Data

For a fitness tracker to start working, you’ll need to input your physiological details such as your gender, weight, and height.

2 – Senses Your Movements

When the tracker is worn or powered up, it detects the movement on a 3 axis accelerometer.

The fitness tracker is able to tell if you’re standing still, walking forward, or running fast. They can track movement in any direction.

Some fitness trackers have a gyroscope that measures orientation and rotation.

Altimeter is the component that measures altitude. This allows you to know how many sets of stairs you’ve climbed or how high you’ve climbed a mountain.

The more sensors your fitness tracker has, the more accurate the data it can deliver. These sensors measure the intensity, duration, frequency, and acceleration.

3 – Data is Processed and Sent to App

Fitness trackers use algorithms to interpret all the data that was gathered.

Manufacturers use different algorithms and technology. This is why the figures on one fitness tracker may be different on another.

All the data gathered from your movements are processed and transmitted to the app you use with the fitness tracker.

When you open the app on your phone, you’ll see detailed information gathered from your tracker.

This is why before you buy a fitness tracker or a mobile phone, make sure they are compatible and can sync well with each other.

4 – Share Your Success

Aside from seeing your stats, the app also lets you share your figures with friends who use the same app or through social media.

Are Fitness Trackers Accurate?

They are not 100% accurate. But the results are not far from the actual count. A study shows that their inaccuracy rates are still within 10%.

Some consider the measurements as mere estimates.

Regardless of this, having a fitness tracker is still important. It’s the only way you can have an idea of your number of steps, distance, heart rate, calories burned, sleep log, and more.

With just one device you can see various physical metrics conveniently.

Without it, you won’t know these figures. You won’t have an idea if you’re being inactive or if you need to have your heart checked.

How Your Fitness Tracker Can Help You

There are many ways your fitness tracker can help you especially when it comes to improving your health.

It can monitor your activities during the day and show you how you did. It can even keep track of the food you ate so you can reflect on your food choices.

Because you can track all your activity all day, you are able to make fitness goals. You can challenge yourself to increase your steps or calories burned.

When you see that you’re making progress, it motivates you to continue moving more, and eat healthily.

If you consistently monitor your body and keep an active lifestyle, your fitness tracker is doing a good job in improving your health.