How Fitness Trackers Motivate Us to Stay Fit

Like many shiny recent technologies to come out of California, the world greeted the Fitbit with a wave of enthusiasm when it was introduced in 2012. But it wasn’t just a nippy, must-have fad. The range of health and fitness trackers and wearable technology This number has since increased significantly, reflecting the widespread desire to be physically energetic.

While many of these technologies are high-priced (Fitbits can cost hundreds of pounds), the experiences of the men who took part in Football fans at training (FFIT) – a weight loss and well lifestyle programme designed for men by coaches at top football clubs – suggests that even budget-friendly and cute pedometers can be really useful in helping people trying to get fit. Not everyone needs a pricey Fitbit.

Is strong evidence that physical inactivity poses a sedate risk to our health. In addition to its countless health benefits, activity has been shown to play a key role in long-term weight loss and in positive mental healthWith all these benefits, it’s really vital that we understand how to support people from all walks of life to become more physically energetic.

While some people find it arduous to find and maintain the motivation to change unhealthy habits, more and more people studies show that using devices that monitor physical activity, such as basic pedometers that count every step we take, is an effective way to augment it.

Although men are often portrayed as unconcerned about their health, the past studies have shown that many enjoyed using pedometers to measure their progress. Wearing and checking even a straightforward pedometer can assist us take diminutive steps toward huge changes, especially as part of a fitness program.

Less well-known, however, are the ways in which self-monitoring tools (including wearable fitness trackers and smartphone apps) can assist motivate long-term increases in physical activity levels after fitness programs have ended.

Motivation: quality, not quantity

Sufficient motivation plays a key role in whether people are able to augment and maintain their level of physical activity. However, not all forms of motivation are equally powerful. According to a prominent theory in the field called Self-determination theoryThere are three main forms of motivation, which vary in quality.

When a person does something freely, willingly, and with a positive attitude, this usually indicates a higher quality of motivation (autonomous motivation), whereas if a person performs an action mainly in response to demands or pressures from others, such as rewards, competition, or comparison with others, this indicates a lower quality of motivation (controlled motivation). On the other hand, the state of amotivation occurs when a person has no desire to participate in an activity at all.

Within this theory, greater motivation depends on three basic “needs”: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Autonomy is the need to feel ownership over one’s actions; competence is the need to feel appropriately challenged and to experience a sense of accomplishment; and relatedness is the need to feel connected to others and supported in one’s endeavors.

Both autonomous (higher) and controlling (lower) forms of motivation can cause changes in our behavior, but autonomous motivation is more robust and beneficial in the long run, especially in the case of physical activity AND weight loss.

IN the study we conductedWe interviewed 28 men who completed the 12-week FFIT program to learn about their experiences using pedometers as motivational tools during and after the program.

Positive changes

The results show that goal setting and self-monitoring of progress using pedometers supported the development of high-quality (autonomous) motivation for physical activity during and after participation in the FFIT program.

Some men who made the change said they no longer used a pedometer because their recent, more energetic lifestyle had become second nature, and being energetic in their daily lives had become part of their identity. Others continued to exploit the devices for self-monitoring because they enjoyed tracking their activity, and it helped them maintain an increased level of activity.

One man described it as a “vital part of my daily motivation to keep going”, even months after completing the programme, while another said it allowed him to “see what I was really achieving” and thus boosted his self-confidence.

However, for a diminutive minority of men who struggled to make or maintain improvements in their activity levels, the pedometer was experienced as “discouraging” because it confirmed their lack of success. One man described the pedometer as a kind of “governor” and said he felt “ruled” by the pedometer.

These men were unlikely to report using self-monitoring tools after completing the 12-week program. They also had less success losing weight during the program and seemed more dependent on the support of their trainer and other group members to stay motivated.

Our research shows that men find pedometers and other activity trackers to be really helpful motivational tools to assist them make long-term lifestyle changes and become more energetic, both during and after a weight loss and well lifestyle programme.

Identifying men who were most motivated by external factors, such as comparing themselves to others, and men who simply did not enjoy using activity trackers may assist identify those who need additional support in discovering more valuable and meaningful reasons to get fit and be energetic.

Joy, improved well-being, and even rediscovering aspects of youth – these are all reasons that would motivate even the most reluctant of us to put on our sports shoes.