Most places you go, you’ll probably see at least one person wearing some kind of fitness wearable tracking device. Whether it’s an Apple watch, a Garmin, or some other specialized fitness tracker, the data you can gather about your body and habits is really cool. But do you actually need one?

Short answer, No.  Most people do not need a fitness tracker, measuring their pulse ox and their heart rate all day. It’s simply not the most important thing when pursuing a fitness goal, but they can help you. Let’s look at how.

We’ve discussed many times that the first steps in starting your fitness journey are the Big 3: training, nutrition, and recovery. Any device you decide to use ought to help you track and perform better in these areas.

Tracking your training is something most wearables do quite well.  Most can track your steps, just like the belt clip pedometer they would give you for fundraisers in elementary school. They can also track your heart rate, and some can even detect activity, recognizing when you are working hard or exercising, and can with some reliability calculate your daily calories burned. While no smart watch can calculate how much food you eat; this can be useful in dialing in your daily nutrition goal.

Tracking your recovery is a more advanced feature that some wearables might not have. But knowing when you slept well or slept poorly should be an easy guess when you wake up in the morning. A wearable can give you more advanced data, like total time in REM sleep, the effect of your diet on your sleep, and how much a good nap helped your recovery.

If you are a data-driven person and like to see measurable changes in your fitness, then a wearable can help you get that. If you are a high-level athlete or have a health condition that requires dedicated tracking, then your coach or doctor might prescribe one for you.  That does not, however, excuse your from being in tune with your body. Knowing how you feel when you eat certain foods or how to get a good night’s sleep for your body is important. Being in tune with your body is one of the most important parts of wellness, and while a wearable can help, knowing these things without that assistance will prove much more beneficial in the long run.