Five Fashionable Fitness Bands- Published in Anokhi Media

Here is the Link - http://anokhimedia.com/blog/five-fashionable-fitness-bands

We all love to get compliments and look great. But do we really make the effort to stay fit and exercise daily?

Like many others, I have been a couch potato for the past few years. I love munching fast food and avoiding the visit to the gym. A few days ago, I decided to get my life on track. A friend of mine who is a trainer suggested that I try out a fitness wearable device.

I bought a Fitbit Flex and wasn’t sure if it would make a difference. Soon, I realized I was wrong. With a daily target, the device prompted me to take that extra step every day. Boy, I was getting active. Whether I was working at home, shopping for groceries or playing in the park, I felt great whenever I could track the number of steps every day and achieve the target for the day!

There might be many others like me who still hesitate to take the first step so I decided to write about five trendy wearable fitness brands available on the market.

Fitbit Flex
Cost- $99.95 CDN

This sleek and stylish wrist band is perfect for fitness freaks.

The Fitbit can track the steps, distance and calories burned during the day. It also helps one track the sleep patterns at night and silently wakes you up in the morning with its vibrating alarm system. It can wirelessly sync the data into a smart phone or tablet using Bluetooth. One can even get into a competitive mode by adding friends with Fitbit Flex and compare the number of steps taken in a day or week. The wearable device can set a daily goal (example - 10,000 steps) which can be changed through the accompanying software as you get fitter. Available in five different band colours with large and small sizes, this waterproof device is a perfect personal motivational tool to get fit!

Nike + Fuelband
Cost- $149 CDN

The expensive yet incredible looking device from Nike is another popular wearable device among fitness freaks. Unlike the Fitbit Flex that lacks a display, this trendy device helps one see the time, steps, distance, calories and activity levels with the simple push of a button. Although the Fuelband lacks sleep tracking features, it tracks the movement pattern and can compare the activity/fuel levels by the end of the day, week, month or year.

Available in three adjustable sizes, the fuelband can connect you with friends to compare fuel levels. The data can be easily synced via a desktop app (PC or Mac) or iOS devices. The band charges quickly by plugging directly into a USB port without any cable or special adapter.

Jawbone Up
Cost- $129.99 CDN

Jawbone Up has features similar to Fitbit Flex like tracking daily movement, calories and sleep. It lacks a display monitor and does not work with personal computers. The model is only designed for iOS and Android phones. In-spite of all its drawbacks, this waterproof device is still liked by many customers for its gorgeous look, features like silent alarm system and mood tracker.


Available in three different sizes and various colours, the battery stays for ten days once charged.

Basis B1
Cost- $199 CDN

It is one of the most expensive wearable fitness devices in the market. The device has distinguished features compared to its competitors that justify its price. It might look like a trendy wrist watch at first but once you get to know its features, you might just fall in love with it. Apart from tracking steps, calorie and sleeping pattern, it monitors the heart rate, skin temperature and your perspiration.

Available in two colours (black or white), Basis could make a perfect match for any outfit. The waterproof watch can provide details by minute about the body and its progress. The major drawback is that unlike most desirable devices, it lacks a mobile app and one has to sync the data only on a computer.

BodyMedia FIT LINK Armband
Cost- $149 CDN

The BodyMedia is a square, plastic modular device worn on the arm instead of the wrist. It features two LED lights that indicate charge and memory status. The device has sensors that monitor the skin’s electric conduction levels, which are affected by sweat. It provides analyzed data of skin temperature and sleep cycles in form of graphs and charts. Customers don’t like that fact that the device is water resistant but not water proof. Smartphone app is compatible with iOS and Android but it needs a subscription.

The monthly fee is a major turn down to the device. One can track calories, steps and total minutes of physical activity on daily basis. This device is a great choice for activities including walking, weight lifting, yoga, running, strength training and dancing. It is for those who wish to track nutrition instead of progress in a specific area.

