In my journey to getting fit, I realized that I would benefit from having two things… a heart rate monitor and a pedometer.  A heart rate monitor to ensure that I was reaching and staying in target zone while working out, and a pedometer to ensure that I was getting in at least 10,000 steps a day.  I was extremely happy, then, when I received the opportunity to review the new MIO Motion Watch.

MIO Motion Features

• On demand, ECG accurate heart rate without a chest strap
• Multi-function activity monitor uses accelerometer technology to accurately count steps, estimate speed and distance traveled as well as calories burned.
• Percentage of maximum heart rate
• Get results faster with the MIO 3500 Calorie Club program
• Programmable target heart rate zones with upper and lower heart rate zones
• Resting heart rate: measures and displays your resting heart rate
• Exercise timers
• Water resistant up to 50 M
• 2 level pedometer sensitivity
• User accessible battery hatch
• Compact design for those with smaller wrists

The MIO Motion Watch integrates biometric technology into a sports and wellness watch, enabling you to monitor your heart rate by simply touching part of the stainless steel sensor that surrounds the face of the watch.  Easy peasy.

The MIO Motion Watch is extremely user friendly.  I am not a tech geek and typically have to ask my husband for help with all things technology.  I was able to set this watch on my own without asking for help.  Small victory, but victory nonetheless!  I set the target heart rate using the manual and entered my date of birth, gender, stride length, and weight.  It then calculates the target zone for you, or you can manually set a target zone.  If you set the zone using your weight, you need to make sure you remember to adjust your weight as necessary in the watch settings, to ensure target zone accuracy.

The watch has a backlight feature, where you can light up the screen for 4-5 seconds with the touch of a button, to check the time. The backlight does not last long enough to check your heart rate with the on demand sensor, unless you keep the light button pressed down.  The backlight came in handy when I had the basement lights shut off so the kids could watch a movie while I exercised.  You can also use the watch to calculate your average heart rate while exercising.  To do so, the pedometer must be turned on, and you will need to assess your heart rate a few times during your workout, using the touch sensor, for it to calculate the average.

I chose to get the MIO Motion, rather than the MIO Motion +, because my wrist size was right on the line for the strap size, as the Motion is sized for those with wrists smaller than 6 3/4 inches.  The Motion + offers the same exact functionalities but made for those with wrists larger than 6 3/4 inches.  My wrist was exactly 6 3/4 inches, so I kind of went back and forth on which one to get, but ended up getting the smaller one in hopes that my wrist would get smaller as the rest of me does.  I can wear it comfortably fastened at the third hole in the watch strap, and loosely at the second hole.

I loved having the on demand heart rate monitoring with the watch.  However, I would have liked for the MIO Motion to come with an optional chest strap for continuous monitoring.  You can achieve continuous monitoring with the watch as is, if you keep your fingers on the sensor continuously.  I found that the calorie count and mileage calculated were accurate for actual walks/runs around town, but did not calculate the elliptical as acurately, judging from what was on the display of my elliptical, and I presume that is because the elliptical is not a true step. 

To conserve battery, the step counter on the watch shuts off after fifteen minutes of inactivity.  Which is great for the watch battery, but if you forget to turn it back on, say after a twenty minute drive to the grocery store, all of the steps you take in the grocery store are not counted.  I wish the step counter would somehow magically turn back on when activity resumes.

The stainless steel sensor developed a patina after using it for a while.  While the patina is pretty, I liked it when it was all shiny silver in color, too.

Overall, I do like the watch and would purchase it or recommend it to a friend.

You can shop for all MIO products at http://mioglobal.com.  You can also get the MIO Motion Watch and MIO Motion + Watch on Amazon.