STYR Labs review: Wearable creates custom nutrition plan using your fitness tracker data
When I first heard about the STYR Labs platform, I was immediately intrigued. Combining a fitness tracker, wireless scale and app, the platform recommends multivitamin and protein doses tailored to your body and goals. Included in their starter pack is an activity tracker and a wireless scale, and you can choose between the multivitamin ($68) or protein blend ($78) kit.
The activity tracker is as basic as it gets. It’s a bit smaller than a thumb drive, and you can easily pop the tracker out and wear it on your wrist or with a belt clip—I generally prefer wearing a traditional watch, so the option to use a belt clip was something that I wholly appreciated. There’s nothing fancy about the device, and if all you need to do is track the absolute basics, this tracker should suffice. It can track steps, how long you’ve been active, distance traveled and calories burned. However, it lacks the type of basic functions that you would expect from most trackers these days. The ability to use GPS, monitor your heart rate and track your sleep are all absent here. Also, if you want to log any activities, you must manually do that in the app.
Athletes can now track hemoglobin and pulse rate levels without getting bloodwork
You tap the screen on the tracker to wake it up, and you tap again to cycle through the different stats. As I said before, the tracker is very basic—don’t expect any fancy bells or whistles here. The display is definitely on the lower end of the spectrum, but it works well enough in most situations except when you’re in direct sunlight. The tracker does have phenomenal battery life, and it is easily the best of any tracker that I’ve ever used (and I’ve used a lot). STYR claims that it can go two weeks before needing a charge, and that seems to be in line with my experiences.
The wireless scale is beautifully designed, and from my time using it, it was pretty accurate in terms of reading your weight. It also gives readings for body fat percentage, bone mass and water content. However, I’ve always been skeptical when it comes to the accuracy of such readings through electronic scales, and STYR’s scale does nothing to convince me otherwise.
The app that ties everything together is well designed and intuitive to use. It seamlessly connects to the tracker and scale, and if you prefer to use your own device, you can just as easily have it connect to, say, your Fitbit account. While setting up the app, it has you fill out a short questionnaire in order to customize your multivitamin or protein packs. It asks you questions such as when you would take your protein, if you’re looking for muscle gains or endurance improvements, if you’re a vegetarian and your favorite flavor. The app also has detailed explanations and breakdowns for everything they recommend you, so you know exactly what you’ll be putting into your body.
Best running and workout accessories for your new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 plus
Unfortunately, the multivitamin blends are, frankly, hard to digest. I could not imagine ever ordering these again simply based on the taste. STYR desperately needs to do something about the flavor. For $68, you get 30 customized multivitamin supplement packs. If you can stomach the taste (and the cost), this could be a perfect fit for the health conscious out there.
Fortunately, the protein blends taste great. You can choose between a number of options, which include flavors like chocolate banana, french vanilla, cinnamon bun and strawberry sorbet. A one pound bag of STYR’s protein goes for $28, which is extremely expensive. If you’re patient, you can find some of the best protein on the market for far less. While that protein won’t be specifically catered to you, I believe that it can be equally as effective. You’re much better off buying protein in bulk, as it’ll save you a considerable amount of money.
Fitbit Charge 2 review: Putting the new fitness tracker to the test
STYR smartly prices each of their starters kits at an affordable price, but that bargain price doesn’t account for the expensive multivitamin or protein blends that they try to sell you. You get an activity tracker and a wireless scale for less than half the price of the most popular activity trackers currently on the market, and if you’re just looking at STYR’s tracker and scale as an entry-level option, it’s a great deal. In a sea full of fitness trackers, STYR Labs strives to offer something different. Yes, there is a tracker included in both of their starter packers, but you’re really buying into their ecosystem. If you’ve got the money (and the stomach to drink the multivitamin packs), this may be the right fit for you.
