Feb-01-2021
We all want to live
healthy. Whether it’s through clean dieting, going for walks or runs, weight
training, doing yoga or anything in-between. Many people used to rely on
working out with friends or scheduling classes with personal trainers to stay
motivated. But when quarantine hit, we found ourselves forced to look for
alternatives with fitness centers closed or access limited. As the world went
online to find ways to stay connected, the fitness world did the same.
Through new and
upgraded technology, you can find motivation, set and adjust goals, monitor
health statistics, challenge other users and—most importantly—challenge
yourself! Fitness technology can range from apps and wearable trackers to full
home gyms with interactive video screens. Whatever your budget or exercise
preference, you can find useful technology to help boost your fitness and guide
your progress. The only thing you really need is the determination to stick to
the health plan you choose.
Let’s talk about a few
of these options, and how they can help you better understand your own health
and get the most from your exercise routines.
How to exercise at home
We’ve probably all
seen commercials flooding television and streaming apps recently with many
examples for how to live healthy. They feature exercise equipment with built-in
video screens to stream live and recorded training classes directly to your
home. Training equipment like MIRROR, Tonal, Peloton®, Bowflex® and Tempo
Studios offer all-in-one experiences for even the most dedicated gym rat.
There’s no question each of these give you trusted, well-built equipment along
with access to professional trainers. You can feel confident you’re getting the
most out of your equipment, as video instructors guide you through exercises
you can do—and show you best practices for performing each exercise safely.
No matter your budget,
there are many options available to show you how to get in shape at home safely
and keep you motivated through your sessions.
Tracking your health
Another popular option
in fitness technology is wearable devices, or fitness activity trackers. These
devices can be worn in the form of smart watches, fitness bands or an app on
your phone. They remind you to exercise, monitor your progress throughout the
day, and alert you when you’ve reached your goals.
If you’re the type of
person who likes seeing progress, you might really enjoy using an activity
tracker to help you live healthy. They keep a record of all your activity
through the day—be it specific activities like running or working out, or
simply tracking your steps as you clean your home.
Being able to see that
you’ve logged over 1,000 steps before lunch might motivate you to spend part of
your lunch break going for a walk to get an extra burst of steps in before the
workday ends. Or seeing that you’re way behind compared to your normal averages
could convince you jog around your neighborhood after work, or squeeze in a
workout session in your living room before dinner.
Some more advanced
devices can also read your pulse, monitor your sleep quality, encourage you to
get moving when you’ve been idle for too long, and even log your food and water
intake. These trackers can show you how to feel better and how to start living
a healthier lifestyle.
There are also several
basic models available that track your steps, monitor your pulse and inspire
you to keep moving. And most of these models sell for under $100, so they won’t
break the bank!
Stream fitness classes from
your living room
Switching from the gym
to fitness classes to your own living room might seem restrictive. But there
are several great fitness apps available to help you get a gym-style workout at
home. These interactive fitness apps give you the option to set specific goals,
track your progress, set daily reminders, participate in virtual classes with
instructors and share your progress with others through social media. You can
even find fitness apps that specialize in finding music designed for your taste
and your choice of exercises.
With hundreds of options
available, you can find apps to best fit your needs and goals. This could be
targeting a specific type of workout or trying a wide variety of exercise
routines. Options may also include meditation and sleep assistance to help
relieve mental stress.
There are several
great options to help you combine your home equipment with online fitness
sessions. Downloading apps like MyFitnessPalTM, Daily Workouts Fitness Trainer,
Jillian Michaels FitnessTM, Headspace®, and The Johnson & Johnson Official
7 Minute Workout will give you access to workouts that don’t require any
additional home equipment. You will also find great workouts that include free
weights, stationary bikes, resistance bands and training balls.
You can also search
YouTube for free videos related to specific workouts of your choosing,
including spinning classes, yoga sessions, meditation and body weight
exercises.
Did you know? You can stream workouts through
Peerfit!
Peerfit, available as part of a Meritain Health® benefit plans,
offers plenty of options to maintain an exercise routine without having to
leave home.
- Stream
local studio classes—Take a favorite fitness classes, with favorite
instructors, in a preferred space.
- FORTË
and BurnAlong—Peerfit’s digital fitness partners, FORTË and BurnAlong,
offer thousands of classes, from fitness to mindfulness, that can be
streamed anytime, anywhere.
To learn more about Peerfit and how to add it to a Meritain
Health benefits plan, please contact your Meritain Health representative. If
you’re a member with access to Peerfit and you want to learn more, just log in
to your Healthy Merits member portal.
For more information
about how to live healthy, check out www.meritain.com/insights.
This article is for
informational purposes only, and is not meant as medical advice.
Sources:
Dave Johnson at
Forbes.com. The 10 Best Fitness Trackers In 2021 For Every Lifestyle And
Workout. January 5, 2021. Available at:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes-personal-shopper/2021/01/05/best-fitness-trackers/?sh=1155e7fce41f
Hanna Horvath at
NBCNews.com. Best home gyms and home gym systems, according to experts.
December 10, 2020. Available at: https://www.nbcnews.com/shopping/fitness/best-home-gyms-n1250477
Jill Duffy at
PCMag.com. The Best Workout Apps for 2021. December 11, 2020.
Available at: https://www.pcmag.com/picks/best-workout-apps
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