Are you interested in living as long and healthy a life as possible? Good habits are critical to meeting your goal, and working out to stay fit is one of the important habits you need to develop.

If you’re not bursting with excitement when your scheduled workout time arrives, fitness watches will change your life by providing the motivation you need to get off the couch and get moving.

Reality Strikes

It would be fair to say that marketing for most fitness products is primarily based on illusion.

That photo of a woman jogging in full makeup, with 0.00001 percent body fat and not a drop of sweat showing, is obviously a misrepresentation of real life.

For many of us, getting fit is something we need to do but not something we want to do – at least, not every day.

That’s because it’s difficult to get motivated. It is nearly impossible to continually find reasons to “want” to exercise.

Sure, you can force yourself to do it today or even for a few weeks, but setting and sticking to a consistent workout schedule over time can be very tough, even for professional athletes.

Consider pro hockey player Mike Richards of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings. He risked being cut by his team because he was in poor physical shape after an offseason spent fishing and drinking adult beverages, instead of running and working out.

Richards is paid in excess of $5 million a year. If a professional athlete making that kind of money has motivation issues, then it should be no surprise that the rest of us do as well.

Spicing Things Up

If you find motivation an issue, there are accessories which can spice things up and get you excited about getting off the couch.

And some of the best accessories are fitness watches.

Fitness watches are of particular use to runners, because they can provide an amazing amount of information which can be used to track performance and provide inspiration.

When you use one, you can not only monitor day-to-day improvements in your times, but can also see how much your health is improving.

For most people, the ability to track their performance is really the key.

You’re finally home after a long day at work, and you are supposed to knock out a five-mile run? Ugh. The temptation to plop down in a comfortable chair and watch your favorite show can be overwhelming.

But – what if you’ve been trying for months to lower your time for that five-mile run and are closing in on your goal?

It may sound like a small thing, but this little bit of extra motivation can make all the difference when you’re deciding between working out and vegging out.

But there’s more to it than that.

Ultimately, fitness watches are a must-have for anyone making a commitment to getting fit.

They will provide you with real-time measurements ranging from the distance you cover on a run, to your pace, to the number of calories you’ve burned.

All of these factors can turn a boring exercise session into a competition; since humans are naturally competitive, you are far more likely to stick to your exercise regimen if you’re regularly checking your fitness watch.

For a healthy, productive life you need to exercise regularly.

It will keep your heart in optimal condition while keeping your weight down as well. Fitness watches are a great way to make sure you stick to your workout plan and personal development schedule, and as silly as it might sound at first, they really can change your life.

7 Myths Uncovered About Sports Watches

Sports watches are a crucial accessory for anyone trying to get fit through exercise. However, there are thousands of them on the market, many promising benefits they can’t possibly deliver. With this in mind, let’s look at seven myths about sports watches.

1. Sports Watches Make You Fit

Sports and fitness watches are similar to any other type of exercise equipment or accessory. Will they help you get fit and remain in great shape? Yes, but only if you actually wear them and use them properly. If you buy a sports watch but then just stick it on a shelf or wear it as a normal, everyday watch, you are going to be disappointed with your results. And you’ll have no one to blame but yourself.

2. All Watches Are All The Same

There seems to be a general impression that all sports watches are interchangeable. This is a myth of the highest order. Quality sports watches are designed for specific tasks. Most will do the job for casual walkers and runners, but far fewer are useful for competitive runners or for use in a triathlon when you need to track stats for running, biking and swimming. Always take the time to determine realistically what you need the watch to track, and then make sure to pick models which provide that functionality. If your sport is unusual, you might just need an unusual watch to match.

3. Sports Watches Are Waterproof

Many assume that “sports watch” means “waterproof,” but that’s simply not the case. It’s an easy assumption to make, since a waterproof watch would seem to be a requirement for use by runners. After all, most people don’t let a bit of rain or fog deter them from a run – and if they’re going to be exercising, they’re probably also going to be sweating. But it’s a myth that all sports watches are waterproof. As with most items, you get what you pay for; make sure the one you buy is waterproof, or you are just wasting money.

4. They Have A Long Battery Life

Another myth is that every sports watch comes with a long battery life. Battery life may not be a major concern if you run just a couple of miles a few times a week, but it’s crucial if you’re a serious runner and do ten miles a day (or more). A sports watch actually works harder and requires more power than a regular watch, since it’s not just telling the time, it’s also measuring data. And if you are in the middle of a 15 mile run and your watch goes dead, it’s useless. Always check the manufacturer’s specs on battery life before buying a sports watch; certain Garmin models, in particular, are known for short battery life.

5. All Sport Watches Can Upload Data

No, not every sports watch will upload workout data to a computer. This functionality is important to people who wish to track their performance over time to see if they are improving, and even more important if they have health issues which need to be monitored. However, most sports watches do not have the ability to upload data. If you need this functionality, you need to look for it specifically and should expect to pay a good bit more for it.

6. These watches Accurately Measure Distance

The common belief is that all sports watches are essentially accurate. This is simply not true. The problem usually isn’t the watch itself, but the software used in the device. A low-cost sports watch is going to have very basic software which only records movement and predicts pace in very general terms. This often leads to wild inaccuracies, leaving runners in half-marathons to wonder why the distance shown on their watch does not even come close to the length of the actual race. With high-end sports watches you get better software and better monitoring, giving you a true indication of the distance you’ve traveled and your pace. Offerings such as Footpod, Polar V800 and Garman 205 watches are considered very accurate. Of course, you’ll pay more for that accuracy.

7. Bigger is Better

It doesn’t matter whether you’re from Texas, Tennessee or Tahiti – most people believe that bigger is always better. That’s a complete myth when it comes to sports watches, though. Smaller sports watches can provide the exact same functionality as larger ones if you’re choosing quality products and brands. And do you really want to be wearing a monster-sized watch (with a monster-sized “sweat profile”) when you hit the last hard mile of your run? With sports watches, smaller is better as long as you have the functionality you need, and smaller watches are even coming back into vogue.

Just as with all workout gear, it’s easy to believe the myths everyone repeats over and over – but that will only lead to wasted money. Ignore the common misconceptions about sports watches. Instead, determine exactly what you need and then focus on the specifications of each watch you’re considering.  If you focus on doing this your new fitness watch really could change your life!