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Gadget Season


By Kelly Bonner

It’s gadget, I mean Christmas, season again! Unfortunately, these days the two seem interchangeable. So, as I celebrate the birth of my Savior, I will also be scouring the malls for that perfect gift. I rarely like to give a gift that doesn’t serve a greater purpose, so this year I set out to find the best fitness gadgets available. Why not give a gift that will help keep your loved ones healthy all year long? Here are a few of my favorite things for fitness gadgets this holiday season.

Nike FuelbandTopping my list is the Nike Fuel band (www.nike.com/FuelBand).  Whether you walk or roll, this fun little gadget keeps track of how many calories you’ve burned throughout the day and celebrates when you reach your goal.  It’s a great way to keep a reality check on how many calories you are actually burning. If it’s a little too high for your price range, you can go with a pedometer instead. I recommend the Digi-walker SW 200 (http://www.yamaxx.com/digi/sw-200-e.html)  as one of the more accurate pedometers available, but you can find a pedometer at almost any price range from a few dollars to close to $100. The Digi-walker SW 200 can be found for around $20.

For the fitness junkie on your list, you should check out a heart rate monitor. There are several different ones on the market ranging in ability and price.  A well-known name that’s been around since the 70’s is the polar heart rate monitor (http://www.polarusa.com/us-en ). These monitors not only track your heart rate but work as a GPS, pace keeper, training coach and more. 

ZamzeeFor the kids, there is a great knew product out called Zamzee (https://www.zamzee.com/). As their tag line says, it is “a meter that measures activity and website that makes moving fun.” It allows the children to compete against others and win rewards for being active. They are very reasonably priced at less than $30 a meter.  Kids could have tons of fun with these new meters, and the best part is it keeps them active and healthy. But it’s not limited to just children. Adults can get in on the action as well; in fact the whole family could compete against each other. Just think of all the fun to be had on family night!

S2HAnother option for kiddos is the Switch2Health (S2H) REPLAY (www.s2h.com), a wrist device that rewards exercise. The REPLAY is a wrist-worn device aimed at tweens and teens that allows them to quantify their level of physical activity. In addition to displaying the date and time, the device also tracks and registers continuous, moderate-intensity activity, subdividing each hour into 20 three-minute segments. When users complete a full 60 minutes of physical activity over time, the device generates a reward code that can be uploaded and converted into points on the company’s website. Those points are redeemable for items such as gift cards or free months of membership at sponsors including Barnes & Noble, GameStop, Best Buy, Webkinz and Club Penguin. Consumers can also set each other specific challenges and reward them for success using S2H REPLAY.

Foam RollerBack to the “grown-ups,” a great but not as commonly known little piece of equipment is a foam roller (http://www.power-systems.com/s-67-foam-rollers.aspx). These guys are great for stretching, working on core, and particularly helpful for those with a sore back. And their price won’t set you back too far either. You can get the basic model for right at $20, with the top-of-the-line model going for just under $40. I already have two folks on my list signed up for one of these, and I know they will thank me for it later.

Fitbit AriaIf you have a numbers person on your list, this gadget is for them. The Fitbit Aria  (http://www.fitbit.com/product/aria) is a scale that measures more than just your body weight. It will also measure your body fat percentage and BMI and then send it wirelessly to your computer so you can track your numbers. For a scale that can do all of this, it is priced pretty reasonably at $130.

The final fitness gadget on my list this year is the Striiv pedometer (www.striiv.com). Its tagline says that it goes beyond just tracking and makes fitness feel like play. The pedometer works with your iPhone to monitor steps, activity minutes, distance and calories. Its goal is to turn fitness into fun and allows you to play games and win trophies. Its price is on the top end for most pedometers coming in at $100.

What other fitness tools and gadgets do you know of that would be great holiday gifts? We’d love to hear from you! Until next time, Merry Gadget, er, Christmas to you!


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