Although I don’t remember when I put my fitness tracker in long-term storage, I certainly remember the reason: it made me doubt myself.
Like many people, I started using a tracker, in my case a Fitbit Alta HR, as a way to track my daily steps as well as heart rate, sleepand burning calories.
For about 18 months, I loved digging into this data and looking at trends, but then I noticed a change: I didn’t see numbers as a way to work toward my health goals; they would become a replacement for myself. -awareness.
For example, I woke up feeling alert and well-rested, but my data suggested I had a terrible night’s sleep. Suddenly, her tail wasn’t so furry anymore and she wasn’t ready for the day. would finish a to run thinking I had crushed it, but my heart rate and calorie burn data said otherwise, so that achievement would turn out to be a disappointment.
Pretty soon, I started checking my numbers to determine how I felt, not the other way around. That’s not Fitbit’s fault, or any tracker brand’s, but it was enough for me to ditch the device entirely. And it turns out I’m not alone.
The problem with trackers
A survey of more than 1,800 people on fitness tracker use, habits, and stress found many benefits of use, including increased activity, but nearly half of people feel anxiety or pressure as a result of tracker data. That led 45 percent of that group to use the trackers less often, though many of them felt guilty about not using the devices.
“Fitness trackers can measure inactivity, and some of the men and women I test say the trackers exacerbate their body-related feelings of anxiety and depression, further demotivating them.” Leela Magavi, MD, a psychiatrist and regional medical director for Mindpath Health, tells Runner world. “Some of these people hide their trackers when they begin to perceive them as reminders of their perceived failure.”
Those who already have anxiety disorders can feel this even more deeply, he adds, and that becomes problematic when this level of worry increases their heart rate, which the trackers record. For those with obsessive-compulsive disorders, trackers can also increase compulsions, such as overtraining or engage in disordered eating, says Magavi.
Even if you don’t have emotional health issues, trackers could shift your perception in a negative direction, similar to what I experienced. That is why it is useful to take a step back and create more awareness about its use.
Signs that it might be time to break up with your tracker
Although I have chosen to stop using my tracker, it is possible to take a less drastic step. You just have to acknowledge how you’re using the tracker, and especially how it makes you feel when you do.
“A red flag is focusing too much attention on the numbers”, rocky snyder, CSCS, California-based trainer and author of the strength training guide Return to Center, He says runner world.
Goals are of course beneficial, he says, and trackers make it easy to create them and measure progress toward them.
“The problem starts when people don’t take into account how their body feels,” he says. “For example, it focuses on heart rate but doesn’t take into account that you might be under more stress or have muscle tension or a pain response, all of which can affect that reading. You have to see the big picture and not become so short-sighted with numbers and statistics.”
Another sign that your tracker is a mental health hurdle is that you’re not enjoying your activity, Snyder adds. Despite the expression of almost all the runners in a photo taken in a race, this sport is supposed to be fun, remember?
“Don’t let your daily goal distract you from the true underlying purpose of each program, which is to live a happier, healthier life,” he says. “If you find your fitness tracker mentally consuming you, try to put it behind you and practice being in the moment of whatever adventure you’re guiding your body through.”
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How to make the switch to self-compassion
Using trackers in a different way can not only help you make peace with your limitations, but also benefit you in ways that support your emotional well-being, says Magavi.
“The trackers can help people create routines and transform healthy behaviors into positive habits,” he adds. “Each healthy behavior can be perceived as a victory. For those who struggle with self-motivation, as we all do from time to time, accountability is key, and trackers can help you see how much you’ve accomplished and practice self-compassion.”
In general, using them as part of a much larger strategy and being aware of their effects could prevent you from falling into the “data obsessed” trap. That way, says Magavi, they will feel supported technology that keeps you motivated instead of defeated.
With this in mind, I’ll likely rescue my tracker from the depths of the junk drawer and use it in a very different way when I do.
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