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Do you feel like your health and fitness hasnt been a priority lately? You certainly arent alone! According to ABS, only 27.2% of people aged 15 years and over meet the physical activity guidelines in Australia, and nearly half (49.4%) of employed people aged 18-64 years describe their day at work as mostly sitting.

With the rise in sedentary behaviour from WFH, there has never been a better time to consider purchasing a fitness tracker. Like the name suggests, these wearables can help you stay on track towards meeting your fitness goals and encourage you to live a more healthy lifestyle overall.

But with so many great products on the market, how can you be confident in choosing the right one? Here, weve rounded up our top 5 fitness trackers on the marketplace right now. Check them out below:

The Fitbit Luxe is perfect for those who want all the latest health features, without compromising on style and aesthetics.

This tracker offers a daily readiness score which reveals whether youre ready to workout or if you should prioritise recovery as well as all day activity monitoring, real-time pace and distance tracking and menstrual health tracking. Other perks include 5 day battery life, a vibrant colour display, call and text notifications, and a stylish bracelet-like watch design.

Another great tracker from Fitbit is the Charge 5. On top of the fitness features that the Luxe offers, the Charge 5 also has a blood oxygen sensor, and ECG sensor to measure heart health, and a built-in GPS tracker (so you can track outdoor workouts without having your phone nearby). The Charge 5 can also measure elevation through the altimeter, which is a feature you dont get in the Luxe.

If you are looking for extra high-tech health features, the Charge 5 may be for you. However, if you want the perfect balance of style and fitness tracking, then the Luxe might suit you better.

The Apple Watch SE has all the best health monitoring capabilities such as heart rate and sleep tracking with the bonus of nifty smartwatch features. The main advantage of the Apple Watch, is that it gives you access to a wide range of fitness apps, such as Apples Fitness Plus, Nike Training Club, Strava, and more. Using the wallet app, you can also store payment cards, boarding passes, movie tickets or rewards cards for easy access.

If you want a seamlessly integrated experience between your Apple devices, then the Apple Watch SE could be a great fit for you.

The GT3 Pro comes in a titanium (46mm) or ceramic body with a sapphire watch dial (43mm). With a long 14-days of battery life, this watch also has electrode technology for accurate health measurements. It can access over 100 personalised workouts from golf to cross-country skiing to free training.

The GT3 Pro is has IP68 and 5 ATM ratings for water resistance so you can wear it in the ocean as deep as 30 metres with the Free Diving Mode6.

On top of this, the GT3 Pro has all-day heart rate and SpO2 monitoring. It has loads of customisation options so you can personalise it to your taste.

The Suunto 9 Peak is the thinnest and toughest from the Suunto line or sports watches so its a good choice if youre looking for a watch which is lightweight and durable at the same time.The 9 Peak fits easily on your wrist and you can charge it fully in one hour, and with more than 80 sport modes, theres hardly anything it cant track.

Another nice feature is the Resources setting which shows you if youve overextended yourself and you need to rest or if youre all good and ready to go.

The 9 Peak comes with all the features youd expect from a Suunto watch, including screens you can customise to show you the most relevant data for your exercise, accurate wrist-based heart rate monitoring and in-depth weather insights.

Click here for our full review of this fitness tracker

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Thinking About Purchasing A Fitness Tracker? Here Are Our Top 5 - Women Love Tech

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A rendering of the interior of Planet Fitnesss upcoming location at 7297 Battle Hill Drive in Mechanicsville. (Image courtesy of Grand Fitness Partners)

A new Planet Fitness operator is expanding its orbit with new gyms in Mechanicsville and Bon Air after it bought its way into the Virginia market less than a year ago.

Grand Fitness Partners, a Planet Fitness franchisee with locations in five states, expects the Mechanicsville gym at 7297 Battle Hill Drive and the Bon Air gym in Stony Point Village Shopping Center to both open in late December.

The Mechanicsville gym will occupy a 30,000-square-foot space formerly occupied by Best Buy, which closed there in 2021.

The Bon Air gym will be in a 17,500-square-foot space at 3001 Stony Point Road in a leftover portion of the former Martins store next to Trader Joes.

Planet Fitness plans to open a new gym in what was formerly a Best Buy. (BizSense file photo)

Both gyms will feature cardio and strength equipment, rowing machines, locker rooms with showers and tanning booths, among other equipment.

Nicki Jassy and Jim Ashby of Thalhimer represented Grand Fitness in the Mechanicsville lease. Jassy again handled the lease on behalf of Grand Fitness at Stony Point Village Shopping Center, where Ashby represented the landlord.

Grand Fitness is still on the hunt for more expansion opportunities locally, company spokeswoman DonnaMarie Hendriksen said in an email Thursday.

We believe that Richmond is indeed a market with more growth potential, and we will continue to consider sites in areas of opportunity. We expect to add additional clubs in 2023, she said.

Planet Fitness has signed a lease on a portion of the former Martins grocery store at Stony Point Village. (Jack Jacobs photo)

Grand Fitness currently operates the regions other Planet Fitness locations at 4951 Nine Mile Road, 9703 W. Broad St., and 11001 Hull Street Road as well as a Colonial Heights outpost at 230 Southpark Circle.

Grand Fitness bought those locations as part of the acquisition of Asbell Groups 13-location Virginia portfolio in a deal that closed in December 2021, Hendriksen said. The deal marked Grand Fitnesss first foray into Virginia. Terms werent disclosed.

The company, which was founded in 2010, currently operates 59 locations in Virginia, Florida, California, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Grand Fitness has corporate offices in Virginia, New Jersey and Florida.

Grand Fitness was formerly known as PF Atlantic Holdings. It was rebranded as part of a majority investment by private equity group HGGC announced in November 2021.

In other gym news, Tequila & Deadlifts has expanded its offerings in the Fan. City Councilman Andreas Addison has opened a gym in Scotts Addition.

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New operator of local Planet Fitness gyms adding two more locations - RichmondBizSense

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Ethical approval

The local animal care approved the study protocol and use committee (ComEth EnvA-Upec-ANSES, reference: 11-0041, dated July 12, 2011), and protocols were conducted following the EU regulation (no 2010/63/UE). Owners and riders provided their informed consent before the start of sampling procedures with the animals. The horses (Equus caballus) used in this research study were pure-breed or half-breed Arabian (three females, one male, and seven geldings; age: 101.69 years old).

Eleven endurance horses were selected from a cohort previously used in our team6,24,25,70. All equine athletes started training for endurance competitions at age 4 and presented a similar training history, level of physical fitness, and training environment. The 11 horses were selected due to the following criteria: (1) enrollment in the same 160km endurance category; (2) blood sample collection before and after the race; (3) feces collection before the race; (4) absence of gastrointestinal disorders during the four months before enrollment; (5) absence of antibiotic treatment during the four months before enrollment and absence of anthelmintic medication within 60 days before the race, and (6) a complete questionnaire about diet composition and intake.

Subject metadata, including morphometric characteristics and daily macronutrient diet intake records, is depicted in Supplementary Data1. Daily nutrient intake calculations are described elsewhere24.

