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When Wellness Turns into Worry: The Dark Side of Fitness Trackers

Jomanda Heng
Aug 12
3 min read

What started as a fun way to measure steps has evolved into a multi-billion-dollar industry that keeps millions glued to their wrists. Fitness trackers, from Fitbits to Apple Watches, promise accountability, measurable goals, and data-driven motivation. But while the intention is to improve our health, psychologists warn that these devices might also be quietly fuelling anxiety, guilt, and an unhealthy obsession with numbers.

The Global Fitness Tracking Boom

The wearable fitness market is worth over $70 billion globally and is expected to keep growing as more people seek tech-assisted wellness. The 10,000-step benchmark, originally created as a Japanese marketing campaign in the 1960s, has become a near-universal goal. But is chasing this arbitrary number actually making us healthier — or just more stressed?

A 2023 study from the Journal of Behavioral Medicine found that while fitness trackers improved short-term activity levels, 30% of users reported increased anxiety when they couldn’t meet their daily goals. For some, that glowing progress ring becomes less of a motivator and more of a daily test they’re terrified to fail.

When Data Becomes Dictatorship

The appeal is obvious — having every heartbeat, calorie burn, and step count at your fingertips feels empowering. But constant tracking can create dependency.

Instead of listening to natural cues like fatigue, hunger, or mood, some users push themselves to meet the data’s demands. Skipping a rest day because your tracker shows you’re “behind” can lead to overtraining, injury, or burnout.

“Your body doesn’t know numbers — it knows stress, recovery, and balance,” says Dr. Michelle Wong, a sports psychologist. “When people override their body’s signals for the sake of hitting a digital goal, the benefits of exercise can quickly reverse.”

For perfectionists, the lure of “perfect days” — when every goal is met — can become addictive. Miss one and the guilt hits hard. Some even report pacing around their homes late at night just to “get the last 500 steps in,” sacrificing sleep in the process.

It’s especially risky for individuals recovering from eating disorders or body image issues. Calorie burn tracking can reinforce restrictive eating patterns, and weight fluctuations shown in-app may trigger unhealthy behaviours.

Gamification — sharing results, competing on leaderboards, challenging friends — can be fun for some but toxic for others. A 2022 American Psychological Association survey found that 42% of young adults felt “pressured” by fitness tracking features, with some pushing through illness or injury to avoid “falling behind” in group challenges.

Social feeds filled with hyper-fit bodies and extreme workout stats only amplify the problem. In chasing the perfect score, rest, recovery, and joy in movement often take a backseat.

The irony? The very tool designed to improve wellbeing can end up sabotaging it. Instead of celebrating movement, some users begin to associate it with failure if numbers aren’t met. This transforms health from a holistic pursuit into a narrow, metric-obsessed grind.

But the problem isn’t the technology itself — it’s how it’s used.

How to Track Without the Toxicity

Experts suggest a few mindset shifts to keep fitness tracking healthy:

Ditch the “every day” rule — Build in guilt-free rest days.
Use multiple measures of success — Track mood, energy, and flexibility alongside steps and calories.
Set personalised goals — Not everyone needs 10,000 steps; adjust targets to your lifestyle and fitness level.
Limit compulsive checking — Choose set times to review your data instead of constant monitoring.
Know when to unplug — If tracking creates dread instead of motivation, take a break.

Fitness trackers can be incredible tools for accountability and progress. But the ultimate goal of movement should be health, not perfection. If the device on your wrist starts feeling like a judge instead of a coach, it may be time to loosen the strap — or take it off entirely.

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