The Fitbit Luxe Is the Activity Tracker That Finally Convinced Me to Wear One
July 30, 2021The last time I wore a fitness tracker was about seven or eight years ago. It was a simple band that didn't do much other than record the number of steps that I walked each day. When I first got it, I was excited and anticipated that the small device would spark some serious workout inspiration. But one day, after I'd been wearing the tracker for about a week, I forgot to put it on in the morning. And then I never wore it again. From that point, I figured that activity trackers just weren't for me—and then I saw the Fitbit Luxe ($150; amazon.com).
The first thing you'll notice about this Fitbit is that it's sleek and stylish—and I'll admit that this is what drew me to it initially. One thing that kept me from seriously considering an activity tracker before was that I never found one that seemed like it would mesh with my sense of style, but this one can pass as a piece of jewelry. Most often, I wear my Fitbit Luxe with a gold bracelet attachment designed by jewelry brand Gorjana ($100; fitbit.com), but for sleep and workouts, I wear a white watch strap that's made of soft silicone. The soft gold detailing surrounding the touchscreen face of the Fitbit gives the device a high-end look, no matter what strap I'm pairing it with.
But looks aren't everything—and with the Fitbit Luxe, they're just one bonus in addition to the tracker's impressive capabilities. Let's start with the fitness specs: The Fitbit Luxe tracks your activity all day long, so you can easily see your steps, distance, and calories burned in an instant. When you connect it to your phone's GPS, you can also see your real-time pace and distance when you're walking, jogging, or biking, in addition to seeing a map of your route when you're done. The tracker is also waterproof—making it great for sweaty workouts and swims.
To buy: Fitbit Luxe Fitness and Wellness Tracker, $150; amazon.com
Users may find it helpful to look at their data once they've completed a workout, but the Luxe is designed to also help people make the most of their workouts during the activity. When wearers reach a targeted heart rate zone while exercising, the device will gently buzz to let them know that they're in a sweet spot. Users set up to 20 exercise modes on their device, making it easy to track their stats and get real-time stats during their workout, or they can elect to record their workout afterwards via the Fitbit app—the device will automatically detect activity.
I find it easy to use my Fitbit while going for jogs and following yoga videos, but I appreciate it even more on the days when my only workout is a long walk. Seeing when my heart rate went up made me realize that any kind of movement was better than none—and this helped me to gradually break out of the workout slump that I had been in.
But the Fitbit Luxe isn't just helpful for workouts—it's also great for getting an overall picture of your sleep habits. The tracker automatically detects when you fall asleep, and it tracks how well you sleep: In the morning, you can see a diagram of your REM sleep and any moments when you might have woken up. Based on the number of hours you slept and the amount of REM sleep you got, you'll receive a sleep score, which you can use to easily see how your sleep improves or worsens over time. It definitely took me a few nights to get used to wearing an activity tracker as I slept, but the Fitbit Luxe was perfectly comfortable, especially when paired with its silicone band.
To buy: Fitbit Luxe Fitness and Wellness Tracker, $200; amazon.com
I mainly use the tracker for sleep and movement, but there are lots of other ways it can help users get a better picture of their health. You can use it to track your menstrual cycle, log your diet and water intake, follow guided breathing exercises, and check call and text notifications. The FitBit Luxe can also be used as a silent alarm, and it has both timer and stopwatch functions.
The device comes with a free six-month trial to the Fitbit Premium app, which offers even more features, including guided workouts, mindfulness sessions, and access to a Health Metrics dashboard, which can give you more insight into your general wellbeing by showing how your heart rate has changed over the course of a week or a month.
As an activity tracker newbie, I'll admit there have been a few days I've forgotten to wear my Fitbit—but I'm always excited to wear it again, unlike the first activity tracker I put on years ago. With this stylish tool, it's much easier to check in with my body and make sure I'm doing everything I can to feel like my best, healthiest self.
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