We encourage all types of fitness, for more reasons than just weight loss.  While weight loss is an awesome side effect of working out and living a healthier lifestyle, exercise can benefit your brain, your mood, your sleep, and your overall health, too!

However, if you're focusing on dropping weight, are there types of exercises you should flat-out avoid?  We asked certified personal trainer John Rowley — International Sports Science Association (ISSA) director of wellness and founder of UX3 Nutrition — for his opinion on the matter.  While we still encourage anyone to give these workouts a shot (in fact, we love all of them!), these four may not give you the results you're looking for if weight loss is your top priority.

• CrossFit:  "CrossFit is number one on the hit list," Rowley said in an email.  "The risk-to-results ratio just isn't there."  If you're just beginning your weight-loss journey, you likely won't have the strength to get an effective workout without injuring yourself.  "It's very popular, and I can see how fun and challenging it is," he noted.  "But the way the exercises are done is very dangerous, especially for someone not in tiptop shape."
• Yoga:  Rowley explained that yoga "has a lot of benefits, but losing weight is not one of them."  Although you'll gain strength and tone up, if you're aiming to shed weight, "you want to work as much of your body as possible to lose weight and to stimulate your metabolism," and Rowley said yoga is not the most effective way to do so.
• Indoor Cycling:  While indoor cycling classes are great for exercise veterans, Rowley said, "they can get out of control as well," and the format of the classes can put you at risk for injury.  "The rooms can get too hot, the movements can be too aggressive for some, and any vigorous exercise will make you hungry."  More on that hunger in the next point ...
• Cardio-Only Routines:  Rowley said these should be avoided if your only goal is weight loss.  Why?  The munchies.  "Cardio will help burn calories but can often make you hungry, leading to excessive calorie-consuming after workouts," putting you at a higher risk for undoing your progress.  Additionally, if you're only doing cardio and not balancing with strength training, it can lead to muscle loss.  "The loss of muscle destroys your metabolism;  if you are going to do cardio, do it in conjunction with a well thought-out weight training workout."

Again, we love (and do) each of these workouts — and you absolutely can lose weight doing any of them.  But if your number one goal is weight loss, Rowley warned, you might want to reprioritise your workout schedule.

So what should you do?  "The only way for lasting, healthy weight loss that will change your body composition is through resistance training," Rowley said.  "Lifting weights stimulates your muscles;  your muscles burn calories even when you are eating and resting."  We encourage you to be open to all types of workouts — get comfortable with movement of all types!  But start with a good, healthy balance of strength training (as recommended by this trainer) and a bit of cardio to help build up your endurance so you can keep shedding weight and crush your goals.

If you have tight wrists from typing all day, or you want them to feel more open for poses on your hands like Handstands or Crow, or for barbell exercises so your wrists don't feel like they're going to break in half, this stretch is a must.

• Sit on your heels and place your hands on the floor with your fingertips facing your knees.
• If this stretch feels too intense, lift your hips off your heels a little and lean forward.  If you want to feel it more, lean backward into your heels.
• Enjoy this stretch for five deep breaths.
• Lift the hands off the floor, shake out the wrists, and repeat this stretch one or two more times.

The holidays are here, and while your wallet might be trembling in terror, we've got you covered:  affordable fitness gifts under $50.  The best part is these products are so amazing, no one would ever guess they were budget finds.  Pick from favorite brands like Lululemon, Nike, and Adidas, or discover some under-the-radar brands with beautiful gifts for the fitness queen in your life.

 

Groove Silicone Rings

Groove Silicone Rings ($30)

 

Fitness Queen Tank

Fitness Queen Tank ($20, originally $30)

 

S'well Hand Painted Satin Collection Water Bottle

S'well Hand Painted Satin Collection Water Bottle ($25 to $45, depending on size)

 

Zara Contrast Sole Sneakers

Zara Contrasts Sole Sneakers ($50)

 

Tone It Up Bombshell Kettlebell

Tone It Up Bombshell Kettlebell ($30)

 

Old Navy Go-Dry Compression Crops

Old Navy Go-Dry Compression Crops ($30)

 

Lululemon Sweaty or Not Kit

Lululemon Sweaty or Not Kit ($48)

 

NOW Real Bamboo Ultrasonic Oil Diffuser

NOW Real Bamboo Ultrasonic Oil Diffuser ($40, originally $50)

 

Trigger Point GRID Foam Roller

Trigger Point GRID Foam Roller ($40)

 

Gaiam Ash Leaves Premium Yoga Mat (5mm)

Gaiam Ash Leaves Premium Yoga Mat (5mm) ($25, originally $30)

 

Vega Protein and Greens Vanilla Protein Powder

Vega Protein and Greens Vanilla Protein Powder ($25)

 

Spiritual Gangster Humble Warrior Crop Tank

Spiritual Gangster Humble Warrior Crop Tank ($42)

 

Klorane Dry Shampoo With Oat Milk, 150ml

Klorane Dry Shampoo With Oat Milk, 150ml ($20)

 

