Embrace year-round wellness: The best fitness wearable tech and apps to keep you thriving

Embrace year-round wellness: The best fitness wearable tech and apps to keep you thriving

January is often the time of year when people make resolutions to get fitter and become healthier. However, wellness isn’t a seasonal trend; it’s a year-round commitment. And while willpower plays a crucial role, the right technology can significantly boost your efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle, no matter the weather outside.

From smartwatches that track your every move, to apps that guide your mindfulness practice, the market is flooded with options. But which ones truly deliver on their promise of year-round wellness?

This post explores the best fitness wearable tech gadgets and apps to help you stay on track throughout the year, offering insights into features to look for and recommendations for different needs and budgets.

Wearable tech: Beyond the step count

While basic step trackers have their place, today’s fitness wearables offer a far more comprehensive picture of your health. Look for devices that go beyond simple step counting and incorporate:

  • Advanced heart rate monitoring: Accurate heart rate tracking is crucial for optimising workouts and understanding your cardiovascular health. Look for features like continuous heart rate monitoring and heart rate variability (HRV) analysis, which can provide insights into your stress levels and recovery. Examples include the Apple Watch, Garmin Smartwatch and Google Pixel Watch.
  • Sleep tracking: Sleep is fundamental to overall well-being. Wearables with advanced sleep tracking capabilities can analyse your sleep stages (light, deep, REM), identify sleep disturbances and offer personalised recommendations for better sleep hygiene. The Oura Ring 4 is known for its detailed sleep analysis.
  • SpO2 monitoring: Measuring blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) can be a valuable indicator of respiratory health. Many wearables now include this feature, providing an additional layer of health monitoring – the O2Ring Oximeter Continuous Oxygen Monitor is one of the top devices for tracking blood oxygen saturation.
  • GPS tracking: For outdoor enthusiasts, GPS tracking is essential for accurately monitoring distance, pace and route during runs, hikes and bike rides. Many GPS watches, including the Fitbit Charge 6, also offer features like map navigation and trail tracking.
  • Stress management: Beyond fitness, wearables such as Nurosym can also lower your stress levels, reduce fatigue, stabilise your mood and improve the quality of your sleep.

Apps: your digital wellness coach

Wearable tech is only half the equation. Complementary apps can enhance your wellness journey by providing:

  • Personalised workout plans: Apps like Peloton, Nike Training Club and Adidas Running by Runtastic offer structured workout programs tailored to your fitness level and goals.
  • Mindfulness and meditation: Apps like Headspace and Calm guide you through meditation and mindfulness exercises, helping to manage stress and improve mental well-being.
  • Nutrition tracking: Apps like MyFitnessPal and Lose It! help you track your calorie intake and macronutrient ratios, supporting healthy eating habits.
  • Sleep improvement tools: Beyond wearable sleep tracking, apps like Sleep Cycle can analyse your sleep patterns and wake you up during a light sleep phase for a more refreshed morning start.

Choosing the right tech for you

The best wearable and app combination depends on your individual needs and preferences. Consider:

  • Budget: Prices range from affordable fitness trackers to high-end smartwatches.
  • Features: Prioritise features that align with your wellness goals.
  • Ease of use: Choose a device and app that are intuitive and easy to navigate.
  • Integration: Ensure your wearable and apps seamlessly integrate for a holistic view of your health data.

Embracing year-round wellness requires a multifaceted approach. By combining the power of advanced fitness wearable tech with supportive apps, you can gain valuable insights into your health, track your progress and stay motivated throughout the year, ultimately leading to a healthier and happier you.

Price Points: Smart watch fitness trackers

Smart watch fitness trackers

Over the past couple of years, I’ve been using apps on my phone (Strava and MapMyRun) to track my dog walks and other outdoor activities.

I was recently gifted a Fit Bit by my very thoughtful sister and my life has been transformed. Now, not only can I log my walkabouts, I can record and monitor data about my sleep, diet, heart rate, blood oxygen and stress levels.

Below, I’ve selected three different smart watch fitness trackers with a variety of features to suit all budgets.

