I'm a health writer, and these are the 2 fitness tools helping me transition my workouts into the new year

I’m late to the smartwatch game, but I’m obsessed with my TicWatch Atlas, which has all the bells and whistles I need to stay on top of my workouts. 

As a runner, my favorite feature is the built-in GPS, which allows you to track your runs, bike rides and hikes without the need to tote along a phone. I also love the heart rate monitor, which I use to stay in my target heart rate zones. If you’re new to the concept, following the American Heart Association’s guidelines is a good starting point.

In addition to offering multiple sports modes to track your workouts, including everything from swimming to yoga, the TicWatch Atlas syncs to your phone to make it easy to track a variety of health metrics. It provides a snapshot of your daily activity levels, sleep quality and even your current stress levels, by using heart rate variability. This is particularly nice during the holidays, when stress levels often spike. For instance, I may know I’m extra stressed, but seeing it reflected on the app is a good reminder to take a time out. Lately, I’ve been leveraging this information and opting to do a quick meditation session on ALO Moves to help keep me centered.

While I’m not particularly tech-savvy, this model is extremely user-friendly. The best part? It not only motivates me to stay active, but it gives me real-time data to reach my goals more effectively. If you lead an active lifestyle and love a good gadget, this smartwatch is a great option.