Picnicking with toddlers always seems like a better idea conceptually, rather than in practice. In my mind's eye, I see my little family on a blanket, laughing, talking, and munching on cheese while the three-year-old draws with crayons and the one-year-old rolls a ball around.
In reality, the minute we set them down on some grass, one kid makes a beeline for oncoming traffic, and the other flings herself into the river. My spouse and I scarf grapes and cookies for sustenance, exchanging a few terse words as we sprint back and forth under a burning sun.
I had just begun to think longingly of nap time when my wrist suddenly buzzed. It was the Garmin Vivosmart 4, and it was warning me that my body battery was dipping dangerously low. I needed to get some rest! Urgently!
It was nothing that I didn’t already know, but that warning was the final nail in the coffin for our expedition. It took another twenty minutes, but I finally rounded up our circus and got us all home and into bed.
The Body Electric
While you can find many affordable fitness trackers that will collect data like your heart rate and step count, it’s a little harder to translate that data into healthier habits. For many people, it’s not as simple as taking a walk around the block every hour.
Garmin does a great job of collecting and analyzing fitness data for dedicated athletes, counseling them on when to take rests or whether to do an anaerobic or aerobic workout next. The Vivosmart 4 attempts to do the same for more casual users.
When you log into the Garmin Connect app, the first fitness metric you’ll see is your body battery. Garmin’s proprietary...