In addition to helping healthy but sedentary people to feel great, get in shape and lose weight, Fitbug can have great health benefits for people living with a variety of conditions.
So whether you are suffering from arthritis, raised blood pressure, diabetes, or stress or have a high risk of developing the condition, find out what Fitbug can do for you.
Arthritis | High blood pressure | Diabetes | Stress | Obesity
If you think suffering from arthritis means that you are condemned to a lifetime of inactivity, then you are very much mistaken.
That’s because numerous studies have shown that aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, is not only safe but actually helps arthritis sufferers.
When you take on an activity programme to help you with arthritis self-management, the main objectives are to preserve and promote the range of motion and flexibility around joints and increase muscle strength and endurance.
The regular activity can keep the muscles around the affected joints strong, decrease bone degeneration and may even help to control joint swelling.
It could also reduce stiffness and pain by replenishing lubrication to the cartilage of the joint. And it assists in weight-management, which is vital for overweight arthritis sufferers.
Fitbug will not push you to exercise beyond your capabilities. Instead, it will set you realistic activity targets that can fit into your lifestyle. And, as you become more capable our expectations of you will reflect that.
Although the Bug will encourage you to get active at your level, you should always consult your doctor before taking on a new exercise regime.
Did you know that half of all over 65s and one quarter of middle-aged adults in the UK suffer from high blood pressure?
If you are one of them, you are exposing yourself to risks of a heart attack, stroke, dementia, kidney disease and vision loss - and the higher your blood pressure the greater the risk.
One of the main reasons for the high levels of people suffering from hypertension is that most of us aren’t active enough.
In fact, research suggests that only four out of ten men and three out of ten women are actually living up to recommended activity levels.
However, regular physical activity is a non-drug therapy for treating mild to moderate high blood pressure. It can lower levels by between four and nine points - which can be the difference between having a problem and not.
Further research has shown that by following a healthy eating plan you can reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure and even lower elevated blood pressure.
When you join Fitbug, not only will you be set a realistic activity programme for your lifestyle, you will also receive weekly nutrition targets.
The combination of monitoring your diet and activity levels could help you to effectively control your blood pressure, thus reducing the risk-factors that can lead to disability, poor quality of life or even heart attacks.
Around two million Britons suffer from diabetes while a further million people may have the condition without realising, according to the charity Diabetes UK.
And the problem is set to escalate, as there has been a tenfold increase in incidents of type 2 diabetes in children in the last five years.
But recent research has shown that people at high risk of diabetes could cut their risk by nearly 60% by taking part in regular moderate exercise.
Plus regular activity, in conjunction with medication and a healthy diet, is also recommended by experts for successful diabetes management.
That’s because exercise can help to control weight and lower blood sugar levels and it may also reduce the risk of heart disease and circulatory problems, which are common in people who have diabetes.
The gradually increasing activity levels recommended by Fitbug may help you to manage diabetes by helping you to control the risk of related health complications.*
*Although Fitbug only recommends moderate intensity activity, you should still discuss any planned new activity with your doctor or diabetes care team who will be able to advise you of any limitations or precautions you should take.
Do you often find yourself feeling overly frustrated, tearful, anxious, depressed, irritable or unable to sleep?
If so, the chances are you are one of the millions of Britons suffering from stress.
Research shows that five million people in the UK admit to feeling ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ stressed by their work and that is before you consider external factors such as family problems and money worries which elevate the figure considerably higher.
In addition to symptoms such as anxiety, irritability and insomnia, stress is now known to contribute to dramatic physiological consequences, including heart disease, high blood pressure and impaired functionality of the immune system.
But by making regular activity, as recommended by Fitbug, a part of your lifestyle you will be tackling stress head on.
Activity can improve your health by relaxing tense muscles, helping you to sleep better and improving your self esteem.
It can ‘clear your head’ by improving blood flow to the brain and it releases happy vibes (endorphins) into your brain to give you a feeling of well-being.
The problem for many people suffering from stress is that they find themselves in a vicious circle because they don’t think they have enough time to fit activity into their day and the idea of making time just makes them even more stressed.
But the last thing Fitbug wants to do is add to your stresses, that’s why we encourage you to make small lifestyle changes – that can fit realistically into your life - to experience great health benefits.
Whichever way you try to dress it up, the simple fact is that if you are carrying too much excess weight you are putting yourself at risk of premature death.
The only way to reduce the risk factors of heart disease, strokes and high blood pressure is to lose some weight and live a healthier lifestyle.
Multiple studies have shown that the best way to shift weight and keep it off is to combine a healthy diet with daily activity.
Fitbug is not going to ask you to start pounding away on a treadmill or spend endless meals gazing at a plate of lettuce leaves, because we know that’s not going to work for you in the long run.
When you use a Bug, you will receive achievable targets of how much activity you should fit into your day. As you become more capable your targets will be gradually increased to help you progress.
At the same time as having your activity levels monitored, you will also receive nutrition targets to give you all the nutrients you need while helping you to shed some of your excess weight.
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