Lululemon Vinyasa Scarf

Lululemon Vinyasa Scarf ($48)

 

Misfit Flash Fitness and Sleep Monitor

Misfit Flash Fitness and Sleep Monitor ($30)

 

Nike Pro Tank

Nike Pro Tank ($30)

 

ToeSox Chey 3-Pack Gripper Socks

ToeSox Chey 3-Pack Gripper Socks ($40)

 

Yuni Beauty Healthy Actives Gift Set

Yuni Beauty Healthy Actives Gift Set ($40, originally $66)

 

Adidas Rose Gold Double Logo Tee

Adidas Rose Gold Double Logo Tee ($39)

 

Way of Will Post-Training Massage Oil

Way of Will Post-Training Massage Oil ($28)

 

Kayla Itsines Ankle Weights

Kayla Itsines Ankle Weights ($23 to $27, depending on weight)

 

Title Classic Leather Super Bag Gloves

Title Classic Leather Super Bag Gloves ($20, originally $40)

Pantone's color of the year reminds us of a few things:  fresh, new beginnings ... springtime ... and also avocados, matcha, and salad.  If you're looking for more of this color ("Greenery") in your life, and perhaps you also prefer to channel "avocado" when you're on a run or in the gym, then we have the perfect gear for you.

 

 

Smartwool PhD Seamless Sports Bra

Smartwool PhD Seamless Sports Bra ($30)

 

CamelBak Eddy Water Bottle .75L

CamelBak Eddy Water Bottle .75L ($15)

 

Hoka One One Women's Clifton 3

Hoka One One Women's Clifton 3 ($130)

 

Nike Women's Pro Hyperwarm Fade Dri-Fit Tights

Nike Women's Pro Hyperwarm Fade Dri-Fit Tights ($70)

 

Wacoal Mesh Sports Bra

Wacoal Mesh Sports Bra ($23, originally $48)

 

adidas Women's Performer Climalite Tank

adidas Women's 'Performer' Climalite Tank ($25)

 

Asics GEL-Cumulus 17 Women's Running Shoes

Asics GEL-Cumulus 17 Women's Running Shoes ($115, originally $120)

 

Lululemon Swiftly Tecg Long Sleeve

Lululemon Swiftly Tech Long Sleeve ($64, originally $78)

 

Sweaty Betty Spiky Massage Ball

Sweaty Betty Spiky Massage Ball ($8)

 

Athletic Propulsion Labs Prism

Athletic Propulsion Labs Prism ($136.50, originally $195)

 

Nike Victory Compression Bra

Nike Victory Compression Bra ($30)

 

Nike Women's Element Dri-Fit Half Zip Performance Top

Nike Women's Element Dri-Fit Half Zip Performance Top ($65)

 

Vie Active Riley 7/8 Legging

Vie Active Riley 7/8 Legging ($98)

 

Gaiam Exercise Ball

Gaiam Exercise Ball ($20)

 

Climawear Wild Medley Sports Bra

Climawear Wild Medley Sports Bra ($34)

 

Brooks Glycerin 14

Brooks Glycerin 14 ($150)

 

Brooks Dash Hoodie

Brooks Dash Hoodie ($75, originally $80)

 

Nike Elite Cushioned No-Show Tab Running Socks

Nike Elite Cushioned No-Show Tab Running Socks ($16)

 

Terez Natural Pineapple Performance Leggings

Terez Natural Pineapple Performance Leggings ($73)

 

Nike Zoom Winflo 2

Nike Zoom Winflo 2 ($70, originally $90)

 

Gaiam Restore Muscle Therapy Foam Roller

Gaiam Restore Muscle Therapy Foam Roller ($20, originally $25)

 

Nike Shield Women's Running Jacket

Nike Shield Women's Running Jacket ($110)

 

Brooks Run Happy Smile Tee Shirt

Brooks Run Happy Smile Tee Shirt ($34)

 

Jockey Sport Cloudscape Print Running Shorts

Jockey Sport Cloudscape Print Running Shorts ($16)

 

Gaiam Premium Sage Lily Yoga Mat

Gaiam Premium Sage Lily Yoga Mat ($24, originally $30)

 

Brooks Racey Split Running Short

Brooks Racey Split Running Short ($19, originally $45)

 

New Balance Women's Accelerate Woven Workout Shorts

New Balance Women's Accelerate Woven Workout Shorts ($30)

 

Nike Pro Indy Cool Bra

Nike Pro Indy Cool Bra ($50)

 

Nike Flex Run 2016

Nike Flex Run 2016 ($80)

 

Gaiam Restore Multi-Grip Stretch Strap

Gaiam Restore Multi-Grip Stretch Strap ($10, originally $13)

 

Brooks Threshold Long Sleeve Running Shirt

Brooks Threshold Long Sleeve Running Shirt ($90)

 

Gaiam Athletic 2Gripmat

Gaiam Athletic 2Gripmat ($60, originally $75)

Fitness trackers are one of the hottest holiday gifts — and for good reason!  They motivate, inspire, and can help incite massive physical (and mental) changes.  Whether you're trying to encourage more movement or help someone learn about their heart rate during exercise, a tracker can help.