The endurance race was split into ~3040km phases. At the end of each phase, veterinarians checked horses (referred to as a vet gate). The heart recovery time was the primary criterion evaluated at the vet gate as it is shown to be an excellent complement to a physical assessment of an individual. The heart rate was measured at each vet gate by the riders and a veterinarian using a heart rate meter and a stethoscope. Any horse deemed unfit to continue (due to a heart rate above 64bpm after 20min of recovery) was immediately withdrawn from the event.

It should be noted that the time interval between arrival at the vet gate and the time needed to decrease the heart rate below 64bpm was counted as part of the overall riding time. Therefore, the cardiac recovery time was calculated as the difference between the arrival time (at the end of the phase) and the time of veterinary inspection (referred to as the time in by the FEI endurance rules). The average speed of each successive phase was calculated at the vet gate.

Changes in these three variables during endurance events have been shown to predict whether a horse is aerobically fit or not71. We consider these variables to estimate cardiovascular capacity linked to performance capability and achievement. Therefore, these three variables were first scaled through a Z-score; that is, the number of standard deviation units a horses score is below or above the average score. Such a computation creates a unitless score that is no longer related to the original units of analysis (e.g., minutes, beats, Km/h). It measures the number of standard deviation units and can more readily be used for comparisons. A composite based on such Z-scores was then created to estimate cardiovascular fitness. Specifically, the composite() function of the multicon R package (v.1.6) was used to develop a unit-weighted composite of the three variables listed above.

The kinship272 (v.1.8.5) R package was used to calculate the pedigree kinship matrix of all individual pairs, plot the pedigree, and trim the pedigree object. The kinship coefficient for any two subjects was calculated as the probability that an allele chosen at random for both subjects at a given locus is identical-by-descent, that is, inherited from a common ancestor72. The pedigree was calculated using six generations back for the 11 Arabian horses of the study. The pedigree kinship matrix was then visualized using the plot_popkin() function from the popkin (v.1.3.17) R package. The inbr_diag() function was used to modify the kinship matrix, with inbreeding coefficients along the diagonal, preserving column and row names.

Blood samples were collected from each horse the day before the event (Basal, T0) and immediately after the end of the competition (T1) for transcriptomic, biochemical, metabolomic, and acylcarnitine assays. As described elsewhere24, pretreatment of the blood samples was carried out immediately after the collection because field conditions provided access to refrigeration and electrical power supply. Briefly, blood samples for RNA extraction were collected using Tempus Blood RNA tubes (Thermo Fisher) and stored at 80C. Whole blood samples were taken in EDTA tubes (10mL; Becton Dickinson, Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA) to determine biochemical parameters, while for the metabolome profiling, the sodium fluoride and oxalate tubes were used to inhibit further glycolysis that may increase lactate levels after sampling. Then, clotting time at 4C was strictly controlled for all samples to avoid cell lyses that affect metabolome components. After clotting at 4C, the plasma was separated from the blood cells, transported to the lab at 4C, and frozen at 80C (no more than 5h later, in all cases). Concerning the acylcarnitine, blood samples were collected in plain tubes. After clotting, the tubes were centrifuged, and the harvested serum was stored at 4C for no more than 48h and subsequently stored at 80C.

According to the manufacturers instructions, total RNAs were isolated using the Preserved Blood RNA Purification Kit I (Norgen Biotek Corp., Ontario, Canada). RNA purity and concentration were determined using a NanoDrop ND-1000 spectrophotometer (Thermo Fisher), and RNA integrity was assessed using a Bioanalyzer 2100 (Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, CA, USA). All the 22RNA samples were processed. The transcriptome microarray data production, pre-processing, and analysis are depicted in Mach et al.25.

Transcriptome profiling was performed using an Agilent 4X44K horse custom microarray (Agilent Technologies, AMADID 044466). All of the steps are detailed here73,74. We refer to our previous work for more details on the pre-processing, normalization, and application of linear models25. Given our interest in understanding the role played by mitochondria during exercise, the set of 801 differentially expressed mitochondrial genes reported by our team25 was selected for the downstream steps of analysis (Supplementary Data15).

As described elsewhere24,70, the plasma metabolic phenotype of endurance horses was obtained from 1H NMR spectra at 600MHz. The 1H NMR spectra were acquired at 500MHz with an AVANCE III (Bruker, Wissembourg, France) equipped with a 5mm reversed QXI Z-gradient high-resolution probe. Further details on sample preparation, data acquisition, quality control, spectroscopic data pre-processing, and data pre-processing, including bin alignment, normalization, scaling, and centering, are broadly discussed elsewhere75. Details on metabolite identification are described in our previous work24,25.

Sera were assayed for total bilirubin, conjugated bilirubin, total protein, creatinine, creatine kinase, -hydroxybutyrate, and aspartate transaminase (ASAT), -glutamyltransferase and serum amyloid A levels on an RX Imola analyzer (Randox, Crumlin, UK).

As a proxy for mitochondrial -oxidation, the serum acylcarnitine profiles were produced and analyzed as described elsewhere6. In the positive mode, free carnitine and 27 acylcarnitines were analyzed for their butyl ester derivatives by electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS-MS) on a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (Xevo TQ-S Waters, Milford, MA, USA) using deuterated water.

Fresh fecal samples were obtained while monitoring the horses before the race. One fecal sample from each animal was collected immediately after defecation24,76, and three aliquots (200mg) were prepared. The dehydration experienced by most horses after the race altered intestinal motility and feces shedding, making it impossible to recover the feces immediately after the race.

Aliquots for SCFA analysis and DNA extraction were snap-frozen.

SCFA levels were determined by gas chromatography using the method described elsewhere77.

Total DNA from the 11 samples was extracted from ~200mg of fecal material using the EZNA Stool DNA Kit (Omega Bio-Tek, Norcross, Georgia, USA) following the manufacturers instructions. DNA was then quantified using a Qubit and a dsDNA HS assay kit (Thermo Fisher).

As detailed in our previous studies24,25, concentrations of bacteria, anaerobic fungi, and protozoa in fecal samples were quantified by qPCR using a QuantStudio 12K Flex platform (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, USA). Primers for real-time amplification of bacteria (FOR: 5-CAGCMGCCGCGGTAANWC-3; REV: 5-CCGTCAATTCMTTTRAGTTT-3), anaerobic fungi (FOR: 5-TCCTACCCTTTGTGAATTTG-3; REV: 5-CTGCGTTCTTCATCGTTGCG-3) and protozoa (FOR: 5-GCTTTCGWTGGTAGTGTATT-3; REV: 5-CTTGCCCTCYAATCGTWCT-3). Details of standard dilutions series, the thermal cycling conditions, and the estimation of the number of copies are detailed elsewhere24,25.

A detailed description of the DNA isolation process, V3V4 16S rRNA gene sequencing-PCR amplification, is presented by our group19,20,24,25,76,78,79. A negative control sample alongside biological samples at the DNA extraction and PCR steps was considered in attempts to control DNA contamination before and after sequencing. In addition, contamination was minimized through laboratory techniques such as UV irradiation of material, ultrapure water, the DNA-free Taq DNA polymerase, and the separation of pre-and post-PCR areas.

