New Year’s Resolutions Starter Kit: 45 tech and fitness resources to reach your 2026 goals
When January 1st rolls around, you’ll need to go into your New Year’s resolutions with a clear game plan and the necessary skills to stay on track. That includes smart watches, smart rings, smart glasses, and fitness devices, but also the technology you need to live. way of life goals related to learning, nutrition, work, and more.
As the Wearables resident of this site, an eight-time marathoner, and a hopeless fitness expert, I’m someone who takes New Year’s resolutions seriously, using them to stay on track with my running, walking, hiking, steps, strength, cross training, and weight loss goals. And I’ve updated all the technology needed to motivate you – and track your progress.
Smartwatches, trackers, and bands
Beginner trackers for basic steps and sleep data
Fitness trackers give you important health data to stay active and try to hit 10,000 steps a day, without being too big to get comfortable with sleep data! The Inspire 3 unlocks the Fitbit Personal Health Coach, while the Mi Band 10 is new and unregistered and the Bip 6 prioritizes a bright 2-inch screen.
Your affordable couch-to-5K watch companion
You won’t find a better affordable option than the Garmin Forerunner 165, my pick for the best running watch for personal training and practical recs that help beginners know where to start. The COROS PACE 4 is a great option with better battery life and 5K programs made by the coach, with the Suunto Run offering the same benefits as dual-band GPS and an AMOLED display.
Fitness watches are designed for hiking, backpacking, and camping
You need a tough, durable watch that will survive the wilderness. COROS NOMAD has a 3-week battery, maps to keep you on track, and voice notes to document your journey. The military-grade Instinct 3 features a backpack mode with adjustable pocket weight and a flashlight, while the Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro is my colleague Nick’s favorite everyday watch, boasting maps and sapphire glass.
Clocks for gym mice and indoor workouts
Only a few fitness watches will accurately count your gym reps. Garmin Venu 4 has a built-in Fitness Trainer that mixes cardio and strength and bodyweight workouts, as well as load data for training and animated exercises. Balance 2 also tracks gym reps with impressive accuracy. While the Pixel Watch 4 this is not the case track reps, has training programs that work with Gemini based on your available tools.
Fitness bands for athletes are now wearing a luxury watch
People who are used to wearing Rolexes can switch to a fitness watch for exercise, and then switch again. But if you’re looking for an all-day tracker that you can wear on your other wrist, there are a few subtle, screenless options with accurate data. Since Whoop bands require registration, I would recommend the Polar Loop and Amazfit Helio Strap as affordable alternatives.
The best technology resources to supplement your training
HR monitors to improve your fitness stats
Even the best smartwatch doesn’t always deliver the most accurate HR results. For people who do a lot of intensity, anaerobic exercise, the arm or chest strap shows your real-time data more accurately, so you can avoid pushing too hard as you return to training.
My fiancee and I like the COROS HRM for working out and running in the gym, while the Garmin HRM 200 and Polar H10 chest straps are more accurate (though not as comfortable).
Smart glasses that sync with your watch or stream your playlist
Smart glasses are a relatively new category, but the Oakley Meta Vanguard and Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) glasses have become very popular: They stream your phone’s music, take photos or videos, answer questions with Meta AI, and read your live Garmin watch stats like heart rate and speed. As an alternative, ENGO 2 glasses the exhibition your workout stats live on a small HUD.
Why do you buy these? They’ll protect your eyes, sure, but they’ll keep you motivated, especially with Meta goggles that can document your fitness journey to share with others — and keep yourself accountable!
Exercise earbuds to keep you busy
You might not think you need smart glasses, but the best workout earbuds are essential to keep you motivated when pushing your limits. I use these Shokz OpenFit 2 earbuds every day, they have a rich sound paired with an open-ear design built for safe outdoor use. The Powerbeats Pro 2 also have a hook, but they also have a decent ANC focus in the house, while the TREBLAB earbuds are budget friendly.
Smart scales to track your weight loss goals
Losing weight is one of the most common New Year’s resolutions. But it’s not just about losing weight; and you want to track body composition, so you know if you’re losing fat or muscle, as well as hydration levels and other stats.
My scale, the Wings Body Smart, has an Eyes Closed mode that allows you to scale without displaying data. to scale, suitable for people with weight anxiety. The Wyze Scale Ultra Bodyscan gives you disaggregated data, showing where your fat is stored, while the Etekcity is a popular and affordable body contouring method.
Smart rings to keep you true to your sleep goals
Smart rings have fitness tracking tools, but they’re more useful for sleep data. Whether your goals are for health, fitness, or productivity, you need proper sleep, and the rings will track things like sleep debt, nighttime stress, and illness symptoms. The Oura Ring 4 is an obvious first choice, but for subscription-free options, try the Ringonnn Gen 2 or the Samsung Galaxy Ring.
The ultimate manufacturing technology is at work
The new e-ink reader that will meet your 2026 reading goals…and more
If you’re a fan of paperbacks or free library books, I appreciate that! An e-ink reader is easy and convenient to travel or commute to work, however, and many of the latest models support productivity software, so you can use them to stay organized at work or document how your decisions are progressing. These options are some of our favorites, from premium, full-color options to a basic e-reader.
Equipment and home exercise equipment
Home gym technology to kickstart your goals
When you’re trying to get out the door to exercise, remove any excuses and fill your home with exercise gear that you can use without wandering around in the cold! From treadmills and weights to skipping ropes and massage guns, there’s plenty of gear to help you achieve your New Year’s resolutions.
Excellent starter athletic shoes for any athlete
While my focus is on wearable technology, I have many recommendations for clothing and equipment that you will need to improve as an athlete! First, whether you plan to run, hike, lift weights, or just walk more than last year, you’ll need some solid support to make sure you don’t injure yourself! That includes both good shoes and supportive insoles!