I got the chance to compare my Apple Watch Series 2 and my Fitbit Charge 2 side by side, worn simultaneously (yes, I looked like a tool in my SoulCycle classes and on my runs and in my kettlebell class).  Since trackers have been helping me on my fitness journey, I wanted to see what the user experience was like for each and what kind of data I could access after my workout.  Let's take a look.

 

Aesthetic

If you're worried about the look of your tracker, you have two great options to choose from.  You either lean more toward the aesthetic of a traditional tracker/fitness band with the Fitbit Charge 2, or the digital watch styling of the Apple Watch.  With both, you can choose the metal accent color (gold, silver, etc.) and change out the bands if you'd like to wear them every day beyond your workouts.  Fitbit has a blush pink leather that I'm particularly fond of, and I may switch up my Apple Watch with a new color of silicone band if I get tired of the light gray.

 

General Features (of Note)

• HRM.  Both trackers offer a heart rate monitor, which is ideal for data tracking and learning more about your body.  It also provides a more accurate account of how many calories are burned per workout.
• Waterproof (or not).  The Apple Watch Series 2 is waterproof, the Fitbit Charge 2 is not.  You will definitely have to take it off in your post-workout shower.
• Music Storage.  Additionally, the latest Apple Watch has music storage capabilities, meaning you don't have to bring your phone, and you can listen to your workout playlist — provided you have Bluetooth headphones.

 

Tracking Your Workout

The first time I used my Fitbit Charge 2, I had no idea how to start tracking my workouts — I was simply wearing it for step tracking and my heart rate.  But when I wore it to SoulCycle, it somehow miraculously knew that I was doing a cycling workout from the moment I started — from there, it logged my heart rate every second of the way, and provided me with an in-depth analysis of my workout.  Once the Fitbit synced with my phone, the app showed a workout logged as "Bike".

I wrongfully assumed my Apple Watch Series 2 would do the same, and went into another SoulCycle class with it, only to be disappointed not only at its lack of intuitive tracking, but zero data to be found anywhere.  It didn't log my heart rate more than once or twice throughout the 45-50 minutes of the workout, and I had no data to track, no exercise counted toward my day.  I get it — first world problems.  But as someone who loves tracking all of my exercise and activity, this was sorely disappointing.

If there's enough movement, the Apple Watch will sense it.  I went to a hip-hop workout class, and though the Watch knew I was exercising (it logged minutes toward my daily exercise goal), it did not log any particular exercise nor give me the option to.

With the Fitbit, you can retroactively track your workout.  Because the tracker is more closely monitoring your heart rate, you can enter the data and say, "I worked out from 12:00 p.m. to 12:45," and it will populate your workout with the data from that time.  This is not an option on the Apple Watch Series 2, as far as I can tell.

Both trackers give you the option to log a workout if you hit a button and "start" your run, cycling class, general cardio, or weight lifting (Fitbit has a weight-specific workout you can select, Apple Watch you'll have to select "other").  However, neither tracker gives you the option to edit your stop time of your workout — so if you forget to hit the "stop" button and hours have passed, you're stuck with wonky data and skewed average heart rate information (and a several-hour-long "workout" on your records).

 

Data and Accuracy

Each tracker displays the average heart rate, total calories burned, and the length of the workout — I wore both of mine at once (in the same type of class, three times, just to be sure) to see how close they were in terms of data accuracy, and I still have no idea which one was correct.  Take a look — these are three cycling classes, about 50 minutes long (with the cooldown), both logged at the same time, with the same height/weight/age data in the system.

As you can see, they never lined up 100 percent.  Although similar in average heart rate and caloric burn, it's impossible to tell which one is accurate, which can be frustrating.

In terms of getting a better insight as to what's happening in your workout, the Fitbit wins by a mile.  The heart rate data is so much more nuanced, and it can even show you how many calories you burned in each minute of your workout.  I love that it shows you how long your heart rate was in different zones, and the graphs really animate the physiology of your workout, so you get more of an inside look into what's happening in your body.  It's great.  Unfortunately, with the Apple Watch, you're stuck with average numbers and no fun graphs.

 

Price

The Apple Watch Series 2 ranges from $369 to $399, and the Fitbit Charge 2 ranges from $150 to $180.

 

Overall Impression

If you're looking for data, the Fitbit really does win by a long shot.  The data it provides is so much more detailed, and the intuitive exercise tracking makes for much more hassle-free workouts.  This is a specialty piece of equipment specifically created and designed for exercise — whereas the Apple Watch was designed with a lot of other things in mind.  I do wish they'd provide a feature that lets you cut off your workout time if you actually forget to stop your tracking, though.

While the Apple Watch Series 2 provides a lot more of the bells and whistles (It's waterproof!  You can text on it!  It stores your playlists!), in terms of tracking, it's just not as smart as the Fitbit when it comes to fitness, data, and overall wellness.  However, if you're looking to use it as a running tracker, I'd highly recommend it in that case.