The Divisive Amplicon Denoising Algorithm (DADA) was implemented using the DADA2 plug-in for QIIME 2 (v.2021.2) to perform quality filtering and chimera removal and to construct a feature table consisting of read abundance per amplicon sequence variant (ASV) by sample80. Taxonomic assignments were given to ASVs by importing Greengenes 16S rRNA Database (release 13.8) to QIIME 2 and classifying representative ASVs using the naive Bayes classifier plug-in81. The phyloseq (v.1.36.0)82, vegan (v.2.5.7)83, and microbiome (v.1.14.0) packages were used in R (v.4.1.0) for the downstream steps of analysis. A total of 364,026 high-quality sequence reads were recovered for the 11 horses of the study (mean per subject: 33,093(pm)17,437, range: 12,05262,670). Reads were clustered into 5412 chimera- and singleton-filtered ASVs at 99% sequence similarity. The genera taxonomic assignments and counts for each individual are presented in Supplementary Data10).

The negative control sample did not yield a band on the agarose gel, and the concentration of the purified amplicon was undetectable (<1ng/L). Nevertheless, the decontam (v.1.14.0) R package was used to identify and visualize possible contaminating DNA features in the negative control sample. The function isContaminnat() was used to determine the distribution of the frequency of each contaminant feature as a function of the input DNA concentration. Only 6 ASV were statistically classified (p<0.05) as contaminants, although their frequency plots showed they were non-contaminants (Supplementary Fig.11).

Metagenomic sequencing was performed using the same DNA extractions. For each individual, a paired-end metagenomic library was prepared from 100ng of DNA using the DNA PCR-free Library Prep Kit (Illumina, San Diego, CA, USA). The size was selected at about 400bp. The pooled indexed library was sequenced in an Illumina HiSeq3000 using a paired-end read length of 2150pb with the Illumina HiSeq3000 Reagent Kits at the PLaGe facility (INRAe, Toulouse).

Raw metagenomic reads were quality-trimmed, assembled, binned, and annotated using the ATLAS pipeline, v.2.4.484. In short, using tools from the BBmap suite v.37.9985, reads were quality trimmed with ATLAS parameters: preprocess_minimum_base_quality=10, preprocess_minimum_passing_read_length=51, preprocess_minimum_base_frequency=0.05, preprocess_adapter_min_k=8, preprocess_allowable_kmer_mismatches=1, and the preprocess_reference_kmer_match_length=27. The contamination from the horse genome (available at NCBI sequence archive with the accession number GCA_002863925.1; Equus_caballus.EquCab3.0) was filtered out using the following settings: contaminant_max_indel=20, contaminant_min_ratio=0.65, contaminant_kmer_length=13, contaminant_minimum_hits=1, and contaminant_ambiguous=best. Reads were error corrected and merged before assembly with metaSPAdes v.3.13.186 with the subsequent parameters: spades_k=auto, prefilter_minimum_contig_length=300, minimum_average_coverage=1, minimum_percent_covered_bases=20, and minimum_contig_length=500 after filtering. QUAST 5.0.287 was used to evaluate the quality of each sample assembly. Since a high diversity between individuals was described through 16S rRNA amplicon analysis, we first assembled each sample independently. Contigs from single samples were clustered into metagenomic bins using MetaBAT 2 (v.2.14)88 with the following parameters: sensitivity=sensitive, min_contig_length=1500 and Maxbin 2.0v.2.2.789 with the parameters set to max_iteration=50, prob_threshold=0.9, and min_contig_length=1000. Contig predictions were combined using DAS Tool v.1.1.2-190 with diamond engine and score_threshold set to 0.5.

ATLAS configuration file, summaries of individual samples quality control, contigs from the individuals, and detected bins are available at the INRAE data repository (https://doi.org/10.15454/NGBSPC)91 and are contained in the files ATLAS_config.yalm, ATLAS_dag.pdf, notebook.html, ATLAS_QC_report.html, and ATLAS_bin_report_DASTool.html.

Assembly statistics for the predicted MAGs such as completeness, redundancy, size, number of contigs, contig N50, length of the longest contig, average GC content, and the number of predicted genes were computed using the lineage workflow from CheckM v.1.1.392. MAGs were designated as near-complete drafts if they had completeness 90%, redundancy <5%, transfer RNA gene sequences for at least 18 unique amino acids, or medium-quality drafts if they had completeness 50% and a redundancy <10%. A summary of the assembly statistics for the predicted MAGs is available at the INRAE data repository: https://doi.org/10.15454/NGBSPC91 as ATLAS_assembly_report.htlm.

Because the same MAG may be identified in multiple samples, dRep v.2.2.293 was used to obtain a non-redundant set of MAGs by clustering genomes to a defined average nucleotide identity (ANI) and returning the representative with the highest dRep score in each cluster. The parameters used were set to ANI=0.95, overlap=0.6, length=5000, completeness=50, contamination=10, and N50=0.5. Only the highest-scoring MAG from each secondary cluster was retained as the winning genome in the dereplicated set. The abundance of each MAG was then quantified across samples by mapping the reads to the non-redundant MAGs using the BBmap suite v.37.9985 (pairlen=100, minid=0.9, mdtag=t, xstag=fs, nmtag=t, sam=1.3, ambiguous=best, secondary=t, saa=f, maxsites=10). The sample-specific median coverage of each MAG was then computed using pileup within BBMap with default parameters.

For the taxonomic annotation, ATLAS predicted the genes of each MAG sequence using Prodigal v.2.6.394 with single-mode and closed-end parameters. The taxonomy of the predicted MAGs was inferred using the genome taxonomy database (GTDB-Tk)43 (v.5.0, release 95 (July 17, 2020)). As such, GTDB-Tk taxonomy names were used throughout this paper. In addition, domain-specific trees incorporating the predicted MAGs were inferred by constructing a maximum-likelihood tree using the de novo workflow in GTDB-Tk v.5.0 with the following parameters: --bacteria | --archaea, min_perc_aa=50, prot_model=WAG. Trees were visualized using ggtree (v.3.0.2) in the R package.

To assess the contribution of the constructed MAGs to the functional potential of the gut microbiome, the predicted gene and proteins extracted by Prodigal during the CheckM pipeline were compared to the EggNOG database 5.0 using eggnog-mapper (v2.0.1). KEGG annotation (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) and CAZymes annotation (Carbohydrate-active Enzyme) were extracted from this output. Since the detection of KOs and CAZymes families is likely influenced by sequencing depth, their relative abundance was normalized to the abundance of the MAG they derived from. Pathways attributed to each KO were annotated from the KEGG database (downloaded 23-October-2021; https://www.genome.jp/brite/ko00001).

The uniqueness of our predicted MAG catalog was confirmed by dereplicating them with the 121 MAGs produced by Gilroy et al.44 and three reported by Youngblut et al.45 using dRep v.3.2.093 with parameters: P_ani=0.9, S_algorithm ANImf, S_ani=0.99, clusterAlg average, cov_thresh=0.1, coverage_method larger. dRep performed pairwise genomic comparisons by sequentially applying an estimation of genome distance and an accurate measure of average nucleotide identity. Visualizing and comparing highly similar genomes were performed using the CGView family of tools (http://wishart.biology.ualberta.ca/cgview/).