Now that I’ve got your interest what are you waiting for? Get off that couch and go purchase your trendy fitness wrist band of choice today!

BY SMRUTI DAS

Anokhi Magazine's GPS Editor Smruti Das, enjoys writing on a variety of topics from fashion to fitness. Born and raised in India and now settled in Toronto, Smi is a globe- trotter with a love for swimming, Bollywood and shopping (Yes!)

 

Cold country filled with warm hearts- CANADA (PUBLISHED in WOMENDIARIES.COM)

Read all about my canadian life experience! 

Here is the link - http://womendiaries.com/94-2/#.UWbQFI5dWlJ

Cold country filled with warm hearts- CANADA – By: Smruti Das

Canada is the second largest country in the world by size. It was in August of 2011 that I set my small foot in this country. Was I nervous? Yes, of course! It had only been seven months since my wedding and I was still trying to know my husband better. He was nice to me and was trying his best to make me comfortable but the mere thought of being away from my home country- India, missing all the loved ones and moving to a country that has six months of winter was making me uncomfortable. Fear gripped me as I landed in this unknown Country! How will I manage? I constantly probed myself! Life wasn’t easy at the beginning. While my husband was getting familiar with his new job, I had to cope up with this new place, new surrounding and the new ‘him’. I had grown up in a very sheltered environment where my parents took most of the decisions for me. And now, it was up to me and my husband to set up our new life here from scratch. Starting from finalizing an apartment to deciding on the color of our new car; from cooking dinner to making sure that the house was neat and clean, I felt I had a lot of responsibilities. I needed guidance and help came in the form of my husband’s friends. My husband has done his MBA from the Queen’s University hence he had a lot of friends in the country. His friends made sure that we did not feel alone. They guided us and very soon we had set up our new place and even threw a house warming party when I cooked some Indian food that got some nice reviews! My career too took a twist in Canada. I was under the impression that it would be a cake-walk to land up on a good job here; but boy I was so wrong! My Indian work experience wasn’t good enough. I took up a short contract job at the Toronto International Film Festival as an on-site assistant. It was fun and provided me the opportunity to meet and interact with people from Hollywood. After my contract was over, my real job hunt began. I sent my resumes to a number of places but faced continuous rejections. I felt depressed but still kept trying hoping for the best. One fine day, I got an email from the Editor of the largest South Asian Magazine of North America. She liked my profile and gave me a break. With more than two dozen articles published online and in the print, today, I feel proud and satisfied with what I do. I have also joined a Toastmasters club here to improve my communication and leadership skills. It has helped me immensely as I have become more organized in the way I think, write and speak. It has also helped me make new friends and taught me the importance of networking. At present, I am the Vice President Public Relations of one of the oldest Toastmasters club at Toronto. Isn’t that cool for someone who has been in this country for less than two years? The biggest surprise for me was to cope up with the winter here. For the first few days, I got very excited every time, it snowed. The white layers of ice covering the roads, trees and houses made it a pretty sight. After a few months, it got tiring. I longed for the warm summer when we could go out to the nearby park for a walk without covering ourselves with winter jackets or play at the beach without worrying about the freezing cold water. While I am still getting used to Canada, the warmth of people here have made it a great experience for me. There has been a big transition in me after my wedding and Canada has a role to play in it. From a carefree girl who wouldn’t want to take any responsibilities, I now feel that I am not scared to take risks and take ownership for the decisions I make. I learnt how to grow up and deal with conflicts – it was not easy to just pack up my bags and head to India every time I fought with my husband. (Pss: tickets to India are so expensive! There are new surprises every other day for my husband and me. Some days are fun and we absolutely love it and there are days when we feel rejected and wished we were in India with our parents and loved ones. Canada is a cold country but to be honest, I like it. The warm and affectionate people here make us feel at home. A home away from home, we still are making it work every single day and we still are smiling in all weather conditions!

http://womendiaries.com/94-2/#.UWbQFI5dWlJ