There’s plenty that tech can do to help
Feeling the post-Christmas bloat and keen to regain your fitness in the new year? There’s a wealth of tech out there to assist, from those simply aiming to be more active and achieve those 10,000 steps, to those gearing up for their first marathon.
Regardless of where your fitness journey begins, having the right technology can help maintain motivation, provide all the necessary tracking and feedback, and in some instances, offer guidance and coaching.
As a tech expert and fitness fan, here’s the tech I’d recommend to get moving and active in 2026.
Given that everyone now has a smartphone in their pocket, there are countless apps and services offering to track, train and entertain. However, using a phone does have its limitations, reports the Mirror.
Firstly, it’s more difficult to quickly check data on your phone compared to a watch during exercise; secondly, phones won’t record as much data as wearable devices; and thirdly, it’s not the best tool for the task.
The best thing about a dedicated wearable device for fitness tracking is that it’s been optimised for the job. Brands like Garmin, Polar, Amazfit or Coros all offer GPS smartwatches packed with fitness functions.
Fitbit is well known for its fitness bands, and now there are even smart rings available.
A smartwatch to monitor progress
Garmin is a leading name in the world of watches and one of the best but it’s not always the most affordable. However, with a wide range of devices, there’s often a sale to be found, such as the Garmin Instinct 2 Solar currently priced at £259 at H Samuel, a saving of £110, and offers full tracking for steps, activities, sleep and much more.
The thing I like about Garmin is that it’s accurate, the battery life is great and there’s loads of information in the app. This can be shared with other services, like Strava, which is a great place to track and share all the activities that you complete.
The best thing about Garmin is that the experience is much the same from its cheaper devices like this £179 Garmin Venu 2 through to its more expensive models like the luscious Garmin Fenix 8 for £669.
For fitness enthusiasts serious about their goals, Garmin offers top-notch tracking, advice, guidance, coaching and more, whether tacking your first 5km run, and all the way up to Ironman triathlon training.
But some might find that a Garmin (or any watch) is too bulky, or that something cheaper or more discreet is preferred. That’s understandable when one of the key features in fitness is recovery. Tracking sleep is now a big part of making sure that there’s adequate recovery from the fitness training.
This is where the Fitbit Charge 6 shines.
Fitness bands offer a more compact and cost-effective alternative
Fitbit has been making more compact trackers for a long time, and the Fitbit Charge 6 is one of the best fitness bands there is. It’s more expensive than some – although it’s discounted to £89 on Amazon at the moment – but it includes a GPS, so it offers much more reliable tracking than some rivals.
The Fitbit Charge 6 is small enough to be worn comfortably at night, which isn’t always the case with sports watches. Its sleep tracking feature is excellent and neatly displayed in the Fitbit smartphone app.
In addition to step and activity tracking, the Fitbit Charge 6 offers a smaller display, meaning it’s not as good as watches like Garmin above, especially for runners. However, for those embarking on a more casual fitness journey – including exercise classes and workouts – Fitbit provides a great experience.
For those seeking a subtler approach, smart rings are now another option.
Smart rings offer discreet tracking
Smart rings incorporate the sensors found in watches and bands into a more compact design that fits on a finger. They still track motion, heart rate, steps and sleep, but lack a display or controls on the ring itself.
Instead, they blend seamlessly into the background, providing a more understated approach to health monitoring.
When it comes to sleep tracking, smart rings are the easiest to wear due as they are barely noticeable. Virtually everything that happens on the ring is automated, allowing data to be collected for later review in the app.
Oura is a leading name in the smart ring sector, and with a current sale, the £249 Oura Ring 4 is a good deal. However, there’s an ongoing cost of a £5.99 monthly membership to unlock its features, which makes it quite pricey given the limited functionalities it offers.
While all the wearables above can monitor fitness, performance, heart rate, and sleep, they don’t provide much insight into your body. This is where smart scales come into play. Lots of people don’t like scales, but for those really facing up to getting fit, it’s part of the package.
Fortunately, this isn’t just about weight, it’s about body composition, something that modern scales can provide information on.
Weigh in the smart way
Smart scales have a couple of advantages over traditional ones: firstly, they can sync data with an app, making it possible for these £14.99 Eufy scales, for instance, to feed data into the Fitbit app. Secondly, smart scales measure body composition, providing a more comprehensive view of how your changes as you get fitter.
This means that weight isn’t the only indicator of success. For example, an increase in muscle mass might result in a weight gain, even though fat levels have decreased.
Smart scales can provide this information, something a simple weight measurement cannot.
These Eufy smart scales, priced at £14.99 on Amazon, offer great value for money, providing measurements for weight, BMI, body composition, muscle mass, bone mass, and visceral fat among others.
Regardless of your fitness journey approach, having the right tech can make it much easier to keep track of gains and changes. This can aid in maintaining motivation, while apps such as Garmin, Fitbit or Oura assist in monitoring improvements in aspects like fitness age, sleep quality and overall fitness over time.
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our Be lifestyle newsletter for all the latest showbiz, fashion, beauty, family features and more.