The establishment and assessment of the quality and representation of the microbiome gene catalog were performed through the metagenomic ATLAS pipeline (v.2.4.4)84. As described above, we first assembled the clean reads into longer contigs.

Genes were predicted by Prodigal v.2.6.3 and then clustered using linclust95 to generate a non-redundant gene catalog. Redundant genes were removed with linclust using the following parameters: minlength_nt=100, minid=0.95, coverag=0.9, and subsetsize=500,000. The quantification of genes per sample was done through the combine_gene_coverages() function in the ATLAS workflow, which aligned the high-quality clean reads to the gene catalog using the BBmap suite v.37.9985 (minid=0.95, mdtag=t, xstag=fs, nmtag=t, sam=1.3, ambiguous=all, secondary=t, saa=f, maxsites=4). Taxonomic and function annotations were done based on the EggNOG database 5.0 using eggnog-mapper (v.2.0.1) (emapper.pyannotate_hits_table {input.seed}no_file_comments). The eggNOG numbers corresponding to CAZymes based on homology searches to the CAZyme database were retrieved from these. We used the derived eggNOG abundance matrix to obtain a CAZyme profile per sample. Similarly, KEGG annotation was recovered from the EggNOG output. KEGG gene IDs were mapped to KEGG KOs and used to get the KEGG functional pathway hierarchy. Furthermore, using mmseqs2 (v.13.45111) to find genes at a 95% similarity threshold and 80% overlap, we compared our gene catalog with a previously published gene catalog containing ~4 million genes30. The parameters used were the following: easy-search --search-type 3 --min-seq-id 0.95 --cov-mode 0 -c 0.8 --threads 16 --alignment-mode 3 --max-seq-len 100000.

The annotated gene catalog fasta file is deposited at DDBJ/ENA/GenBank Whole Genome Shotgun under the BioProject ID PRJNA438436 and is also available at https://doi.org/10.15454/NGBSPC91 as Genecatalog_with-note.fna.gz. The KO and CAZymes derived from the gene catalog are available in the same INRAE data repository and are in the Genecatalog_KO.tab and Genecatalog_CAZy.tab files, respectively.

The kmer-based kaiju v.1.8.0 (https://github.com/bioinformatics-centre/kaiju)31 approach was used for microbial taxonomic profiling of the trimmed shotgun metagenomes and the microbial gene catalog. The microbial gene catalog fasta, core group genes fasta, and paired reads after quality trimmed and decontamination from the horse genome were used and annotated against the NCBI nr_euk reference database (released on May 25, 2020) containing all proteins belonging to archaea, bacteria, fungi, microbial eukaryotes, and viruses for classification in Greedy run mode with -a greedy -e 3 allowing for maximum three mismatches. By default, Kaiju returned a NA if it could not find a taxonomic classification at certain ranks. The Kaijus tab-separated output files were imported into Krona and converted into HTML files. They are available at https://doi.org/10.15454/NGBSPC)91 under raw-samples.nr_euk.kaiju.html.

To circumvent the problem of false-positive species predictions due to misalignment and contamination, we defined an abundance threshold of 25%, where the top 25% abundant species in at least 50% of the individuals were retained using the filterfun_sample() function in the phyloseq R package. This reduced background noise but kept information on poorly-described species if they were ubiquitously found in the samples. The dominant phylotypes abundance, taxonomy, and the associated metadata are available at https://doi.org/10.15454/NGBSPC as Ecaomic_dominant_phylotypes_nonrariefied.rds.

The high-quality clean paired reads were aligned to the ResFinder database (accessed March 2018, v.4.0) using bowtie2 (v.2.3.5). ResFinder is a manually curated database of horizontally acquired antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes. It contains many genes with numerous highly similar alleles (e.g., -lactamases). To avoid random assignment of read pairs on these high-identity alleles, the database was clustered at 95% of identity level, over 200bp using CDHIT-EST (options -G 0 -A 200 -d 0 -c 0.95 -T 6 -g 1)96 and a reference sequence was attributed to each cluster. Two successive mappings were done: (i) the first mapping with standard parameters (bowtie2 --end-to-end --no-discordant --no-overlap --no-dovetail no-unal) on the complete ResFinder database, and (ii) a second mapping on the clustered database using the reads from the first mapping, with less stringent parameters (bowtie2 --local --score-min L,10,0.8). More than 99% of the reads from the first mapping correctly aligned on a cluster reference sequence in the second mapping.

Counts from the second mapping were normalized by computing the RPKM (reads per kilobase reference per million bacterial reads) value for each ResFinder reference sequence. The RPKM values were calculated by dividing the mapping count on each reference by its gene length and the total number of bacterial read pairs for the samples and multiplying by 109. A minimum of 20 mapped reads was considered to validate the presence of an AMR gene cluster.

The microbiome R package allowed us to study global indicators of the gut ecosystem state, including measures of evenness, dominance, divergences, and abundance. Comparison of the gut -diversity indices between groups was performed by a two-sided Wilcoxon rank-sum test (pairwise comparison). BenjaminiHochberg multiple testing correction p<0.05 was set as the significance threshold for comparison between groups.

To estimate -diversity, BrayCurtis dissimilarity was calculated using the phyloseq R package. All samples were normalized using the rarefy_even_depth() function in the phyloseq R package, which is implemented as an ad hoc means to normalize features resulting from libraries of widely differing sizes. The PerMANOVA test (a non-parametric method of multivariate analysis of variance based on pairwise distances) was implemented using the adonis() function in the vegan R package and the pairwise.Adonis2() function from the pairwiseAdonis (v.0.4) R package tests the global association between ecological or functional community structure and groups. The model was adjusted by factors affecting the microbiome: age, sex, and dietary macronutrient intake.

The core group of genes in the catalog was defined as the genes present in all individuals.

The dominant core microbiome at the genus level was calculated using a detection threshold of 0.1% and a prevalence threshold of 95% in the microbiome R package.

The SParse InversE Covariance Estimation for Ecological Association Inference method (SPIEC-EASI)97 was used to identify sub-populations (modules) of co-abundance and co-exclusion relationships between dominant phylotypes and CAZy classes abundances matrices. Specifically, the method allows microorganisms and functions to interact differently, from bidirectional competition to mutualism or not interacting at all. The statistical method SPIEC-EASI comprises two steps: a transformation for compositionality correction of the feature matrices and estimation of the interaction graph from the transformed data using sparse inverse covariance selection. The sparse graphical modeling framework was constructed using the spiec.easi() function of the SpiecEasi package (v.1.1.1). The features were clustered using the method=mb, lambda.min.ratio=1e5, nlambda=100, pulsar.params=list (thresh=0.001). Regression coefficients from the SPIEC-EASI output were extracted and used as edge weights to generate a feature co-occurrence network R igraph package (v.1.2.6) and Cytoscape (v.3.8.2).

Data integration was carried out using several approaches and different combinations of datasets. Before the integration, we applied some additional pre-processing steps to our exploratory datasets. In particular, to eliminate intra-individual variability and focus on the differential signals between T1 and T0, we considered values (T1T0) for each of these datasets, namely biochemical assay data and metabolome acylcarnitine profiles, and gene expression data. For the transcriptome, we constructed a matrix of log-transformed expression values between T1 and T0 (e.g., the difference in log2-normalized expression between T1 and T0).

