Fitness trackers are the accessory of the moment for the aspirationally active you can see

them hanging from wrists and pinned to belts everywhere.







Fitness: How Basis Can Help You

























Like most fitness trackers, Basis also gives you standard measurements of calories and steps. Unlike them, Basis has Body IQ™ which automatically identifies when you are walking, running, or biking on the road – no buttons to push or modes to set. This gives you a true picture of how much activity you pack into each day whether for exercise or just finding moments in your day to lead a more active life.













Why biking, running or walking?





















All three exercises – running, biking, and walking – are great forms of exercise for your heart, lungs, and metabolism. You really can’t go wrong. In fact, pretty much every study out there shows that the cardiovascular benefits of walking, running, and biking are the same.









This means that regardless of whether you choose to run, bike, or walk, you will benefit by decreasing your risk of heart attack, high blood pressure (hypertension), diabetes, and cholesterol. Still, depending on the person, and depending on what you are trying to accomplish in your fitness routine, some forms of exercise may be better than others. Rest assured, whatever you choose, Basis will be right there tracking your progress no matter what.





Biking





















What it’s good for: Biking is an excellent cardiovascular exercise – it aids in strengthening your heart so that you can pump more blood at a lower heart rate. More than that, biking is also a great choice if weight-loss is your goal. Biking at a moderate, 12-14mph pace burns about 596 calories in a 155lb person, and the nature of biking actually increases fat burning, which is something running doesn’t necessarily accomplish. Moreover, biking is an endurance exercise that increases stamina, while at the same time builds the large muscle of the lower body – your hamstrings, glutes, quads, and calves. These muscles are powerhouses for energy, and the stronger they become, the more oxygen they require, and the more oxygen they use, the more calories you burn.





















Biking is also one of the only high-intensity activities that is also easy on the body. Most other forms of exercise that offer the same caloric burn are quite jarring on your joints and muscles; but with biking, you are in a seated position, which makes it low impact and isolates the lower muscle groups.









What it’s not so great for: Biking builds muscle, so if you are looking to lose overall mass, including muscle mass, biking would not be the best way to accomplish this. Biking, particularly mountain biking, uses a fair amount of fast-twitch muscle fibers, which are the type of muscle fibers that responsible for muscle bulk. These types of muscle fibers are required to bike uphill, and this contributes to muscle strength and growth. The other trade-off with biking is that you aren’t getting a full-









body workout. Even though you are burning calories and increasing your endurance, you will want to incorporate some upper body and core training into your routine. After all, who wants strong legs but flabby arms and abs?





Running





















What it’s good for: If pure weight loss is your goal, running is the best form of exercise. Running burns the most calories in the shortest amount of time, giving you the most efficient aerobic workout. A 155lb person will burn 818 calories in one hour when running





9-minute miles, and this number increases as your mile time decreases. Several studies have also shown that runners are more likely to control their weight and waist circumference overtime, and that running increases appetite-suppression hormones in your blood, causing you to eat less after a workout. Running is also a full body workout. While running, you are engaging your legs, your core, and your arms, and because it is a weight-bearing activity, running also increases bone growth and strength. Not to mention that running improves circulation, which reduces your risk for high blood pressure and stroke, and helps build a stronger immune system.













What it’s not so great for: Before you hang up your helmet and put away your walking shoes for good, realize that running also has its limitations. First of all, running is quite stressful on your body, particularly your weight-bearing joints (like your knees and hips). In fact, your knees support 7x your body weight while running, which can cause any existing arthritis to progress. Both biking and walking have lower incidences of injury, and may be better options for many people.









Also, long distance running will not build muscle. If you are looking to decrease your weight, including your muscle mass, running will accomplish this best. But, also realize that with muscle breakdown comes metabolism decrease. We’ve all heard that “muscle burns more













calories than fat,” and what this means is that when you have more muscle on your body, your body has to work really hard to maintain it. The more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn at rest. Therefore, while running may shed some serious poundage, you should definitely supplement your runs with weight-training at least 2 times a week to keep your results improving.





Walking













What it’s good for: Compared directly to running and biking, it is hard to imagine that walking could even be on par in terms of a legitimate, aerobic workout. However, this could not be further from the truth! Walking is an excellent cardiovascular exercise, offering the same benefits as running and biking, and in some cases, even more. So, if walking is your only option for exercise, don’t feel like you’ll fall behind. Walking is a dynamic and aerobic exercise for your muscles, and has minimal adverse effects and risks of injury. It is inherently safe, low impact, and strengthens the legs, pelvis, and bones, while preserving joint flexibility. Most importantly, studies have shown that regular walking at a brisk pace improves aerobic fitness, regardless of whether the duration is in short or long intervals.













What it’s not so great for: Walking does not burn as many calories as running or biking. A 155lb person will burn 298 calories in 1 hour when walking 3.5mph (about 17 minutes per mile). That’s better than nothing, but if walking is your only option, it may not seem like enough to give you the workout you need. Solution? Try weighted walking. Several studies have shown that walking with hand and ankle weights at 4mph burns more calories than running at 5mph without weights. Weighted walking effectively gets your heart rate into the “training zone,” allowing you to burn more calories and improve and sustain your physical fitness and endurance.













It’s All Good













Which exercise you pick really depends on your goals. Biking, running and walking are all great cardiovascular exercises, and perhaps the greatest success would come from participating in a variety of all three, if possible. Variability is an important part of fitness, because regardless of the exercise you choose, if you do it over and over, you’re going to see fewer results. So change up the ways in which you get more active and feel good knowing that Basis is right there with you.



