Function, Fashion and On Track with Best Buy Jawbone UP

Disclosure

There is a whole lot more to getting in shape than just saying “I want to get in shape.” That may be the first emotional step, but there are a lot of physical steps that need to follow.

And when I say “Physical steps” I mean it literally as well as figuratively.

A few years ago, we took the leap to better health and are still on this amazing journey. We continue to add new fitness routines and recipes while seeking out the latest apps and gadgets to keep us on track.

The latest gadget is the Jawbone UP. UP is a system that takes a holistic approach to a healthy lifestyle.

It’s a functional fashion accessory!

When we started on our journey, we changed our eating habits and kicked it up a notch at the gym. We tracked EVERYTHING in MyFitnessPal. Since that time, we’ve added running to the mix and track our routes, progress, pace and more in RunKeeper.

It all comes together with Jawbone UP. While it is only a device by sight, there’s more going on behind the scenes. Using the built in plug, you sync it directly to your phone using the headphone jack.

Once you’ve uploaded the data, you utilize the app to see how you’ve done. Track your daily physical activity levels as well as your nighttime sleep patterns. There are also features to allow you to sync with popular health and fitness programs. Their list of partner apps includes Runkeeper, MapMyFitness, MyFitnessPal, Sleepio, GymPact and more!

Within the UP app itself, there’s a wealth of information to help you with your fitness goals. Sometimes, just having something to look at helps put things into perspective. I know when I started tracking my food intake, I was surprised by how much the snacking adds up. “It’s just a handful of peanuts.” “I’ll have a few crackers.” “One piece of cheese will tide me over.” Just like when we started tracking our finances, we discovered that little things add up.

Anyway, back to what you can see within the app…

Sleep patterns was probably the most surprising one. Knowing you didn’t sleep well and seeing it on a chart are two entirely different things. The way you get the UP to track your sleep is by pressing the end of the band to tell it you’re calling it a night. The only problem is if you forget to tell it you’re going to bed or when you wake up. When that happens, you manually go into the homepage and estimate approximately when you fell asleep and woke up.

Steps taken for the day, miles run and calories burned. We use RunKeeper so we know how far we run on a given outing. The Jawbone UP didn’t hit that on the mark like we expected it to. At the time, we didn’t sync it to RunKeeper. We’re hoping that by syncing it, it will help make the numbers more accurate.

It also has the ability to set specific goals, track meals and mood, provide alerts, act as a stopwatch and let you take a quick power nap. It delivers insights all via the app. We’re using the iPhone but I suspect the app running on other devices is similar. We tried to check our stats online by logging into our account but that was completely pointless. While the app is robust, the website provided no ability (that we could figure out) on how to monitor anything.

Of course, it’s also fashionable looking. Well, at least for this geek it is. The only problem is remembering to put it on again after you shower. A word of caution: Like any other accessory – watch, bracelet, etc – don’t try to put it on before getting dressed. It can get caught and that’s frustrating. The way the band folds over itself (see the first photo) also lends itself to getting caught on stuff during the day. You have to learn to work around that.

Speaking of fashion. Remember when I walked inside the ropes at the PGA tournament? The staffer who checked us in at the Honorary Observer tent was sporting a Jawbone UP. I explained that I had one on order and asked him about it. He said his son bought it for him as a gift and that he wasn’t even familiar with it before that. When I asked his opinion, he said (smiling ear to ear) that he loves it… wears it all the time… and, oh yeah, he loves it.

Of all the things it CAN do, the one beef we had with it was the clock. It tracks what time we’re awake and asleep so the clock is obviously built into the device. However, it isn’t displayed at all. Sure would be nice to be able to let this cool gadget double as a watch.

Whether you use the Jawbone UP a personal tracker, a sleep attendant or as a fashion statement, it’s a useful tool. As long as it keeps you motivated to stick with your goals, then that’s all that matters.

Live Better. Start Now. Jawbone UP. Track your sleep activity, steps, calorie intake and more with the Jawbone UP wrist sensor and free mobile app. UP gives you meaningful, personalized insights so you can make lasting improvements to your everyday life.

Learn more about Jawbone on their website or catch them on your favorite social media platform – Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram and even Tumblr. Want to see the Jawbone UP in person? Check out Jawbone UP at Best Buy.