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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Health

Buy smart: health and fitness technology

Duracell fitness
The right technology can make it easier to workout effectively, cook healthily and cut grooming times Photograph: Guardian

These are boom times for health technology, with new gadgets and apps launching every day. But the sheer range of products on the market can leave health seekers confused and overwhelmed.

One woman who knows this more than most is health journalist Anna Magee, founder of healthista.com. She tests new gadgets and gizmos for the health conscious.

Anna is a great believer in investing in quality kit that performs well and lasts.

“One thing I’ve learned is you get what you pay for. The right technology can make it easier to workout effectively, cook healthily and cut grooming times. The wrong gadgets are a waste of time and money,” she says.

As a fitness fanatic, Anna is keen on technology that lessens the pain of going for the burn. “I hate headphones falling out of my ears when I run or jump around, which is why I love the new Aftershokz.

“They sit just in front of the ear, and they do not move. They use a stereophonic technology called Bone Conduction that delivers the sound to your ear through the cheekbone. Also, they allow you to hear other noises, such as ambulance sirens and car horns, that are blocked out by other earphones. They’re set to be big news next year. And at £41.63 from aftershokz.co.uk, they are worth investing in.”

She is also a fan of wearable fitness trackers. “Jawbone and Moov are both good products, but Ki Fit – which measures activity, calories burned and consumed, steps taken and sleep quality, and delivers minute-by-minute data on to your computer or phone – is the Rolls-Royce. In trials, people using the Ki Fit armband lost three times more weight than those that didn’t. But at £268.99, plus a 12-month subscription, it’s an investment.”

After all that exercise, your feet might need some attention. Anna has gone head over heels for the Emjoi Micro-Pedi. “It’s a battery-operated gadget with a little wheel that spins at a gazillion miles an hour to take the dead skin off your feet. After four weeks using this every other day for two minutes, my feet were transformed. If I could get back the minutes spent pumicing my feet with the manual equivalent, I would be a rich woman – and it costs just £19.95 from micropedi.co.uk.”

If you buy one thing ...

Most commercial whey proteins are sprayed with an emulsifier to make them mix in handshakers, but more natural ones, such as Purition, aren’t, so they need help. The Promixx blends them perfectly. It only needs two Duracell AA batteries and costs £18.99.

How value through quality changes the way you shop

Power up your workout with Duracell Ultra Power, the longest-lasting alkaline battery and winner of a Which? Best Buy Award. Lasting 10 times as long as leading zinc batteries*, Duracell Ultra Power are the only choice to power your products.

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