There are hundreds of fitness calculators to be found online, many of them for free. Each of these calculators is designed to help someone meet his or her individual fitness and health goals. In general, a user will enter personal information, either once or on a regular basis, and the fitness calculators will return personalized advice, charts, and information about how to best achieve one's goals. In addition, a fitness calculator may also refer to a device worn while exercising, such as a pedometer or heart rate monitor.
One of the most common types of free online fitness calculators is a calorie counter. A user may be able to enter all the foods and drinks he or she consumes in a day, and the calculator will tell him how many calories he consumed and where he could cut back in order to meet weight loss or fitness goals. Some food calculators such as this focus on all food groups, while other calculators specify individual concerns, such as the amount of carbohydrates, sugar, protein, or fiber in a diet. This type of highly specific calculator is helpful for weight lifters or those training in a sport with specific nutritional needs.
Other fitness calculators are simply meant to be a starting point for exercise. A Body Mass Index calculator simply estimates a user's BMI based on values entered in a form. These generally include height and weight, as well as body measurements such as waist or hip circumference. This measurement can be a great way to determine if someone is at a healthy body weight for their overall size and body type.
Other types of fitness calculators allow the user to keep track of his or her activities, and the calculator will then create a chart to view. For instance, if one jogs for 30 minutes on Monday, followed by one hour of yoga on Tuesday, and 45 minutes of swimming on Wednesday, all of this information can be entered into the fitness calculator. The user can then easily keep track of his or her activities.
These are just a few of the fitness calculators to be found online. Fitness calculators that may be used during exercising include a pedometer, which measures steps taken, distance traveled, and calories burned; a heart rate monitor, which keeps track of heart rate while working out; or even a personal GPS, which may be able to track distance while running, among other things. Fitness calculators can be a great way to keep track of information and note progress over time.