Isn’t it ironic how technology has done both good and bad things for our health? It seems like not a day goes by I don’t hear about childhood obesity due to video games, but yet I also rarely go a day without seeing a runner using an iPod, or someone’s Facebook status that says they accomplished running five miles, or signed up to run a 10K, half marathon, etc.
Maybe it’s just me because I am a runner and I seek information on health and fitness, but it seems like there are plenty of ways technology helps in becoming physically fit and in how to eat well. It seems like within the past few years there have been several advances in technology that have tried to combat the obesity problem. There shouldn’t be a problem for someone wanting to get in shape, although the individual has to do the information seeking themselves.
There are probably thousands of Web sites available with exercise tips and healthy recipes. Some Web sites I’ve seen allow you to track your eating and exercise habits online, or have a training schedule to print out. If you simply Google half marathon training tips or 5K training tips for beginners, hundreds of Web sites appear. There are also tips on what to eat to avoid cramps, what to do for blisters or shin splints, what to wear for comfort, etc. A few Web sites (such as active.com) are also available to help find races and physical activities in a specific area.
Other gadgets, such as the iPod, or Nike Plus make it easier to enjoy the time spent exercising. Nike Plus is a chip designed to go in special Nike shoes. It tracks things like calories burned, mile pace and time, and lets you upload the information to your iPod or computer. I love the idea, but I hate Nike shoes so I’ve never tried it. I’m hoping Asics will develop something similar soon.
To me, the iPod puts me in the jamming-out-to-music zone and sometimes helps me run the extra mile. My fiancé uses his while he’s running to listen to pathology lectures for med school. It also helps me in the winter when I use a treadmill to rid the boredom. Speaking of treadmills, who would have thought they would become so fancy? They now have ones with built in TVs and head phone plugs so you can listen to your own show without bothering the person next to you. They also count calories, monitor your heart rate and of course track your speed and distance for you. Yet another way technology has advance in an attempt to make us healthier.
I can’t mention technology and fitness without mentioning the Wii. I wondered how successful they were going to be when they first came out. I questioned it until I tried it, but now I understand what the craze is all about. But I still wonder if it’s just a fad.
Somehow still, with all of this technology to help us become healthy, the United States is still the fattest country in the world.
Maybe it’s just me because I am a runner and I seek information on health and fitness, but it seems like there are plenty of ways technology helps in becoming physically fit and in how to eat well. It seems like within the past few years there have been several advances in technology that have tried to combat the obesity problem. There shouldn’t be a problem for someone wanting to get in shape, although the individual has to do the information seeking themselves.
There are probably thousands of Web sites available with exercise tips and healthy recipes. Some Web sites I’ve seen allow you to track your eating and exercise habits online, or have a training schedule to print out. If you simply Google half marathon training tips or 5K training tips for beginners, hundreds of Web sites appear. There are also tips on what to eat to avoid cramps, what to do for blisters or shin splints, what to wear for comfort, etc. A few Web sites (such as active.com) are also available to help find races and physical activities in a specific area.
Other gadgets, such as the iPod, or Nike Plus make it easier to enjoy the time spent exercising. Nike Plus is a chip designed to go in special Nike shoes. It tracks things like calories burned, mile pace and time, and lets you upload the information to your iPod or computer. I love the idea, but I hate Nike shoes so I’ve never tried it. I’m hoping Asics will develop something similar soon.
To me, the iPod puts me in the jamming-out-to-music zone and sometimes helps me run the extra mile. My fiancé uses his while he’s running to listen to pathology lectures for med school. It also helps me in the winter when I use a treadmill to rid the boredom. Speaking of treadmills, who would have thought they would become so fancy? They now have ones with built in TVs and head phone plugs so you can listen to your own show without bothering the person next to you. They also count calories, monitor your heart rate and of course track your speed and distance for you. Yet another way technology has advance in an attempt to make us healthier.
I can’t mention technology and fitness without mentioning the Wii. I wondered how successful they were going to be when they first came out. I questioned it until I tried it, but now I understand what the craze is all about. But I still wonder if it’s just a fad.
Somehow still, with all of this technology to help us become healthy, the United States is still the fattest country in the world.
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