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Shape up in tech-savvy style!
While you still can’t sit on the couch with a remote in hand and wish yourself into shape, technology adds a dash of excitement to health and fitness. Whether you are training for a marathon, wanting to keep moving on sub-zero winter days, counting every calorie or trying to find a new route to spice up your daily run, there’s something out there for you.
Gaming up a sweat
Okay, the Nintendo Wii somewhat contradicts the earlier statement about sitting on the couch with a remote in hand. A Wii places a remote in your hand, and then gets you up and moving. You can get serious about your living-room workouts with the Wii Fit, which offers yoga, strength training, balance exercises and aerobics; and the new EA Sports Active, which offers a 30-day fitness challenge, cardio workouts, strengthening exercises and fames like tennis, volleyball, basketball and more.
On the upside: It’s perfect for rainy days and long, cold winters. People of all ages and ability levels can participate. You can try a variety of new activities. On the other hand: It may not be as effective as actually participating in the actual activities.
Dialing into your health
Your iPhone alone may not whip you into shape, but it boasts some nifty applications that can certainly help you attain your goals. Hundreds exist, and they vary in objective, sophistication and price. Counting calories? Looking for yoga poses? Heading out for a bike ride and hoping to track your speed, trip distance and calories burned?
On the upside: You can track everything on the go. On the other hand: Tracking programs may stop if you lose signal; know your route and mileage to record them later. Exercising with your phone could be destructive — protect it!
Finding your place in the world
Go beyond the basic heart-rate monitors of yesteryear. Welcome to the age of GPS-enabled “personal training devices” and GPS units that seemingly do it all. Some of them may be worn like a wristwatch or you can carry them along. In addition to cadence measurements that help determine burned calories, these devices include features that allow you to record your pace and distance, upload routes and maps, log your workouts and track multi-sport workouts. Some devices even have two-way radios and cameras.
On the upside: These versatile gadgets workout wherever you do. On the other hand: You may need to ensure you use one with a super-sensitive antenna to ensure you don’t lose the signal when hiking through the woods.
Tracking it all down
You may not take it with you during a workout, but your computer offers another fantastic fitness portal. Find health and fitness information, track calories and workouts, read equipment and rout reviews, and discuss it all with other users from around the globe.
On the upside: A wealth of information at your fingertips — find more routes, diet tips and nutrition information than you ever imagined. On the other hand: Some free services include lots of annoying popup ads. Also, use your judgment. As you know, just because something is online doesn’t mean it’s reliable.
Online technology and fitness chatter
‘EA Sports Active’ helps families workout with
the Wii »
The top 10 iPhone apps for your health
and fitness »
Best workout Web sites that combine technology and fitness »
Sites to get you started
MapMyFitness.com »
You can map it all! Free or premium memberships available.
MyPyramidTracker.gov »
The United States Department of Agriculture’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion offers a free online dietary and physical activity assessment tool.
FitDay.com »
An online diet and weight-loss journal that offers nutritional details and long-term diet analysis as you work toward your goals. Free or premium memberships available.
Livestrong.com »
A site heaping with health, fitness, diet and nutrition information and plenty of tools and applications to track your fitness and weight.
Trails.com »
Trails, topographic maps, gear reviews, articles and more. Free trial, and then pay for use.
ExergameLab »
An assistant professor at SUNY Cortland researches the health benefits of “exergames.”
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