The LiftUp team has created a new type of workout: one that combines the convenience of resistance bands with the “smarts” of Bluetooth-connectable trackers.  The LiftUp band measures the “weight” of your movements with the resistance band to calculate an equivalent pound measurement.  The LifeUp mobile app then provides real-time feedback and automatic rep counting, as well as providing guided workouts and calorie counts.

“Strength training is a fundamental part of a healthy lifestyle, but to date we’ve done it in a vacuum,” says Nick Sulham, LiftUp’s co-founder. “We didn’t like that, so we built LiftUp to make working out more informed and more interesting.”

The LiftUp tracker also has some nice aesthetics, featuring a hardwood and aluminum design.  The three included resistance bands give you plenty of varying strengths to accommodate all fitness levels. And the portability of the unit makes it perfect for business travelers or virtually anyone that does not have a lot of room to commit to a home gym.

Check out the KickStarter campaign and the LiftUp website for more details.

The post LiftUp Sets Out To Be The Fitbit Of Strength Training appeared first on Technically Well.

We all want recognition for the work we put into our fitness, and this little device helps cheer you on.  The FitBit One is an activity tracker that you discreetly clip to yourself and wear throughout the day. It automagically uploads your stats to their website through your computer (with the included dongle) or through your supported smartphone.  You can earn badges for hitting certain goals, such as climbing 10 flights of steps or getting 30 minutes of “very active” exercise.  It also estimates how many calories you’ve burned throughout the day, so you know if it’s OK to have that extra snack based on how active you were that day (yes, I’m one of those people who sometimes exercises just so I can eat more).

You can also wear the FitBit One as your sleep with the included wrist strap.  It tracks your movement throughout the night so you can see how restless you were throughout the night.  Although this is a cool feature, the product really doesn’t provide any advice on how to get a more sound sleep.  So while I can see that I tossed and turned all night, I’m not sure what I can do about it (maybe less coffee?  Ha, yeah right!)

PROs

+ Small and discreet. Fits well in the small coin pocket of your jeans.

+ Syncs with newer iPhones, iPads, and some Android devices as well as your PC or Mac computer via the included Bluetooth 4.0 dongle (sorry, there is no Linux sync client)

+ Integrates with other apps, such as Lose It and MyFitnessPal

CONs

– Proprietary charger, so don’t lose it!

– Only tracks walking and running.  It can’t accurately track biking or weight lifting.

In summary, this is one of my favorite fitness gadgets!  It’s easy to use, the charge lasts about a week (and the smartphone app can notify you when it is time to recharge), and it’s somewhat water resistant.  While it is great at measuring steps, it doesn’t accurately measure other activities, such as weight lifting, bike riding, or swimming.  However, you can manually input other activities into the app to estimate your calorie burn.  So if you’re looking for something to motivate you to be more active throughout the day, the FitBit has got you covered.

Check out the FitBit on Amazon

The post FitBit One Review: The FitBit is It appeared first on Technically Well.