  1. Blackview X5 smart watch: £42.99, Amazon
    • Heart rate detection
    • Sleep monitoring
    • 9 professional sports modes to help achieve your fitness goals by tracking steps, mileage and calories
    • Long standby time; 7-10 days of normal use and 30 days of standby on a single charge
    • Waterproof
  2. Fitbit Sense 2, Lunar White: £269.99, Boots

    The smartwatch designed to help you stress less, sleep better & live healthier. Get help identifying stress and get the tools to better manage it. Learn more about your sleep and how to improve your rest with detailed nighttime tracking and a unique Sleep Profile. Track key heart-health indicators so you can make more informed wellness decisions. Plus Sense 2 is packed with advanced activity tracking and smartwatch features and includes six months of Fitbit Premium Membership.

    • Sleep profile
    • All-day body-response tracking with cEDA sensor
    • Option 2: All-day body-response tracking for stress
    • Built-in GPS
    • ECG app
    • Health metrics like SpO2 and HRV
    • 6-month Fitbit premium membership

  3. Apple Watch Ultra: from £849.00, Apple
    • 49mm titanium case
    • Swimproof – water resistance 100m
    • MIL-STD 810H certification
    • Action button
    • IP6X dust resistant
    • Always-on retina display
    • Blood oxygen app
    • ECG app
    • High and low heart rate notifications
    • Irregular rhythm notification
    • Temperature sensing
    • Cycle tracking with retrospective ovulation estimates
    • Emergency SOS
    • International emergency calling
    • Fall detection
    • Crash detection
    • 86-decibel siren to attract attention – can be heard up to 180 metres away
    • Up to 36hrs of normal use, up to 60hrs on low power settings

shop smart watch fitness trackers

Some of the links on our blog are affiliate links. We may receive a small commission - at no cost to you - if you click through and make a purchase.
Prices & links correct at time of publication.

Apple Watch Ultra
Apple Watch Ultra
from £849.00
Fitbit Sense 2, Lunar White
Fitbit Sense 2, Lunar White
£269.99
Blackview X5 smart watch
Blackview X5 smart watch
£42.99
Apple Watch Ultra
Apple Watch Ultra
from £849.00
Fitbit Sense 2, Lunar White
Fitbit Sense 2, Lunar White
£269.99
Blackview X5 smart watch
Blackview X5 smart watch
£42.99
Apple Watch Ultra
Apple Watch Ultra
from £849.00
Fitbit Sense 2, Lunar White
Fitbit Sense 2, Lunar White
£269.99
Blackview X5 smart watch
Blackview X5 smart watch
£42.99
Apple Watch Ultra
Apple Watch Ultra
from £849.00
Fitbit Sense 2, Lunar White
Fitbit Sense 2, Lunar White
£269.99
Blackview X5 smart watch
Blackview X5 smart watch
£42.99
Apple Watch Ultra
Apple Watch Ultra
from £849.00
Fitbit Sense 2, Lunar White
Fitbit Sense 2, Lunar White
£269.99
Blackview X5 smart watch
Blackview X5 smart watch
£42.99

Price Points: Dog activity monitors

Dog activity monitors

Barley and I are currently taking part in the Dogs Trust 99km for Canines fund-raising campaign. It’s happening for the entire month of October, and you can keep up with our own personal journey on our Facebook page.

I’ve been using an app on my phone to track the number of kilometres that I’ve walked; however, Barley is walking (and running) way more than me! I’ve been contemplating getting one of these dog activity trackers that attaches to his collar to see just how much more exercise he’s been getting.

After reading about what each one does and doesn’t do, I think the Pawfit monitor (#2) fits our bill. Firstly, it’s waterproof for those sea and river dips. Next, it tells me the distances that Barley clocks up with all his darting through the trees in the woods and galloping along the beach. Another important function is that it gives me Barley’s exact GPS location – for any unforeseen times he wanders off so far that he gets lost and is out of earshot. For instances like that, the Pawfit is fitted with a microphone that would allow me to speak to Barley – perhaps calling his name for him to come and search for me.

  1. PitPat dog activity monitor: £39.00, Pets at Home

    Advanced “dogorithms” analyse those complex movements every 10 minutes to decide what activity your dog was doing during that period. They also allow an estimation of daily distance covered and calories burnt.

