(Image credit: Getty Images) Jump to:
Imagine this: you eagerly buy a new smartwatch. At first, you simply can't put it down—wearing it day and night, tracking your every move, and checking all the fitness reports. Fitness tracking becomes part of your daily routine. However, this newfound enthusiasm doesn't last long, and after a few months or even weeks, you give up on the smartwatch or smart ring entirely. Sound familiar? If so, rest assured, you're not alone. Data shows that many people struggle to track their physical activity long-term, whether they use a premium Garmin watch or a budget fitness tracker.
For example, a 2016 Gartner study found that up to a third of smartwatch owners in the US had abandoned their devices. According to a more recent 2024 LocalCircles survey, only a fifth of users who purchased fitness trackers continued to use them regularly, and a full 79% of respondents reported having at least one unused device at home. Even more interesting is how quickly we seem to discard them. For example, in a small 2017 experimental study, half of the participants asked to log their activity stopped using their fitness trackers within the first two weeks of the experiment.
You may like
-
The Best Fitness Trackers for Beginners in 2025 – From the Apple Watch to the Garmin Forerunner 165
-
The Best Sleep Tracking Devices of 2025 – From Smart Rings to Fitness Watches
-
The Best Swimming Fitness Trackers of 2025
Tracking physical activity is a learned behavior, and like any non-innate behavior, it is formed and reinforced through repetition, feedback, and reward. This complex habit cycle can be easily interrupted by a variety of factors. “Tracking physical activity is an interaction between the individual, technology, and the environment in which they live and work. All three of these aspects will influence a person's decision to consistently use fitness trackers,” Judy Van Raalte, professor emeritus of sport psychology at Springfield College in Massachusetts, told Live Science.
However, evidence also suggests that some factors may have a greater impact on long-term fitness tracker use than others. Here are four common reasons why many of us give up on fitness trackers, according to scientific evidence.
Reason 1: You have a tracker but don't have clear fitness goals
Setting clear and achievable goals is the cornerstone of effective fitness tracking.
Even the most sophisticated smartwatch won't last long if you don't have a clear idea of why you're using it. When you set specific, measurable goals—for example, 10,000 steps a day or 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week—your fitness tracker becomes a valuable tool for monitoring and improving these metrics over time, rather than just a gadget for tracking your stats. While it may seem obvious, many people buy fitness trackers primarily to motivate themselves to exercise. However, this approach rarely works if there's no internal drive to begin with.
Live Science Recommends
Garmin Connect is a popular mobile app that tracks your activity metrics and lets you share them with friends, family, and other users. It's compatible with many of Garmin's top watches, including our favorite, the Garmin Forerunner 165—a great sports watch for beginners and one of the few fitness trackers to earn us five stars.
“Fitness trackers are abandoned due to a general lack of motivation to exercise. People, especially those with a sedentary lifestyle, are reluctant to switch to an active lifestyle overnight,” Selen Razon, an associate professor of exercise science at West Chester University in Pennsylvania, told Live Science. “People continue to use fitness trackers precisely because of the feeling of progress or the sense of achieving desired results,” Razon said.
This view is widely held among fitness professionals. “A fitness tracker has no inherent right to be proactive unless its user genuinely wants to change their lifestyle,” Lewis Paris, a certified personal trainer in London and director of Lewis Paris Fitness, a company specializing in corporate wellness, told Live Science. On the other hand, people who are less goal-oriented are less likely to follow fitness tracking, Paris noted.
A possible solution: Focus on the “why” rather than the “how.” Think about why you want to improve your fitness and what you hope to achieve with your fitness tracker. Then, write down one to three specific, measurable goals that you can easily track with your device (e.g., “eight hours of sleep a day” instead of “sleep better” or “6,000 steps a day” instead of “move more”).
You may like
-
The Best Fitness Trackers for Beginners in 2025 – From the Apple Watch to the Garmin Forerunner 165
-
The Best Sleep Tracking Devices of 2025 – From Smart Rings to Fitness Watches
-
The Best Swimming Fitness Trackers of 2025
Reason 2: You have clear goals, but there is no suitable instrument to measure them
Everyone is different, and this should be reflected in your choice of fitness trackers.