The integration of data was then performed using complementary methods and working with different datasets available, namely: (1) values of mitochondrial-related genes; (2) values of 1H NMR metabolites; (3) values of the biochemical assay metabolites; (4) values of plasmatic acylcarnitines; (5) the fecal SCFAs at T0; (6) the bacterial, ciliate protozoa and fungal loads at T0; (7) the dominant gut phylotypes at T0; (8) the CAZymes profiles at T0; (9) the KOs at T0, and the (10) athletic performance data.

As a first integration approach, a global non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) ordination was used to extract and summarize the variation in microbiome composition using the metaMDS() function in the vegan R package. Stress values were calculated to determine the number of dimensions for each NMDS.

The explanatory datasets were then fit to the ordination plots using the envfit() function in the vegan R package98 with 10,000 permutations. Each covariates effect size and significance were determined, and all p-values derived from the envfit() function were adjusted BenjaminiHochberg. Variation partitioning was performed using the varpart() function in vegan in R.

The N-integration algorithm DIABLO of the mixOmics R package (http://mixomics.org/, v6.12.2) was used as a second integrative approach. It is to be noted that, in the case of the N-integration algorithm DIABLO, the variables of all the datasets were also centered and scaled to unit variance before integration. In this case, the relationships among all datasets were studied by adding a different categorical variable, e.g., the cardiovascular fitness of horses. Horses with poor cardiovascular fitness (n=8) were compared to horses with enhanced cardiovascular fitness (n=3). DIABLO seeks to estimate latent components by modeling and maximizing the correlation between pairs of pre-specified datasets to unravel similar functional relationships99. To predict the number of latent components and the number of discriminants, the block.splsda() function was used. The model was first fine-tuned using leave-one-out cross-validation by splitting the data into training and testing. Then, classification error rates were calculated using balanced error rates (BERs) between the predicted latent variables with the centroid of the class labels using the max. dist() function.

Finally, the DESeq2 (v.1.32.0)100 R package was used to test differential abundances analysis between groups for the dominant phylotypes, MAGs, and the genetic functionalities derived from KOs and CAZymes at the basal time. DESeq2 assumes counts can be modeled as a negative binomial distribution with a mean parameter, allowing for size factors and a dispersion parameter. The p-values were adjusted for multiple testing using the BenjaminiHochberg procedure. DESeq2 comparisons were run with the parameters fitType=parametric and sfType=Wald.

The validation set consisted of 22 pure-breed or half-breed Arabian horses (12 females, three males, and seven geldings; age: 9.21.27) not included in the experimental set to ensure that the observed effects were reproducible in a broader context (Supplementary Data20). Five animals were enrolled in a 160km endurance competition among the horses in the validation set, while 17 were in a 120km race. The management practices throughout the endurance ride and the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) compulsory examinations and the weather conditions, terrain difficulty, and altitude were that of the experimental set. All the participants enrolled in the study (experimental and validation set) competed in the same event in October 2015 in Fontainebleau (France). The cardiovascular capacity was created as described in the Performance measurement section as a composite of post-exercise heart rate, cardiac recovery time, and average speed during the race. Then, the HIGH, MEDIUM, and LOW groups were determined according to the interquartile range of the composite cardiovascular fitness values. HIGH included individuals with cardiovascular fitness values above the 75th percentile, LOW below the 25th percentile, and MEDIUM, the individuals ranging in between.

The PerMANOVA test was implemented by using pairwise.Adonis2() function from the pairwiseAdonis R package. The model was adjusted by factors affecting the microbiome: age and sex. The homogeneity of group dispersions (variance) was applied via the betadisp() function of the vegan package to account for the confounding dispersion effect. The one-way ANOVA with Tukeys honest significant differences (HSD) method for pairwise comparisons was performed using the TukeyHSD() function in the stats R package (v.3.6.2).

The PLS-DA was used to identify the key genera responsible for the differences in the groups using the mixOmics101 R package (v. 6.18.1). In addition, as PLS-DA loadings may be misleading with highly correlated variables, the differences in each relative genus abundance between the groups were quantified by DESeq2 R package.

Further information on research design is available in theNature Research Reporting Summary linked to this article.

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A new fitness center is muscling in at the former O2 Fitness building at Mayfaire Town Center.

Shawn Stewart, CEO and owner of Fuel Fitness, is preparing to open a location in the 13,500-square-foot building at 980 Town Center Drive.

For Stewart, who was the COO of O2 fitness from 2015 to 2019 before building his own brand, the Mayfaire gym will mark the fifth Fuel Fitness facility in North Carolina. His sixth will be a facility he plans to build in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

When I saw O2 was vacating that space, I thought it was a perfect opportunity to get into the market with one of my favorite clubs at the time, he said. I thought it was the perfect spot and the perfect opportunity to bring the Fuel Fitness brand to Wilmington.

Stewart said he hopes to open before the end of the year, with tours and pre-selling potentially starting in November. Fuel Fitness at Mayfaire is expected to hire 30 employees, counting full- and part-time members of the team.

When O2 Fitness closed at Mayfaire earlier this year, it had about 1,900 members. Owners said in a previous Greater Wilmington Business Journal story that the Mayfaire closure was part of an overall pivot for the company.

That market is so unique because of where its located and with the amount of residential areas in that one-mile radius, I know theres a lot of people who will be excited about a gym going back into that location, Stewart said. I think we are unique enough and differentiate ourselves not just from O2 but any other health clubs We will be much more of a training facility as well as a full-service health club than I think the competitors in the Wilmington market.

In addition to his stint at O2, Stewart said he previously ran the 30,000-member Gainesville Health & Fitness in Gainesville, Florida.

He said Fuel Fitness at Mayfaire, like his other locations, will feature a large variety of group fitness classes, cardio strength equipment, large turf areas for functional training, cycle studios and kids clubs. A recovery lounge (called the Refuel Lounge) will offer hydro massage, a cryotherapy lounge chair, compression technology theragun stations and more features for pre- and post-exercise recovery, he said.

The gym will also include a HIIT (high-intensity interval training) studio.

We use treadmills, we use bikes, we have rowers, and then we have fit benches, which are individual benches that have your own barbells, kettlebells and attachments for strength and stretching, Stewart said. And we encompass all of that into a progressive HIIT-style training.

Stewart has a 10-year lease at Mayfaire Town Center, and his future plans include adding outdoor training facilities with a variety of uses, from obstacle course race practice, to specific-sport training to community events.

Other than Wilmington and the facility coming to Myrtle Beach, Stewarts other locations are in Mooresville, Charlotte, Durham and Winston-Salem. The Winston-Salem Fuel Fitness is Stewarts flagship, a 30,000-square-foot structure built from scratch, he said.

Fuel Fitness offers different membership levels, from basic to VIP.

Of his membership goals, Stewart said, Id say anywhere from 800 to 1,200 members is a good start.

