When the Fitbit wristband was released in 2012, it was greeted with a wave of excitement. It wasn’t just another fad. Since then, the range of health trackers and wearable tech is growing. This reflects the desire for people to be more physically active.
While many of these devices are expensive (fitbits cost hundreds of dollars), the experience of men who participated in Football Fans in Training (FFIT), a weight-loss and healthy-living program for men developed by coaches from top professional soccer clubs, suggests that cheap and cheerful pedometers could be useful to people who want to get in shape. Fitbits are not for everyone.
It is clear evidence being physically inactive can be harmful to your health. In addition to the many health benefits of being active, it has also been proven that this is a crucial factor in weight loss over a long period, as well as mental health. It’s important to understand how we can help people from all walks of life become more active.
Studies show that people can increase their physical activity by using simple pedometers, which count each step.
Wearable activity trackers can be a great way to track your fitness progress.
Has been found that men enjoy using pedometers as a way to track their progress. Even a simple pedometer worn and checked can encourage us to make small changes as part of our fitness program.
The ways that self-monitoring devices (such as wearable fitness trackers or smartphone apps) can motivate a longer-term increase in physical activity after fitness programs are over, however, is less understood.
Motivation is about quality, not quantity
Motivation is key to determining whether or not people can increase and maintain levels of physical activity. Not all motivations are created equal. According to Self Determination Theory, a popular theory in this field, there are three types of motivation that vary in quality.
If a person is motivated by others to do something, such as competition, rewards or comparisons, then this indicates a lower level of motivation (controlled motivation). Amotivation, on the other hand, is when someone has no desire to participate in any activity.
In this theory, motivation is based on three “needs:” autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Autonomy is a need to have a sense that you are in control of your actions. Competence is a need to be adequately challenged and to experience a feeling of accomplishment. Relatedness is a need to connect with others and to feel supported.
The two forms of motivation, controlling and autonomous, can both influence our behavior, but the autonomous form is more beneficial and enduring in the long run, especially for weight loss and physical exercise .
In a study, we interviewed 28 men that had completed the FFIT 12-week programme in order to learn about their experiences with pedometers both during and after the program.
The FFIT program helps men to improve their level of activity through professional football clubs. CC BY-SA
Positive Changes
The results show that goal-setting, self-monitoring progress with pedometers, and the subsequent development of high quality (autonomous) motivation for physical exercise during and after participation in the FFIT program.
Men who have successfully changed their lifestyles said that they no longer use pedometers because their new active lifestyles are now second nature. Being active every day has become a part of their identity. Some men still use their self-monitoring device because they enjoy keeping track of their activity and it helps them maintain their increased levels.
Wearing a tracker allows people to see their progress, which boosts self-confidence. Shutterstock
It was a big part of his daily motivation, even months after completing the course. Another man said that it helped him “see what you are actually achieving”, and boosted his confidence.
For a small group of men, who struggled to improve their levels of activity or maintain them, the pedometer proved “dispiriting”, as it revealed their failure. One man described his pedometer like a “governor”, and felt “ruled” my it.
It was unlikely that these men would use self-monitoring devices after the 12-week program had concluded. The men were less successful at losing weight and more dependent on the support of the group and the coach to stay motivated.
Our research has shown that men find pedometers, activity trackers, and other devices to be very motivating tools for making lifestyle changes over the long term and becoming more active. This is true both before and after a weight-loss or healthy living program.
Men who are motivated by external factors such as comparisons with others and men who dislike using activity trackers may need extra help in finding more relevant and valuable reasons to stay active.
Even the most hesitant among us would be motivated to put on their trainers for reasons such as enjoyment, improved well-being, or even discovering aspects of our youth.