When buying a fitness tracker, it's easy to be swayed by popular trends or peer pressure. However, what works for your friends or professional testers may not necessarily resonate with you. Fitness trackers come in a huge variety of forms, and half the battle lies in choosing a device that fully reflects your needs, preferences, and fitness capabilities. Ultimately, the fitness tracker you use most often will bring you the most value in your daily life.
Live Science Recommends
The Apple Watch Series 8 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 are our top picks for interactive smartwatches and two of our favorite fitness trackers. While they're not as stylish or advanced as their latest counterparts, they offer the same wide selection of gaming apps at a more affordable price.
The device's functionality plays a key role here. “For example, users of a Whoop wristband will likely have different fitness goals than users of an Oura ring or a Garmin smartwatch, as the Whoop wristband focuses on accurately measuring exercise performance, while the Oura ring focuses on recovery and sleep metrics,” said Paris. If your fitness tracker doesn't measure data tailored to your needs and goals, you won't be motivated to use the wearable long-term.
Device quality is another important factor. Research has shown that poor data accuracy and reliability can be a major reason why users abandon fitness trackers, according to a 2022 systematic review published in the journal Behavior & Information Technology. This factor is especially important for athletes and advanced users. “For highly active users who are well-versed in their fitness, inaccurate fitness trackers can be frustrating, especially when sharing their results with others,” said Van Raalte.
Moreover, it's not just how the data is collected, but also how it's presented to the user. “Some people are simply not good at working with raw data. They don't understand it or don't see the benefit of knowing it,” Paris said. “Wearables that provide clear, structured feedback on what's working well can be more effective,” he explained.
Another important factor to consider is how your fitness tracker motivates you. “For example, some people might appreciate the constant reminders to exercise or compete with others using their tracker, while others might be put off by these [features],” Razon said.
Possible solution: Carefully consider what your ideal device should be, and then spend time researching the products that best meet your criteria. Check out various product reviews and user testimonials online for practical information, but keep in mind that their experience with the product may differ from yours.
Reason 3: You don't share your fitness statistics with others
Sharing is caring, and tracking your fitness is no exception.
People are social creatures, and this also applies to fitness tracking. Social comparison (the natural human tendency to evaluate one's abilities and opinions by comparing oneself to others) can be a powerful driver of long-term fitness tracking, according to the aforementioned review, and our experts wholeheartedly agree. “When people can compete with other users or know their friends and family can track their progress, they may be more motivated to use a fitness tracker long-term,” Razon said.
According to Van Raalte, the appeal of sharing your fitness stats may partly explain why advanced fitness trackers enjoy a higher number of loyal users than simpler, more affordable wearables. “This isn't necessarily due to more advanced technology or a more attractive display, but rather because premium smartwatches tend to allow for more social interaction, such as connecting with others on specialized forums or sharing your runs, rides, or fitness data on Strava and other apps,” she said.
Possible solution: Choose a fitness tracker that allows you to share your fitness metrics with friends, family, or targeted online communities. Alternatively, find an “accountability partner”—someone who will support you in achieving your fitness goals through regular check-ins, encouragement, and honest feedback.
Reason 4: Your fitness tracker is difficult to use.
Fun is an often overlooked aspect of fitness tracking, but its importance cannot be overstated.
What comes to mind when you hear “fitness tracking”? You can bet anything it's not “fun.” However, according to a review, perceived enjoyment may be an important factor in determining whether we use fitness trackers in the long term. But how exactly can fitness tracking be made engaging? Two words: gamification and interactivity, according to a 2021 study published in the journal SAGE Open.
Gamification is a term used to describe the incorporation of game elements, such as scoring and competing with others, into a non-game environment. In the case of fitness tracking, this might mean participating in virtual competitions and earning rewards for achieving specific fitness goals. Interactivity, on the other hand, refers to how fitness trackers engage your attention, enhancing the user experience. For example, wearables might suggest your next exercise plan or adjust their recommendations based on your performance. “Features that remind or encourage people to move, as well as those that provide positive reinforcement based on desired behavior—such as earning badges for taking steps—promote consistent use of fitness trackers,” Razon said.
