>The majority of Americans are overweight -- which is a health issue, and addressing that health issue is one of the major reasons people use fitness trackers.
I've been overweight at times when I overwork. Especially after I was in a situation where I was a caregiver for a sick loved one for some years. Even after that spell of time, I lost weight fairly quickly (and healthily) by mountain biking. I've lost weight by exercising via having fun on a mountain bike, hiking, climbing, kayaking, surfing, etc. and eating less (and somewhat healthier) and drinking more water.
I guess I just don't see how a fitness app would have improved my situation. Again, I'm not dissing on those that use them, but I personally don't get it.
I'm still curious after your response. How would a fitness app and device helped me?
>Lots of people don't enjoy exercise, especially people trying to establish a pattern with it that haven't done so yet.
Maybe it's because they set it up like a chore with a computing device instead of doing it for fun and health as a side benefit?
I'm only half-kidding about that...
I personally can't stand sitting inside and getting exercise on some rat wheel in a gym. If it's hot, I bring lots of water and dress appropriately for the weather. If it's cold, I bundle up. I enjoy the challenge that the elements bring to the table outdoors. I also like using my brain trying to navigate trails, etc. instead of doing repetitious, boring (to me) brain-dead indoor exercise machines like treadmills, etc.
I dunno, maybe if people worried less about their fitness tracking devices, trying to treat exercise like work and instead just have more fun, they'd be more apt to exercise?
I wouldn't enjoy exercise either if I treated it like work.
>I think you are presenting a false dichotomy.
Perhaps I am for others. For me personally, I just don't see the enjoyment of meticulously tracking my heart rate, etc. while I'm flying down some trails, hiking my bike up rocks, etc. I know my heart is working because it's pounding with joy (and sometimes fear) and that's enough for me. Or, if someone spots a bear I sure as heck don't need a fitness app to let me know my heart is ticking. ;)
Again, I know what works for me certainly doesn't work for everyone, but as hard as I try, I just don't get the fitness apps and devices being very conducive to enjoyable exercise. Just seems like another distraction from getting busy and having fun in the process.
The only device I like to bring is a little shuffle for music and I often turn that off so I can hear the sounds of nature while I'm out there. A fancy pants fitness device that alerts me that my heart rate has reached some kind of "optimum" zone or whatever just seems like a mechanical killjoy to an otherwise organic, almost tribal/ animalistic/sensual experience getting down and dirty with nature.
Again, this is just me. If other find enjoyment in fitness apps and devices that run them, then more power to them! :D
Who knows, maybe someone can make a good enough argument for me to start using them someday if/when I have health issues, etc. down the road.