Hip and Healthy’s Top 5 Workout Watches

words by Rebecca Fordham

Suunto, M2
GREAT FOR: Monitoring heart rate
To ensure we reap maximum rewards from exercise, understanding and monitoring our heart rate is essential. Suunto’s M2 does the calculations for you, switching between three real-time heart rate ranges to ensure you stay within your most effective training zone. This ultimately allows you to elevate your fitness levels by discovering which intensity works best for you. In addition, the Fuschia pink M2 design counts calories, pulse rate and comes with a comfortable chest strap. A multi-functional watch that helps you make the most of your workout. £80, www.suunto.com

Timex, Health Tracker
GREAT FOR: Tracking your health
The Timex Health Tracker does exactly what it says on the tin. By recording distance, steps, activity and with an added diet diary that helps you keep track of calories consumed and burnt, this watch is designed to take the guesswork out of keeping fit. The lightweight, easy-to-use tracker was created especially for health-conscious women who would benefit from its encouraging features.  It uses a seven day fitness diary and audible achievement chimes, providing motivation when you need it most. Checking daily activity is effortless with this innovative design. £59.99, www.timex.co.uk

Garmin, Swim
GREAT FOR: Calculating pool training
Released earlier this year, the Garmin Swim is the ultimate training companion for swimmers. Designed to calculate your distance, stroke, pace, lengths and more, the watch allows you to concentrate solely on technique. It automatically knows what stroke you’re doing – all that is required is for you to enter the pool size, and dive on in. You can then upload your swim data to Garmin’s website for a free analysis, tracking your progress over time. And with a profile that cuts right through water, you won’t even know it’s there. £129.99, www.garmin.co.uk

Polar Fitness, FT7
GREAT FOR: Measuring your fitness
For those curious as to what your workout achieves, this is the watch for you. The EnergyPointer helps to focus on your goals by reading whether a training session is effectively burning fat, or improving fitness. This feature indicates a central point between the two so that you can gauge which exercise affects each outcome. The Graphical Target Zone Indicator ensures you stay working at the desired intensity at all times – allowing you to focus on either burning fat, or aerobic fitness. The choice is yours. £93.50, www.polaruk.co.uk

Cardiosport, Combi 2
GREAT FOR: Recording weight loss
What makes the C2 unique from other high performance fitness watches is its in-built CardioZone training system. You can set a target zone which helps to keep you at the right intensity based on how you are feeling that day – think cruise control on a car. This is great for those who are looking to lose weight, as is the chronograph and memory scan that allows you to review recorded data during or after a workout. The C2 is the ideal exercise gadget to help get you in-the-zone – and stay there. £46, www.cardiosport.com

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