Similar stories
— How do fitness trackers measure heart rate?
How accurate are smart rings and how do they differ from fitness watches?
How to track your workout with a fitness tracker
Possible solution: Choose a fitness tracker that offers interesting, engaging features and/or access to third-party fitness platforms, or one that helps you create your own workout routine (for example, with the help of an AI-powered coach).
This article is for informational purposes only and does not contain medical advice.
Today's best deals on fitness trackers
Amazfit Balance 2
$299.99 See all prices
Apple Watch 11
$399 Pre-order See all prices
Apple Watch Ultra 2
$799 $699.99ViewSee all prices
Garmin Fenix 8
$1,099.99 See all prices
Garmin Forerunner 965
$565.99 See all prices
Xiaomi Smart Band 8
$38.99 $33ViewSee all prices
Amazfit Active 2
$99.99See all prices
Oura Ring 4
$10ViewSee all prices
Ultrahuman Air Ring
$10ViewSee all prices
Whoop 5.0
$199 See all prices We check over 250 million products every day to find the best prices
Anna Gora, author of articles on health
Anna Gora is a health writer for Live Science and has previously contributed to Coach, Fit&Well, T3, TechRadar, and Tom's Guide. She is a certified personal trainer, nutritionist, and wellness consultant with nearly 10 years of experience. Anna holds a BA in Nutrition from the Warsaw University of Life Sciences, an MSc in Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Public Health from the University of Bristol, and various health certifications. She is passionate about inspiring healthy living and promoting the benefits of a plant-based diet.
You must verify your public display name before commenting.
Please log out and log back in. You will then be asked to enter a display name.
Exit Read more
The Best Fitness Trackers for Beginners in 2025 – From the Apple Watch to the Garmin Forerunner 165
The Best Sleep Tracking Devices of 2025 – From Smart Rings to Fitness Watches
The Best Swimming Fitness Trackers of 2025
The Best Running Watches of 2025 – Premium and Budget Options
Suunto Run Fitness Tracker Review: Lightweight, Feature-Rich, and Reasonably Priced
Amazfit Helio Smart Ring Review: Accurate Sleep Tracking Without the Excessive Cost
Latest Exercise News
How the surface you exercise on can increase your risk of cramping
This premium Garmin watch is practically a knockoff of the pricey Fenix 8, and it's currently on sale for a whopping $321.
The three best fitness tracker deals we spotted during the Labor Day sale.
Suunto Run Fitness Tracker Review: Lightweight, Feature-Rich, and Reasonably Priced
Garmin Forerunner 970 Review: A Serious Smartwatch for Professional Runners
Garmin Forerunner 570 Review: Bright, Accurate, Slightly Overpriced
Latest features
A woman developed unusual bruises from a massage gun. It turned out she had scurvy.
The Sahara Sea's 'star dunes' collide with an otherworldly landscape where two countries meet.
Alexander Fleming wakes up to find strange mold growing in a petri dish and then accidentally discovers the first antibiotic – September 28, 1928
History of Science: Rosetta Stone Deciphered, Opening Window into Ancient Egyptian Civilization – September 27, 1822
Science Story: DART, humanity's first asteroid deflection mission, hits space rock in the face – September 26, 2022
How long does DNA last?
LATEST ARTICLES
14 Reasons You Keep Forgetting Your Fitness Trackers (And How to Prevent It From Happening Again)
Live Science magazine is part of Future US Inc., an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate website.
- About Us
- Contact Future experts
- Terms and Conditions
- Privacy Policy
- Cookie Policy
- Accessibility Statement
- Advertise with us
- Web notifications
- Career
- Editorial standards
- How to present history to us
© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.
var dfp_config = { “site_platform”: “vanilla”, “keywords”: “van_sticky_side_nav,exclude-from-syndication,type-feature,van-exclude-latest,apple-news-format,serversidehawk,van-enable-adviser-
Sourse: www.livescience.com
