Why I Got a Fitness Tracker

I've been working out for years and while I've improved my overall fitness, strength and muscle tone, there is one goal that has proved elusive. I aspire to have a six pack not only because I like the way it looks but because attaining the level of body fat that is required to have a six pack means I'll have a little bit more leeway when I overindulge. Life just isn't worth living if I can't eat whatever I want once in a while.

I've tried switching up my workouts frequently and high intensity training (HIIT)but nothing seems to work. Then it occurred to me that perhaps I wasn't working out as hard as I thought I was and the only solution was to start wearing a fitness tracker that could give me actionable statistics.

I decided to go with the Microsoft Band 2 since it seemed to have rave reviews compared to comparable products and I'm a die hard Microsoft fan (I own a Windows mobile phone and the Surface tablet). I've been wearing it since new years eve and within a week I confirmed my suspicion that I had been overestimating my activity levels. 

The band and the corresponding app allows you to set and track goals for calories burned, steps etc. in addition to tracking stairs climbed, amount and quality of sleep, heart rate and the list goes on. It also allows you to save and guides you through workouts that you can select from their library or build and customize your own. Aside from tracking and managing my fitness, what I've found most valuable is the sleep tracker.

I used wake up tired most days even when I'd been in bed for eight hours and always wondered why. The Microsoft Band is able to give me details of the amount and quality of sleep that I'm actually getting which has allowed me to make some easy changes like changing the time I go to sleep and setting the alarm to go off at the optimal waking time to improve my sleep efficiency. 

One month in, I'm loving everything about my Microsoft Band. It holds me accountable to my goals and give me actionable insights to help me reach my goals. Six pack abs here I come!