  2. Pawfit 2 pet GPS tracker & activity monitor: £54.99, Amazon

    Flexible and affordable subscription rate starting from £3.39/month. Choose from a 1, 6, 12 or 24-month Premium or Basic subscription plan

  3. PETFON1 smart GPS tracker real-time dog tracking: £116.99, eBay

    If you need to track your pets when you are inside the house with pets running outside, the performance could not be guaranteed, the connection could be very unstable due to massive obstructions between controller and tracker.

shop dog activity monitors

Some of the links on our blog are affiliate links. We may receive a small commission - at no cost to you - if you click through and make a purchase.
Prices & links correct at time of publication.

PETFON1 smart GPS tracker real-time dog tracking
PETFON1 smart GPS tracker real-time dog tracking
£116.99
Pawfit 2 pet GPS tracker & activity monitor
Pawfit 2 pet GPS tracker & activity monitor
£54.99
PitPat dog activity monitor
PitPat dog activity monitor
£39.00
PETFON1 smart GPS tracker real-time dog tracking
PETFON1 smart GPS tracker real-time dog tracking
£116.99
Pawfit 2 pet GPS tracker & activity monitor
Pawfit 2 pet GPS tracker & activity monitor
£54.99
PitPat dog activity monitor
PitPat dog activity monitor
£39.00
PETFON1 smart GPS tracker real-time dog tracking
PETFON1 smart GPS tracker real-time dog tracking
£116.99
Pawfit 2 pet GPS tracker & activity monitor
Pawfit 2 pet GPS tracker & activity monitor
£54.99
PitPat dog activity monitor
PitPat dog activity monitor
£39.00
PETFON1 smart GPS tracker real-time dog tracking
PETFON1 smart GPS tracker real-time dog tracking
£116.99
Pawfit 2 pet GPS tracker & activity monitor
Pawfit 2 pet GPS tracker & activity monitor
£54.99
PitPat dog activity monitor
PitPat dog activity monitor
£39.00
PETFON1 smart GPS tracker real-time dog tracking
PETFON1 smart GPS tracker real-time dog tracking
£116.99
Pawfit 2 pet GPS tracker & activity monitor
Pawfit 2 pet GPS tracker & activity monitor
£54.99
PitPat dog activity monitor
PitPat dog activity monitor
£39.00

Gimme Five! Tech fashion accessories

'Gimme Five' blog post banner

Selection of five tech fashion accessories

London Fashion Week is upon us again and it got me thinking about tech fashion accessories, or ‘wearable tech’. One of the first episodes of Tomorrow’s World which aired in 1965 included ‘Tomorrow’s Girl’. She can be seen modelling synthetic clothes made of plastic and paper which she accessorised with a pair of earrings that doubled as transistor radios!

  1. UP MOVE™: £39.99, Jawbone
    Get fit, lose weight and have fun doing it. Put it on and wear it anywhere. And with an LED display and Smart Coach to guide you, the UP MOVE™ tracker doesn’t just count your steps and track your sleep – it gets you over the hump and moving on your path to a better you. With Activity Tracking, Sleep Tracking, Food Logging and Smart Coach.
  2. Marylebone Tech tote: £895, Aspinal of London
    The first luxury tote specifically and cleverly designed to carry an integral mobile phone and iPad battery charger pack for use with all your mobile devices. Boasting extra internal pockets with cable paths to carry your phone & tablet devices, the tech charger pack gives you the freedom to recharge your tech gadgets on the go in style.
  3. PEBBLE Steel smart watch: £133.30, PC World
    The Pebble Steel Smart Watch works with both Android and iOS smartphones and gives you instant access to text messages, emails and more, directly on your wrist. You can even control and search for music right from your wrist – perfect for sports or travel. It connects via Bluetooth, so is compatible with most current smartphones and gives you the freedom to leave your phone in your bag or pocket without missing out on important information.
  4. Dive Bar, tourmalated quartz by Ringly: $195, FAB
    Ringly connects to your phone so you can receive subtle notifications about what’s important. Through the Ringly app, you can set custom colour and vibration patterns for different types of notifications. The accompanying ring box also acts as a charging station.
  5. Unpocket: £26, 1984
    The police-grade stealth fabrics on the inside physically block all RFID, GPS, WiFi and Cell signals. UnPocket makes you unhackable and untrackable and allows you to drop off the global surveillance grid and become invisible to Big Brother #GoDark.