They say that if you want to find love, you should not be looking for it. It will find you when you’re doing the things that you love. Is that what hits me when I go out running with Fitbit Ionic?
I knew that Fitbit Ionic is the brand’s first smartwatch and it’s pretty bionic. What I didn’t know was how much my habit would be changed by it.
How Fitbit Ionic Changed the Way I Keep Fit
Firstly, it notices if I sit down for the whole hour and nudges me to take a walk, even if it’s a short one. It also shows me how much calories I have burned for that day, so I become more mindful before I grab my favourite snacks.
When I run, the Ionic displays all my favourite running metrics in real-time, such as distance, duration, pace, number of steps, calories burned and heart rates. My workouts will be synced and uploaded to Strava, complete with the maps (thanks to GPS function).
What’s more, Ionic is able to automatically track my workouts even when I’ve forgotten to turn on the Exercise mode, thanks for Run Detect feature (activated through the device) and SmartTrack feature (activated through Fitbit app). Now, I can start running, cycling, exercising and jumping into pools without spending time tapping the Exercise mode on. Oh, did I tell you Ionic is waterproof up to 50 metres? It is!
Sometimes, when I go out running without my phone, I miss the ability to listen to music and podcast. Now I can save songs and podcasts on Fitbit Ionic, then play them directly through a Bluetooth headset connected to Ionic! Goodbye to holding a bulky phone when running.
I love that Fitbit Ionic gives me a detailed breakdown of my sleep stages. I can see how much time I spent in Awake state, REM, Light sleep and Deep sleep. Fitbit even goes the extra miles to show how well my sleep is compared to my 30-day average and other women in my age range. Fitbit Ionic also reminds me to go to bed and wakes me up every day! With detailed data from Fitbit Ionic, I’m pretty sure I can learn to sleep better now.
Once I realise I can see my Cardio Fitness Score in the heart rate section in Fitbit app, I’m hooked. I’m currently in the Average Zone, and I’m determined to move to Good Zone, Very Good Zone and eventually Excellent Zone! Since the score is determined by VO2 Max value, I will be able to improve it by exercising more and losing weight.
Awesome Features that I Love
I thought being able to make contactless payment through a mobile phone was cool until I use Fitbit Ionic! Making a payment now is as simple as pressing the button of Fitbit Ionic while holding it near the reader. How convenient!
After Fitbit App Gallery was launched at the end of 2017, more third-party apps became available for downloads, such as New York Times, Altimeter, FlashLight and even the addictive 2048 game.
One of Ionic’s incredible traits that I love is that it requires very low maintenance. I can go for 4 to 5 days without charging it. And I don’t even need to exert physical force to plug any cables to charge, all I need to do is just place the head of the cable to the back of the device.
Runner’s boon:
- Now, I literally don’t need to bring wallet and phone when I run outdoor, because I can purchase things with Fitbit Pay, and I can store songs and podcasts on Fitbit Ionic. Run light is the new trend!
- The battery life is absolutely incredible. Fitbit Ionic won’t die at the end of my 5 to 6-hour marathon.
- Ionic is water resistant up to 50 metres. I can jump into swimming pools without activating Swim mode, and the SmartTrack feature can track my swim automatically.
- With Run Detect feature, I can track my running without turning the Run mode on. And the GPS will be activated automatically too.
Runner’s bane:
- Some people complain that the quantity of apps in Fitbit App Gallery is limited, and most of them can only perform basic functions. Personally, I think this is a blessing in disguise because I love long battery life more than downloading apps that don’t directly improve my fitness.
- Learning about all the features and how to set them up takes time. It took me so long to figure out how to connect Fitbit and Strava! But maybe I’m just not good with tech!
- At the moment, the Coach app on the Ionic only offers 3 workouts: 10-minute Abs, 7-minute Workout, and 15-minute Treasure Chest. More workout videos can only be accessed through a mobile phone app called “Fitbit Coach” and it requires a paid subscription.
- Prolonged usage may irritate the skin; it’s recommended to give your wrist a rest after extended use. But I find it super hard to be separated from Ionic, am I addicted or possessive?
Fitbit Ionic retails for S$458.00. Classic and Sport accessory bands are available for S$49.90, and hand-crafted and perforated Horween leather bands are available for S$99.90.