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Mayfaire Town Center to welcome new gym to former O2 Fitness facility - Greater Wilmington Business Journal

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Women lead extremely busy lives. Whether you have a hectic job, a family to lead or a household to run, healthy eating and exercise can easily slip down the priority list. That's why we spoke to CaroMont Health Wellness Coordinator Amanda Lee and asked for her best tips for prioritizing wellness. Read more about her Three Ws for Busy Women, and how to best prioritize your health and fitness:

Write it Down:

Life can get hectic and we are all busy balancing work, family and our social lives. One way I keep wellness a priority is towrite it down. Mark those calendars! By writing it down, youre more likely to follow through. Make a date with yourself to go to the gym, get a massage or take a long, quiet walk. Whatever you choose should boost your mood and bring you peace. But most importantly, scheduling time for yourself will greatly benefit your overall wellbeing.

Work it Out:

Whether your goal is to lose weight, tone up or just feel better, exercise should be a key ingredient to your wellness recipe. Dont forget that working out means lots of different things, and can be tailored to your comfort level. If lifting weights is intimidating, there are tons of other fitness options available. Im a big advocate of group fitness classes like yoga, Pilates, Zumba and Spin. I also think personal training can help you become more comfortable with a variety of different movements and exercises, and introduce them safely under the guidance of a qualified trainer.

DrinkWater:

Never get too busy to stay hydrated! Hydration is essential to maintaining a healthy body. Drinking enough water improves your mood, helps control caloric intake, energizes your muscles, lubricates your joints and flushes away toxins. Even your skin will benefit from drinking enough water. Women should aim to drink about eight cups of water daily or at least one third of your body weight in ounces. For example, if youre 150lbs, drink 50 ounces of water a day. Set a daily goal and be consistent!

For more health and wellness tips, be sure to follow CaroMont Health on social media:

CaroMont Health on Facebook@CaroMontHealth on Instagram@CaroMontHealth on TwitterCaroMont Health on LinkedIn

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Women's Health and Fitness Day: The Three W's for Your Best Health - CaroMont Health

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Each September, the last Wednesday of the month is recognized as National Womens Health and Fitness Day. Maintaining realistic goals for your health and wellness can help many women better manage their epilepsy. Take this time to prioritize yourself and read more about how wellness and exercise can be worked into your regular routine. Please remember that every womans body is different, and what works for some may not work for everyone. Consult your healthcare provider before making any significant changes to your health and fitness goals.

Women and girls with epilepsy have unique health issues that may be affected by their epilepsy or by treatments used to control seizures. Below are a few important health-related topics that women should consider when discussing health with their physician.

Hormonal changes can impact epilepsy from puberty through menopause. The hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle are the most likely cause of changes in seizure frequency. The brain contains many nerve cells that are directly affected by estrogen and progesterone, the main sex hormones in women. While physicians continue to study the link between hormones and seizure frequency, its important to talk to your doctor about the best way to minimize seizure frequency during certain stages of your menstrual cycle.

When discussing contraception with your healthcare team, its important to note that certain anti-seizure medications can interfere with the effectiveness of hormonal birth control. When talking to your doctor, make sure to discuss all possible contraception options that best fit your needs based on your anti-seizure medication.

For some women, epilepsy can be disabling and can cause many different health problems. Some may have epilepsy along with other disabilities. Women with multiple disabilities may also experience issues with mobility, sensation, pain, thinking or memory, sleep, fatigue, sexuality, and other hormonal problems. Unfortunately, these issues may not be discussed openly. Never be afraid to bring up a health topic that is important to you when speaking with your healthcare team.

When monitoring your health along with your doctor, consider working on a fitness routine. Studies have shown that regular exercise provides physical and emotional benefits for people living with epilepsy.For some women with epilepsy, it can be difficult to find anexercise routine that works for them and feels safe. Below are some suggestions to help you feel comfortable when starting your fitness journey.

Exercising with epilepsy can pose safety risks for some women depending on their seizure frequency. Never begin a new exercise routine without first consulting your doctor. Once its safe to begin exercising, there are additional steps you can take to help avoid injury. Using the buddy system while exercising is a great way to socialize and get moving. Invite your friends or family to go for a light walk, or to try an online yoga tutorial. If you are doing an in-person group activity, make sure to let your instructor know ahead of time that you have epilepsy in case of an emergency. Also consider wearing a medical identification bracelet or necklace with your name, emergency contact information, medication, allergies, and more in case you do have a seizure.

It may be tempting to start a new exercise routine quickly, especially if youre excited about the activity youve chosen. If youre new to exercising, start in short intervals one or two times a week. Once youre more comfortable with your ability, consider increasing the frequency and intensity of your workout. Do not exercise if you have not gotten the appropriate amount of sleep, if you have not eaten well that day, or if you feel that you are too stressed to focus properly on the activity you are doing. Remember, your exercise routine is meant to fit you and your comfort level. If you do not feel that exercise is right for you at any time in your epilepsy journey, talk to your healthcare team and discontinue your activities until you feel well enough to start again.

No matter where you are in life, paying attention to your own health and staying fit is vital to happiness and overall quality of life. We encourage you to connect with other women living with epilepsy to share your own personal wellness goals and make new connections. Together, women in the epilepsy community can improve their wellness one step at a time.

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Health and Fitness for Women with Epilepsy - Epilepsy Foundation

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With roots dating back to 18th-century Russia, the kettlebell is a phenomenal example of fitness equipment. The training possibilities within the cast ring-and-ball profile are seemingly endless, allowing for workouts that target the arms, legs, core and more.

Whether youre embarking on a new fitness discipline or simply adding to your garage gym setup, theres a kettlebell for you. And just like there are different barbells for different uses, not every kettlebell is cast from the same cloth. Here are our picks for the best kettlebells on the market today.

Despite the simple construction, there are a number of perks that come with kettlebell workouts. For one, the unbalanced design and variety of weights available make kettlebells one of the most versatile training tools available. Seriously, you can train for power and strength one day, coordination and mobility the next, all with the same singular kettlebell. The beauty of kettlebell training is that each session can vary enough that one can train every day or six days a week if the load, intensity and length of the workout changes, says Lacee Lazof, certified personal trainer and instructor of Bells Up for the fitness app, NEOU.

Speaking of sessions, kettlebell workouts dont require a lot of space. Many of the moves within kettlebell training can be done in your living room or garage just make sure you have the height clearance for a proper kettlebell swing.

Lastly, because of the dynamic nature of kettlebell training, you can knock out both your cardio and strength workouts in one fell swoop. As you move and utilize multiple muscle groups, your heart rate elevates, bringing in that cardio aspect for a training session thats as efficient as it is effective.

If youre looking to make the most of your kettlebell training, there are two styles to consider: competition-style kettlebells and standard, cast-iron kettlebells. While both are constructed from one piece of metal, competition kettlebells feature a uniform profile, meaning their dimensions dont change with the weights. Standard kettlebells, on the other hand, vary in diameter as the mass increases.

For those looking to partake in kettlebell sport, competition kettlebells can be a great tool. But, if youre just looking for an improved fitness experience, cast-iron kettlebells can be more than capable. Also, because of the squared-handle design, it should be noted that competition kettlebells are not designed for double-handed exercises. So, if your program calls for a lot of dual-handed movements like goblet squats or kettlebell swings, this should also be considered.

