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Content warning: This story references eating disorders.
Close up shot of a woman using smart watch against colourful neon light display
Olivia, a Seattle-based 31-year-old, posted to Instagram when her Apple Watch didn’t log herF45 HIIT workout.
She felt infuriated when her watch experienced this glitch.
As she later explained toAllure, she felt there was no longer point to her workout.
A screenshot from Olivia’s Instagram
“I tend to take classes with friends, so we always compare stats.
About a quarter of theU.S.
population wears smartwatches Fitbit and Apple alone account for over111 millionand100 millionusers respectively.
“Any time we enumerate something, or give it a number, we increase therisk of addiction.
Dopamine appears very sensitive to numbers, rankings, and other quantitative measures,” Dr. Lembke explains.
Everyone’s ideal healthlooks different, and smartwatches simply can’t account for all the variables.
She continuously checked her watch to ensure she was burning more calories than in previous sessions.
If she noticed her calorie burn was lower, she would instantly engage in negative self-talk.
She also recommends maintaining time for other hobbies, so that fitness isn’t your only focus.
Everyone’s ideal healthlooks different, and smartwatches simply can’t account for all the variables.
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Now, watch a surfer’s entire routine:
