A Fun Way to Get Motivated

I had to laugh the other night when I noticed one of the men in the class that I was teaching (Pilates Strong: Pilates for Men) was wearing two activity-tracking watches. He explained that one was the watch he started out with a long time ago, while the other is the Apple watch he got when the rest of his family did. And by “family”, he meant his wife, adult children and their spouses. So why the second watch? For him, it’s a fun way to get motivated and enjoy some friendly competition. They can see what each other are doing for activity, stay accountable, and get together to meet their movement goals together. 

Why I Bought My First Activity-Tracking Watch

Before I bought my first activity-tracking watch I wanted to track my running distance, pace, and routes. For years I relied on my phone’s running app or friends that had fancy running watches. I remember when I first started running, I’d laugh when they’d turn their watch on and hold their arms up in the air trying to get a GPS signal. 

Then at a race expo before my first marathon, I splurged and bought a Garmin running watch. It was purple and white and picked up the GPS with ease. I loved it! I never had to wave my arm in the air to get a signal, and it would only drop occasionally when in a heavily forested area. Eventually, I had to replace the broken band and then the charge wouldn’t hold for long. We had such a good run (actually, lots of them!) that I knew I wanted another Garmin. 

The Watch I Have Now

Before I committed to my current watch, I looked at a few other brands. Most of my running friends still sport Garmin watches which have a lot more options than my first one did. I finally chose the Garmin VivoActive 4S in white with rose gold. I love it. It looks more like an every-day watch but does so much more. It does what I need it to do for running, and I can track my other activities, get text messages, answer my phone, and even listen to music or podcasts with my bluetooth headphones.  

And, like my client with two watches, it’s been the catalyst for some friendly competition in our family and with friends. When we went to Las Vegas recently with another couple, we set the goal of walking at least 20,000 steps a day. It was fun because we could check our progress and tried to outdo one another. Here’s an insider tip: hit the treadmill first thing in the morning for an easy way to get ahead of your competition! 

Should You Get an Activity Watch? 

There are lots of types of watches you can get now. Garmin has running-specific watches, but Apple, FitBit, and others do similar things. I saw recently that there is a ring you can wear that tracks your heart rate and sleep! I like that idea because I like to know my sleep patterns. My watch can do it, but it bothers me at night. When I roll over, the watch lights up and bugs me. Not exactly helpful for sleep! 

Most people I know say their overall activity increased when they got their first watch. Just seeing your stats is a good motivator! There are also “badges” you can earn, you can see what your friends are up to, and even invite them for competitions. Most people could benefit from having a “smart” watch, but if you get overly obsessed with tracking your stats, it may not be for you. 

Whether you already wear an activity watch or are thinking of one, here are some more great ways to find your motivation to get up and get moving.