Over the course of a few weeks, we put these kettlebells through the wringer of our normal fitness regimen, engaging in a variety of movements to get a true feel for their capabilities. We observed how comfortable each bell felt in the hand as well as the rack position, along with other key factors like grip retention once we started to sweat. Other characteristics, like coatings, window space (how much room you have between bell and handle) and more were examined, all playing pivotal roles in how our rankings came to be.

Editor's Note: The following prices shown represent kettlebells weighing 16 kg or 35 lbs (one of the most common kettlebell weights). Prices will vary depending on weight.

BEST OVERALL KETTLEBELL

Kettlebell Kings Powder Coat Kettlebells

$114.98

A favorite of Lazofs, Kettlebell Kings make some of the highest quality kettlebells out there. The set-weight, powder-coated lineup lives up to the crown, offering weights ranging from 9203 pounds. The updated powder coat provides plenty of grip and felt more than comfortable in training we didnt feel the need to chalk up for added control. Plus, we never ran the risk of grabbing the wrong weight, thanks to the painted identification bands at the handle and the clear, legible stamp on the side. And while we never felt the structural integrity was lacking, Kettlebell Kings still stands behind its product, offering a lifetime warranty, which helps offset the more expensive cost.

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BEST UPGRADE KETTLEBELL

Onnit Primal Kettlebells

If you want a kettlebell with personality, then Onnit is the clear winner here. Taking inspiration from some of natures strongest primates, each kettlebell weight is molded after one of five specific species, from the lightest Howler at 18 lbs. all the way up to the gargantuan, 90-lb. Bigfoot. Aesthetics aside, these kettlebells are balanced exceptionally well and allow for improved grip strength training thanks to a larger, thicker handle. Be mindful, though, of how you rack these bells, as the primate faces, while fierce and motivating, can be a little uncomfortable on the forearms. Regardless, theres no denying that Onnit Primal Kettlebells are a wild addition to any training routine.

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BEST BUDGET KETTLEBELL

Rep Fitness Matte Kettlebells

Just looking for a simple kettlebell with easy-to-read weights and durable construction? Rep Fitness answers the call with its matte lineup of quality fitness gear. Stamped with both kilograms and poundage, Rep Fitness Kettlebells are available in a variety of weights from 2.2106 lbs. The gravity cast construction helps create a durable, precise profile thats built to withstand the trials and tribulations of serious training as well. We enjoyed the minimalist, utilitarian profile of these matte kettlebells but did need to chalk up more often to retain proper grip. This could be due to the handles coating, which doesnt feel as tacky as the powder coat used on the bell itself.

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BEST LOOKING KETTLEBELL

Gymreapers Kettlebells

Attitude is everything when it comes to training if youre not in the right mindset, youre probably less inclined to perform well. These powder-coated bells from Gymreapers bring the attitude to you, showcasing a well-stamped skull on the face of the bell to give every exercise the intensity it deserves. We liked how easy it was to grip the powder-coated handle, having a perfect blend of smoothness and grit. The coating was also great at holding chalk when training demanded the extra grip security. However, we do recommend being cautious when gripping for goblet squats. The painted identification band is below the powder coat, so there is a raised edge where the two meet that can be a little abrasive on the palms and fingers.

Rogue

BEST KETTLEBELL FOR HOME GYM USE

Rogue Fitness Rubber Coated Kettlebells

Rubber-coated kettlebells can be a lifesaver when it comes to preserving your floors and the durability of your equipment. Rogue Fitness Rubber Coated Kettlebells offer that and more in a premium, well-built profile. Manufactured using first-run iron ore as opposed to scrap iron, the bell is encapsulated in a urethane coating to help protect against wear and tear. The handle features a grippy powder coating for maximum control throughout your workout, allowing for unmatched security in single and dual-handed modalities. Ranging from 2670 lbs., each Rogue Rubber Coated Kettlebell features a colored band at the base of the handle to help you easily identify the weight without hesitation, too. While we wish the weight range was a little more expansive, these are definitely worth considering if youre looking to build out your home gym setup.

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BEST COMPETITION KETTLEBELL

Eleiko Competition Kettlebells

Theres a reason Eleiko products are trusted by some of the leading federations in competitive fitness, including the International Weightlifting and International Powerlifting Federations. The precise calibration and attention to detail is not lost in the brands Competition Kettlebells, either. Featuring a high-grade iron and molded construction for exceptional durability, these bells are great for those interested in kettlebell sport. The smooth, stainless steel handle lacks a coating but doesnt falter in grip. We felt secure and locked in during all our training movements, from snatches and cleans to overhead presses. But, as with most Eleiko products, this premium quality does come with a premium price, which can deter some users.

Kettlebell Kings

BEST ADJUSTABLE KETTLEBELL

Kettlebell Kings 10 to 40 lb. Adjustable Kettlebell

Want to have the benefits of multiple kettlebells in a single silhouette? This adjustable kettlebell from Kettlebell Kings is one of the best. We hold this bell in high regard, placing it at the top of our best adjustable kettlebells list and even ranking it within our recent Summer Gear Awards. With a simple pull-and-slide system to add and subtract plates, this adjustable kettlebell packs seven options in one with weights ranging from 10 to 40 pounds in five-pound increments. No matter the configuration, this kettlebell retains its balance and can be great for those tight on space or funds for a full rack of kettlebells.

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BEST SAND KETTLEBELL

GORUCK Sand Kettlebells

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Start a New Workout Routine with the Best Kettlebells - Gear Patrol

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Fitbit Sense 2

MSRP $300.00

Pros

Cons

When I think of fitness trackers, I immediately think of Fitbit. This is a brand that has become synonymous with step counting and general fitness statistics gathering, but Fitbit makes devices that are more than mere data harvesters. The Fitbit Sense 2 is a full-blown smartwatch, offering many of the features you look for in a wrist-mounted smart device. Given Fitbits established prowess at building great fitness tracking devices, its safe to assume that the Sense 2 will perform well in that regard, but can it also be a great smartwatch at the same time?

The Sense 2 has a distinctly high-end look and feel. Its a visibly classy smartwatch, particularly with the optional Brother Velles leather band. I tested the soft gold aluminum-colored Sense 2, but its also available in platinum aluminum and graphite aluminum colors, alongside a wide array of optional band colors and materials.

Im very sensitive to watches, and coming from the ultra-light and exceptionally comfortable Fitbit Inspire 3, I wasnt looking forward to using a larger device on my wrist. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Sense 2 is quite comfortable to wear. Both the infinity bands I tested and the Brother Velles leather band were great, and while I found the leather band to be slightly more comfortable, the infinity band that ships with the Sense 2 feels good, too, and I love the innovative clasp system.

The process of attaching and detaching watch bands is the best of any Fitbit system Ive used. The locking mechanism is easy to detach, but also very secure. If you like to swap out bands for different scenarios and styles, the Sense 2 is ideal.

While initial setup was a breeze, getting all the features of the Sense 2 up and running took a bit of work. You have to go through and grant a lot of permissions before the watch will be fully functional. While it was kind of a headache to diagnose why certain things werent working and dig through the app to activate them properly, I do appreciate that this process enables a greater degree of user knowledge of data collection by the Sense 2.

