Fitness trackers are great for monitoring your daily activities and estimating how many calories you burn. Most fitness trackers have pedometer features to measure the number of steps you take and the distance you travel. This data can be useful for pushing yourself to become more active. There are also specialized fitness trackers for various activities, including running, cycling and swimming. Many weight loss experts, like Dr. Christine Ren-Fielding, recommend swimming and water aerobics as a beginning workouts for weight loss. Being in the water provides excellent muscle resistance for a full-body workout. It’s also gentle on the joints, which may be important if you are carrying excess weight or recovering from surgery. But what is the best fitness tracker for swimming? Here we cover the important features of fitness trackers for swimming so you can make the best choice.

Essential Features of Fitness Trackers for Swimming

Do you want something simple? Or would you like a fitness tracker for swimming with all the bells and whistles? Let’s start with the essentials.

• Waterproof. Of course! This should be the first parameter you check.

• Long battery life. Some fitness trackers have surprisingly terrible battery life. It’s good to check reviews from other customers to make sure it will last a few exercise sessions in the pool without needing a recharge.

• Comfortable. Some outfitters will allow you to try on fitness trackers and even use them for a limited time before buying them. This way you can check band size and make sure they are comfortable for you.

• Good screen visibility. It seems obvious, but you should make sure the screen is easy for you to read. If there is specific display info you want at a glance (such as the time), be sure that’s an option, too.

• Suitable accuracy. Everyone has a different metric for accuracy. If you are swimming laps and feel it’s critical to know your total distance, you may want a very accurate tracker.

Other Considerations

• How user-friendly is the app? Most customers report on this in their reviews. Search the internet to see screenshots of features and menus, too.

• How much set-up is required? Some fitness trackers require some set-up to begin sensing your activities. Others have more advanced auto-detect capabilities, right down to recognizing numbers of laps and strokes. All you have to do is jump into the pool and start burning calories.

Make an Appointment with Dr. Christine Ren-Fielding

If you are struggling with obesity or weight-related health issues, Dr. Christine Ren-Fielding and colleagues are ready to help you. They can guide you through every step of your weight loss journey. Please contact the NYU Langone Weight Management Program by calling 212-263-3166 or emailing weightloss@nyumc.org.