Fitbit, the original fitness wearable company, has spent more than a decade tweaking and refining its products, and if you think that all it’s capable of is counting your steps, it’s time to reacquaint yourself with the brand. With its Charge 4 device, you can now track metrics from the macro to the granular, which is just the kick in the seat you might need to get ripped this summer. Thanks to Amazon’s flash deal on the watch , you’ll save $50 on your way to get into the best shape of your life.
The Charge 4 may not be much bigger than the company’s original wrist-mounted step-trackers, but its functionality is night-and-day different. A built-in GPS is essential for runners and walkers, but it also measures and tracks your heart rate around the clock. This is a boon for heart rate-targeting workouts, ensuring you’re at the correct intensity to achieve your fitness goals, from fat burning to aerobic training. A handy vibration signals you’re right where you need to be, eliminating the need to look down. Featuring more than 20 goal-based exercise modes, including staples like running and biking as well as more specific activities like tennis, it’s an all-around workout partner. And thanks to its water resistance to 50 meters, you will rarely have to take it off.
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When you’re not working out, it’s a great companion for overarching lifestyle changes, which are just as important as your workouts. It measures sleep to ensure you’re recovering adequately, as well as rating the quality of that sleep, along with activity minutes for both the day and week. And, true to its roots, it continues to count steps throughout the day, even providing a silent buzz to remind you it’s time to peel your butt from the office chair and take a turn around the grounds.
True, one might wonder how all this data is useful on your wrist, but like most other companies, Fitbit has invested big in its Bluetooth-connected app, which allows you to seamlessly transfer your current data and note trends over time. No longer are you limited by your watch’s internal memory; with its cloud-based recording, you can tally day to day, week to week, and more, fine-tuning workouts and daily patterns for maximum effect. Unsure how you fared last time you completed the Murph? Now you can know to the millisecond and beat of your heart.
Finally, the Charge 4, antithetical to its name, rarely needs to be charged. Under normal use, its battery lasts for seven days, and for those whose endurance pursuits take them long and far, its GPS can be in constant use for up to five hours before it begs for mercy.
Fitbit has come far from its early days, but its ability to assist you in your movement has never slacked. It’s time to build that beach bod, and the Charge 4, now cheaper than ever, is just the partner you’ve been waiting for.