The Fitbit Sense 2 is rated to last over six days on a single charge, and based on my time wearing the device, I believe this figure to be accurate. Its roughly what youd expect from the original Fitbit Sense, though keep in mind that it will vary based on how you use the device. Its not quite up there with the incredible battery life of the Inspire 3, but its more than acceptable, considering how much more powerful the Sense 2 is than the Inspire 3. Just 12 minutes of fast charging will get you an entire 24 hours worth of juice.

The Sense 2 features a really gorgeous display, with deep blacks and vibrant colors, and is bright enough to use in harsh daylight conditions. Its easy to read at a glance, and the numerous available watch faces look great.

Touchscreen responsiveness in the Sense 2 is extremely good, without any noticeable lag or touch recognition issues. Navigating menus is slick and intuitive, as is the operation of the newly redesigned physical button. Motion detection to wake up the display also works reliably.

Call audio is functional, but not great compared to the speakers and microphone on my Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, or my Samsung Galaxy Buds 2. I found that I had to hold the watch close to my face to maintain reasonable microphone quality, and the output from the built-in speaker is rather crackly. Its there if you need it though, and its a nice feature to have.

In terms of durability and water resistance, the Sense 2 is remarkably tough. Its water resistant down to 164 feet underwater and is rated to operate between -14 and 113 degrees Fahrenheit. I wore the Sense 2 on a particularly rugged off-trail route finding adventure, exploring, and documenting a remote ancient forest. This involved descending and ascending cliffs, crawling through thickets of devils club, and a dunk in a waterfall. The watch came through without a scratch.

The many fitness sensors of the Sense 2 performed admirably. My impression is that this watch is even more accurate than the Inspire 3, which I praised for the accuracy of its sensors. This device harvests an impressive amount of data to help monitor your health with.

Like other Fitbit devices, the Sense 2 tracks your steps and heart rate, but its sensor array goes much farther than that. The Sense 2 includes a unique Body Response sensor designed to detect and manage stress. This sensor tracks ElectroDermal activity, heart rate, heart rate variability, and skin temperature. By using this data, the Sense 2 is meant to help you be more aware of what causes you stress and thereby reduce it over time.

This device harvests an impressive amount of data with which to help monitor your health.

The Sense 2 can also help detect atrial fibrillation using an electrocardiogram app, and is even capable of measuring blood oxygen levels. While none of this is intended for serious medical use, the wide range of sensors, combined with powerful analytic software, enables the Sense 2 to be a valuable companion for keeping track of both your fitness and overall health. The more you engage with it, such as logging your food and water consumption and participation in various activities, the more effective it is.

A number of features werent available at the time of testing, such as Google Maps and Google Pay integration. Fitbit Pay and Amazon Alexa are already available, as is the ability to see and respond to notifications from your phone. It needs to be noted that the ability to respond to notifications and texts is only available on Android.

The Fitbit app is an essential companion to the Sense 2, and its great both for adjusting settings and permissions, as well as monitoring the many stats harvested from the watch. A Fitbit Premium subscription ($10 per month, or $80 per year) gets you access to a host of extra features, including a daily readiness score, sleep profile, and wellness report, among many other advantages. The Sense 2 includes a six-month Fitbit Premium subscription.

Available now at $300, the Sense 2 isnt cheap, but its design and extensive feature set justify that cost. If youre looking for a less expensive fitness tracker, the Fitbit Inspire 3 is a fantastic option at a third of the price of the Sense 2, albeit at the cost of many of the bells and whistles found in the Sense 2.

The Fitbit Sense 2 is packed to bursting with useful features, all wrapped up in a beautiful and comfortable package. The ability to track a wide variety of metrics gathered from its myriad sensors, all processed into understandable information by its advanced software is highly compelling. If youre looking for the best fitness and health-focused smartwatch, this is the one to buy.

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Fitbit Sense 2 review: A smart way to focus on fitness - Digital Trends

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Parenting can be a tricky thing. While some learn with the way we tell them, some like to watch their parents do it and then learn. Gul Panags son Nihal is one of the kids who watches, observes and them learns. Gul Panag, who is a fitness enthusiast with many activities to her name, loves to include her son in her fitness expeditions as well. The actor loves her fitness routines with her son be it having a morning run behind Nihals tricycle or going for a cycling expedition in Ladakh. The actor is a strict follower of her own fitness routine and keeps sharing snippets from her fitness journey on her Instagram profile in order to motivate her fans to take up the same. Gul swears by high intensity workouts, cycling and yoga, and is often seen merging them to create a power-packed routine for herself to burn mega calories and stay in shape.

ALSO READ: Spirits high: Inside Gul Panags cycling expedition to Ladakh

Gul, a day back, shared a set of pictures from her weekend fitness routine and that is giving us all the fitness inspo we need to get on our fitness journey right away, and also include our kids, while at it. The actor, in the pictures, can be seen positioned in the Wheel Pose, with little Nihal practising the same beside his mother. With the lush greenery in the backdrop, the mother-son duo can be seen taking on their workout routine in the lap of nature. In the second picture from the set, Nihal can be seen inspecting his mamas yoga routine while being under her back. They do as you do. Not as you say, Gul shared a parenting hack with her Instagram family with the pictures.

The Wheel Pose, also known as Chakrasana, comes with multiple health benefits. It helps in strengthening the arms, legs, spine, and abdomen. It also helps in stretching the shoulders and the core muscles. Regular practice of Chakrasana also helps in opening the chest and increasing flexibility in the spine.

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Joining todays particularly notable price drop on its Luna cloud controller, Amazon just knocked its Halo fitness bands down to some of the best prices we have tracked. You can now score the Halo Band and Halo View fitness tracker wearables at $39.99 and $45.99 shipped, respectively, both of which in multiple colors. Regularly $70 and $80 these days, todays deals are the lowest price around at up to 44% off the going rates. This is also matching the lowest we have tracked, bring both sets back down to the summer Prime Day pricing. Delivering connected fitness tracker experiences, the main difference here is the color display on the View model and the swim-ready design on the standard Band option. Youll find step, heart rate, and sleep tracking, and while they do deliver a standalone monitoring experience, the full feature set requires a subscription service. It comes free for the first 6 months before automatically renewing at $3.99 per month thereafter. If the added benefits of the subscription features dont interest you after the first half year, be sure to cancel it before the paid service starts via your Amazon account. More details below.

A more affordable, subscription-free alternative to consider is the Amazfit Band 5 Activity Fitness Tracker. It currently sells for $30 shipped on Amazon in various colorways and be sure to dive into our launch coverage for a deeper dive on the feature set.

Just be sure to scope out the deal we spotted on Skagens latest Gen 6 Wear OS Smartwatch for a more versatile fitness tracking wearable experience.

But while we are talking Amazon gear, be sure to hit up our coverage of all the new gear it unveiled earlier this week. New Echo speakers, networking gear, Astrobot updates, the Kindle Scribe and stylus combo, plus much more are on display. Dive in right here for all the details.

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Amazons Halo Band and View fitness trackers are back at Prime Day pricing from $40 shipped - 9to5Toys

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