Member-only story
I Don’t Need a Fitness Watch
Or any other fancy gadgets
I was out running recently, and a woman ran up to me and wanted to chat. I don’t like chatting with people when I’m obviously working out, but I’m a slow runner, so I had to listen.
“You should get a fitness watch!” she said, only she used the brand name. And she said this three times. She was convinced that I needed to stop what I was doing and buy one immediately. Maybe she worked for the company, a living ad. I’ll never know for sure.
I’m actively working to be more fit, so a fitness watch would make sense. I do use computers and a cell phones, so why not get some wearable tech? After all, who doesn’t want cool new stuff? But so far, I haven’t had the urge.
I’m a minimalist, trying to actively decrease the amount of stuff I own. Just buying some active clothing was an ordeal.
Besides, I don’t have hundreds of dollars to spend on the latest gadget. My cell phone tracks my activity just fine. As far as I’m concerned, daily events like sleeping can go un-tracked. I made it this far without creating a spreadsheet of wake/sleep times. And I can take my pulse myself for free.
But cost is just one concern I have. A lot of fitness watches aren’t expensive, but how long do they last?
