Want to Burn More Calories? 8 Reasons You Need an Activity Tracker

Your Nutrisystem plan is the path leading to your weight loss goal. You can pick up speed as you go down that path by being active as much as you can. Nutrisystem’s experts recommend getting at least 30 minutes of activity each day to keep your metabolism working and to tone your muscles. This helps you burn calories and shed excess pounds, even while you’re at rest.

The good news is you don’t have to spend hours exercising every day to burn calories and get in your activity. In fact, every minute you are moving throughout your day—no matter what you are doing—accumulates healthy benefits for you. But how much does it add up to? Activity trackers are an easy-to-use tool that fuels you with valuable information. You wear it like a watch and it gathers the data while you go about your business. We’re here to tell you all about these exercise accessories and how they can support your healthy habits.

Check out these eight benefits of activity trackers and how they can help you reach your weight loss goals:

1. Active Time

Many activity trackers record the amount of time you’re moving, regardless of what you’re doing. As you see the time adding up, you’ll be encouraged to keep striving for 30 minutes a day and 150 minutes a week.

10 Reasons to Go For a Walk Today

Read More

2. Step by Step

Each step you take during your day—from walking to the printer at work to pushing the grocery cart or stroller to doing housework—contributes to your total. Obesity experts recommend setting a goal of 10,000 steps each day to lose weight at a healthy pace. Your activity tracker keeps a running total, so you know when you’ve hit the mark.

3. As You Sleep

Regular rest not only restores your body’s energy, it’s essential for progress to your healthy weight. Ghrelin is a hormone that tells your brain when to eat. When you don’t get enough sleep (7 to 9 hours each night), you produce more of it. Lack of sleep also causes you to lose leptin, the hormone that signals fullness to your brain. Low leptin levels encourage you to eat more than you need. Many activity trackers monitor your slumber habits to tell you how much you are sleeping at night and even how deeply, so you can be sure you’re getting enough.

4. Calories Torched

Success is its own inspiration. When you check on your activity tracker, you’ll see all the calories you’re burning and be motivated to keep going.  And you’ll notice how every minute you’re active has a direct impact on your weight loss progress.

Counting Steps? How to Fit More Into Your Day

Read More

5. Alerts and Reminders

Becoming more active starts with building healthy habits. Activity trackers often sync up with your phone calendar so you can set reminders about fitness classes you want to try or a date to walk with a friend. If you sit at work all day, consider sending yourself an alert every hour to stand up, stretch and move around for five minutes.

6. Sound and Motion

Music just makes you want to move, whether you’re dancing in the kitchen or walking around the block. Most activity trackers connect directly to your phone so you can enjoy all your favorite songs. With the controls on your wrist, there’s no need to stop to take the phone out and tap until you get the right app open—you just keep moving to the beat.

7. Simple to Work

The technology behind your activity tracker is powerful so it can gather all of this valuable information for you, but it’s designed for people who just want to be more active. The controls are typically simple and clear. Many devices even alert you when a call or text message comes in.

“Allergic” to Exercise? 5 Fitness Tips You Won’t Hate

Read More

8. Compatibility

Many activity trackers work with the popular iOS (iPhone) and Android devices, creating a convenient and seamless tracking experience.