What You Need to Know Today: January 8
Good afternoon, Early Risers!
Here’s what you need to know
TECH
The truth about heart-rate monitors and Fitbit. Before I reveal the secret to optimizing your athletic performance and ultimately cheating death, you need to know this product is not for everyone… If you’re NOT training to compete in the Olympics anytime soon, stop reading this now! If you’re overweight, unhappy with how your body looks, and have NO history of cardiovascular problems, get off this page immediately!
This is how Fitbit and all heart-rate monitoring devices should be marketed. But they’re not. Instead, they tell you that “Every beat counts,” and you should “Know your heart rate.” Good marketing, no doubt. But that’s all BS. For the average joe, heart-rate monitors are overkill. The truth is monitoring your heart rate during exercise is only helpful for two kinds of people: pro athletes; and individuals who suffer from cardiovascular disease. For the rest of us looking to lose weight and get fit, heart-rate monitors are just another distracting gadget, diverting our attention from the actual work at hand. So when I see lawsuit claims against Fitbit and the outrage on Twitter, I feel for the people getting cheated by these false claims. But I also feel worse for the ones who blame Fitbit for their lack of success in the gym. It’s another convenient excuse. #Truth
Note: This does not diminish the severity of the claims, especially for individuals with heart conditions who were relying on Fitbit or other HR tracking devices. However, use common sense, people. Somewhere in the fine print, Fitbit has legal jargon claiming their product is not to be used as a medical device.
+ Would you buy this? I wouldn’t… Water bottles are all the rage in fitness now. They’re the next Fitbit scandal waiting to happen. Take two minutes and watch this video. Aside from the ridiculous in-app “water game” you can play with friends (the true mark of a great product), do you really think you need a smart water bottle? No. A clean one, that’s BPA free, at best. To all the kids who have put their full mouth over a water fountain and still grew up healthy, this seems like overkill and a waste of money. What do you think? Leave a reply in the comments. 2,233 people think this water bottle is a good idea.
CAREER
How to become the go-to person in your industry. “Last year, the unlikely duo scored four Billboard hits together (and some apart), including “Good for You” by Selena Gomez and “Sorry” by Justin Bieber, both of which peaked in the Top 5 on the Hot 100 and topped the pop airplay chart. The pair’s other successes included “Love Myself,” the self-care anthem by the Oscar-nominated actress Hailee Steinfeld (“It’s very clearly about masturbation,” Julia Michaels said), along with tracks for Demi Lovato and Fifth Harmony. After helping elevate newer stars beyond their tween die-hards, Julia Michaels and Justin Tranter were courted for sessions with established icons like Britney Spears, Gwen Stefani, Courtney Love, and John Legend,” says The New York Times. The story of how Julia Michaels and Justin Tranter became the hottest songwriters in pop music today shows us how much work it takes to be the go-to person in an industry.
+ This unlikely publisher is breaking Washington’s op-ed column. Full story.
LIFESTYLE
Fat o’clock. Tonight at 8:02 p.m. almost half of those who resolved to slim down this New Year will break their resolution. This is not some subliminal message, but actual research backed proof. Fat o’clock is a “thing.”
#NOWYOUKNOW
Smartphone Etiquette — Propaganda Posters
This should go without saying…
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