I’m not a fan of the phrase ‘new year, new me’, because there’s nothing wrong with the ‘old’ version. However, I am in favour of using all the extra energy amassed from a sedentary Christmas break in order to propel myself back into exercise.
Whether you’re a seasoned marathon runner, a long-time gym bunny or are dipping your toes into the workout waters for the first time, there’s no doubt that we can’t do it entirely alone. Some people swear by their foam rollers for stiff, achy muscles while others would be at a loss without a mini home gym for speedy sessions from the comfort of their living room.
The vast world of gadgetry can feel slightly flummoxing (to say the least!) and so it’s worth sussing out what to invest in before doing so. I’ve tracked down the best the health and fitness world has to offer, from fitness-tracking watches to smart scales, wireless headphones and everything in between.
These are the gadgets that will help you reach your health and fitness goals in 2020 – though of course you’ll have to put just a little bit of effort in too.
Fitbit Versa 2 Smart Fitness Watch, John Lewis & Partners, £159.99
I got a Fitbit Versa 2 a few months ago – after um’ing and ah’ing for a while – and it’s helped keep me more honest when it comes to my health goals and achievements. It’s all very well going to a class that claims you can burn 1000 calories but taking that on as gospel can be damaging to long term results. This handy smart watch lets you track everything from calorie burn, sleep quality and hydration levels to ensuring the roast doesn’t burn with the handy multiple timer feature.
MyZone Mz-3 Physical Activity Tracking Heart Rate Monitor Belt, Amazon, £139.99
If you’ve ever been to the gym, noticed people wearing bands around their waists and wondered what they were, then allow me to let you into a little secret: they’re tracking their heart rate in order to monitor how hard they’re working out. You enter your details into an app, strap the belt over your chest (under your sports bra strap if you’re wearing one) and the belt will give you an accurate reading off how many calories you burned and how hard you pushed yourself. It’s brilliant for beginners who are looking to find out their real fitness level, too.
JLab Audio Epic Sport Sweat & Weather-Resistant Wireless Bluetooth Headphones, John Lewis & Partners, £99.99
A pair of wireless Bluetooth headphones is an essential for anyone who wants to start taking their fitness seriously, because a good soundtrack or podcast is going to be the thing that carries you through those last miles or reps. Not only is this JLab pair sweat and water resistant, but they’re design makes them easy to whip off and leave hanging round your neck if needs be without the worry of losing them.
JaxJox Kettlebell Connect, Apple, £299.95
This isn’t just any kettlebell, this is a six-in-one adjustable kettlebell that allows you to add or drop weight in seconds while saving you space and time. Cool, huh? Use the app to adjust the weight of the kettlebell so that it evolves with your fitness levels and pair with your friends to create a group workout that works for everyone.
New Image FITT Cube, Argos, £129.99
Who knew that just one piece of equipment could deliver an all over, full body workout? It makes me wonder what all those machines at my gym even are. Simply flip the FITT Cube to target a whole new aspect of your fitness with more than 100 exercises to target every muscle in your body, then store it easily away again.
Original Koala Clip, Koala Clip, £22.14
The hardest part of going on a run, in my opinion, is figuring out where to keep your phone and money. Armbands tend to slip and belts bounce uncomfortably, so what do you do? Enter the Koala Clip – a sweat-resistant pouch that clips into the back of any sports bra and keeps your valuables safe and comfortable. So, you’ll have to figure out a different excuse for not going jogging.
Active Brief Period Pants, ModiBodi, £23.50
Working out on your period can be an uncomfortable experience, for more reasons than one, but these period pants mean you needn’t worry about leaking. Not only do they absorb sweat, they also help absorb your period or any discharge. This mean less money spent on pads and tampons it also means no wastage and maximum comfort.
Powerball Powerspin Evo Isometric Arm Exerciser, Amazon, £22.99
Perfect if you travel around a lot or don’t have much space to store a bulky home gym, this little wheel is actually your key to multiple arm strengthening and toning exercises. There are no batteries required (thankfully – as I gave all mine away over Christmas!) you simply adjust the speed of the internal steel ball to change the intensity of the workout.
Withings Body Wi-Fi Smart Scale, Amazon, £49.99
Weight isn’t the only method of measuring health but then, these smart scales don’t only measure weight. It will track weight and BMI and let you track it via handy charts, and it syncs with your other fitness gadgets such as an Apple Watch and more than 100 top health and fitness apps including Apple Health, Fitbit and Google Fit. If that’s not clever then I don’t know what is!
Theragun G3, Theragun, £375
If you follow any fitness influencers (aka ‘fitfluencers’) then you might have already seen these futuristic looking devices in action. If not, let me enlighten you. The G3 uses forceful vibration technology to release soreness, muscle tightness and break up knots. Just a warning, it is painful but it will mean you never get stiff after a workout again.
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