Ever since, I got and started using my first Omron pedometer way back in the good old days (I guess I’ve earned the right to use this phrase since I am 68 years young, after all) in the year 2000, I have become obsessed with data, distance, time, output that provides me information of my health in one way or another.
From the Omron pedometer, I progressed to devices that provided me more information about my health. These were devices I used over the 25 years or so until today.
From the Omron pedometers, I moved onto Fitbit, Polar, Suunto, Garmin, Samsung and Oura – there were many models from the various brands. I tried some lesser known brands and models – each for short periods. Somehow, I never had an Apple watch in my lineup – I felt that its range of models never quite met what I looked for and expect a device could do, sort of underwhelming. Don’t get me wrong. I believe Apple does produce some good products.
Over the last 15 years, technology in tracking health has advanced by leaps and bounds. Samsung has been what I call my trusted sidekick in tracking health. My current watch models are the Samsung Watch 7 Ultra which I have been using for the last almost 2 years and the Samsung Watch 6 for 3 years. Among the information highlights are monitoring of blood pressure and ECG. These two watches’ strong points are sports and exercise activities.
Recently, I acquired the Oura Ring 4. While its information does overlap with what Samsung’s watches provide; its main focus is on health, sleep, activity and heart.
I now rely less on the Samsung watches for health info, except when I go on my daily 10km – 11km walks. During the walks, I focus on speed, pace, heart rate and distance. I am averaging something like 10 and a half to 11 and a half minutes per km. I first started measuring pace at the time I began my daily 10km walks which was about 8 years ago. At that time, when I was 60 years old, I found information on the internet that men my age should be pacing 11 minutes per km. I am still averaging that speed at 68 years – my age now.
In the beginning , I was ambitious and began pushing my walks to 25km each day, then dropped the distance to 15km per day and now have stuck to the 10km – 11km per day. I thought by walking longer distances, I would see a greater weight drop. The longer distances was a marginal difference in weight loss. It also meant spending almost 5 hours a day.
What gets me is that I find myself pushing hard to meet the daily health levels that these apps set, so much so that I feel I am racing against these apps. It seems that I am never going to meet all categories one shot. Is it necessary to do so? Am I enjoying it?
On July 14th, I clocked all 3 crowns on the Oura app, after nearly 6 months of using the Oura Ring4. Satisfaction. I am now working on a repeat. Note that one of the crowns is sleep – rest is key to overall good health.
Should everyone go out and get one of these devices to ensure good health? These devices don’t do magic. They help people get into good regular health habits and as a takeaway, you know how you fair. I have a great interest in technology, so that makes it easier for me to decide to use one or more of these things.
These devices are general helps to track your health. None of them claim to replace the necessity of medical attention if and when needed.
