With Christmas right around the corner, and stores filling up with trinkets to pop under the tree, here’s what you can get to keep your fitness on track through the festive season.

The holiday season can be a time for self-indulgence and lethargy, but with 2022 hot on its heels, it’s time to put a year of lockdowns behind us and look to happy, healthy, fitter New Year. Here are some of the best gadgets to help you maintain that fitness focus – and they make great stocking stuffers too!
Without further ado, here are the best fitness trackers to buy for a loved one, an exercise buddy – or to keep for yourself!

1. Fitbit Charge 5

   This Fitbit is the most advanced health and fitness tracker that keeps a pulse on stress, heart health and even physical readiness. It comes with a charger and connects to an app that can be installed on your mobile device. It has the convenience of being the size of a wristwatch or a bracelet! It’s wearable most of the time but needs the occasional one hour break (don’t we all!), but this can happen while you’re in the shower. The technology allows for consistent monitoring of daily life in a way that helps you listen to what your body is telling you. This awareness naturally promotes a healthier and more well-rounded lifestyle!

2. Garmin Forerunner 245

   If you or your gift recipient is a runner, then the Garmin Forerunner 245 might be just the gadget for you – or them! Similar to the Fitbit Charge 5, this is conveniently wearable on the wrist. It has the ability to monitor your training load, and it is specifically able to track your running practice. It has a long-lasting battery life of seven days, and it monitors heart rate, pulse oximetry and oxygen saturation, hydration and women’s health. It has some smart features similar to the Apple watch with calendar, weather, music and find my watch features as well

3. Xiaomi Mi Band 6

   Another gadget coming in conveniently as a wrist-wearer, the Xiomi Mi Band 6 has a lot to offer as it is the best fitness tracker for the consumer on a budget. It claims to have a battery life of fourteen days, and charges up in only two hours, which makes it wearable practically 24/7. This sleek shiny gadget also measures REM sleep, abnormal heart rates, and has smart features included! It is water resistant but not waterproof, so don’t be tempted to wear it in the pool.

4. Garmin Vivosmart 4

   

   
   The Garmin Vivosmart 4 has a battery life of up to five days. With a water swim rating of 5 ATM and coming in two band sizes, it connects to Bluetooth and even assigns personalised daily goals for you to strive for. It can receive texts and emails much like an Apple wrist watch while also maintaining its reading of your pulse oximetry and SpO2 levels. Although it is about twice the price of the Xiaomi Mi Band 6, it is crammed with features and looks like a winner!

5. Fitbit Inspire 2

   

   
   This Fitbit technology allows for you, the wearer, to earn active zone minutes as you improve in time to reach your 150 minutes of cardiovascular activity. It tracks exercise goals, and whether you meet those goals. It also measures your daily steps, your distances travelled, hourly activity and number of calories burned. With its ten-day battery life, the Fitbit Inspire 2 is another great buy from the Fitbit stable.

6. Samsung Galaxy Fit 2

   Do you have a Samsung Galaxy phone? If so, this tracker is just the thing for you! This wrist-tracking device prides itself on sleek design and a lightweight feel, but is really known for its ability to connect to Samsung Galaxy phones which allows for the transfer of your personalised health-related data. If you’re an Android household and into fitness and health, this could be the technology gift for you!

7. Amazfit Band 5

   This fitness band has a great price, and has Alexa built into it, which means you can speak to the tiny machine on your wrist the same way you speak to your empty kitchen, or Alexa devices in the home, and it will respond in the same way! It is a pedometer, GPS, sleep monitor, and also does social media, email and text messages. It is perfect for the multitasker!

8. Amazon Halo

   

   
   The Amazon Halo is a waterproof alternative to some other trackers on this list – it is water resistant up to depths of 50 metres! This wearable is also capable of measuring your body composition and body fat percentage. In addition, it can analyse your tone of voice to help you become more aware of how you may sound to other people. It also covers sleep, movement and activity goals as well.
9. Garmin Venu Sq and Sq Music Edition
   

   

   
   Much like the other options on this list, the Garmin Venu Sq and Sq Music Edition handles social media, GPS, heart rate monitoring and sleep. Packed with premium features at a competitive price, it has the added feature of downloading and being able to play your favourite Christmas tunes, whether that be Frank Sinatra or Mariah Carey (obviously it’s not limited to festive music…)! The fashion-conscious can change the vibe whenever they like simply by switching out the band.

To conclude, whether you have a Samsung Galaxy phone, or want to listen to your bops while you run, or swim in the ocean with your body measuring gadgets, it can be yours this holiday season. You can work toward your goals to a healthier, happier life full of exercise and steps, and machines on your wrist that tell you how you’re doing!