Al-ta or nothing

   First off, I plan to do this a little differently…

Disclaimer!

I am currently a proud Apple Watch owner and in the interim I have chosen to flaunt the Fitbit Alta instead. Make no mistake, when the mood takes me the Apple Watch might reclaim it’s rightful (or in this case leftful?) place back on my wrist, but for now, the chic, sleek, elegant and sophisticated, not to mention intelligent, Fitbit takes preference.

In an ever-worrying environment where people are waging war on obesity and the need to move more is evident, companies like Fitbit are making their mark. The aim is to edge people towards a healthier lifestyle and this little piece of fitness finery does that.

There’s quite a lot to be said about this neat little device but bear with me… this one’s a goodie. The Alta provides all and any of the most important activity stats which also includes some new features deliberately designed to make
health and fitness tracking easier and more motivating.

Make a move

Research shows that the metabolism slows down after sitting for too long. Sedentary time is associated with an increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease and as we all know moving for a few minutes every hour can help keep metabolism up and help reduce the negative impacts of sitting.

The Alta insists on you taking a stroll every hour, not unlike any other fitness watch, and completing a mini-step goal of 250 steps each hour.

That works out to about approximately 2-3 minutes of walking. The round of applause and major celebration for your achievement from the Alta on completion of some movement leaves you with quite the sense of triumph.

So as not to get too irritating, the prompts can be personalised and can easily be put on “Do Not Disturb” during meetings or appointments. A little inconvenient though is when you’re sitting in the car and you’re reminded to move. Errrr! How?

SmartTrack
SmartTrack automatically recognises exercise, and of the trackers I’ve worn, this might be one of the better ones. According to Fitbit though, it automatically identifies and records continuous movement activities including walking, running, outdoor biking, elliptical, as well as “general categories of aerobic workouts such as dance classes and cardio- kickboxing and sports including basketball, soccer and tennis”.

I haven’t really experienced the instinctive picking up of activity, except walking, but to be fair, other than dance and barre classes, I haven’t done much of any other sports in the months that I’ve been wearing it.

On display

Easy-to-read, vibrant OLED tap display shows activity stats and the time, which can be personalised using a variety of portrait or landscape clock face options. The tap display gives quick and easy access to your all day stats and notifications.

Laduuuuuuuumaa!

Well, not really, just exercise goals – weekly exercise goals in the Fitbit app encourage more consistent fitness routines. These goals are tracked and displayed in the app on a daily basis, with a weekly goal for the number of days exercised. It keeps me accountable but the goals can be accommodated to fit a personal routine.

Never miss a beat
The Fitbit Alta was designed not only with the tools and motivation to keep its owners active but also to make the most of every day. Using Bluetooth smart connectivity, the Fitbit Alta delivers call, text and calendar notifications right to your wrist when your phone is nearby through on-screen messages and a gentle vibrating alert. Unfortunately, this doesn’t include whatsapp or email, like the Apple Watch but I’ve learned to live without them and find it so much less invasive or distracting.

Battery

What I love about the Fitbit Alta though is the long battery life. One single charge keeps the watch going for five days. This is exactly why the Alta monitors your sleep because you’re never removing it unless you’re planning to bathe.

Compatibility

The Fitbit Alta is able to link with more than 200 Android, iOS and Windows mobile devices and computers stats can be accessed and motivational interactive tools used to set goals, see progress, and cheer on or challenge friends, family and co-workers.

Versatility of style – so purrrrrrrty
Easily customisable, the slim, distinctive tracker encourages personal style and creates the perfect accessory for every occasion – day or night:

Interchange the the stainless steel band with the custom, quick-release feature and wear the more appropriate band for a workout. There are plenty of stylish interchangeable accessory bands designed with attractive, premium materials including classic fitness wristbands, soft, premium hide leather bracelets with a beautiful natural grain, and a luxurious, hand-polished silver bangle – engineered to ensure all-day comfort.

Discovery?
Yes, after much backwards and forwards, Discovery has included Fitbit stats on its point and healthy reward system. It’s a win-win, really!

All in all, the Fitbit Alta puts out real-time health and fitness stats needed to track progress, stay motivated and essential information to reach those fitness goals. View step count, distance, calories burned, active minutes and the time on the easy-to-read OLED tap display, while the Fitbit app also manages to advise on length and soundness of sleep. Silent but vibrating alarms can also be set.

To be honest though, the Fitbit Alta is not for the hard-core fitness fanatic but would suit someone whose aiming to get in shape, move more and look pretty darn stylish at the same time.