5 fitness gadgets to help improve your health

Maintaining fitness and health is a constant struggle, with a lazy morning in bed often much more alluring than a sweaty gym session. As such, anything which might help encourage you and keep you on track can make a significant difference.

Here are five fitness gadgets that may help set you up for success in reaching your health goals.

1. WalkingPad C2 foldable walking treadmill

Incorporating enough movement into your day can be difficult when you work a desk job. As such, many health-conscious employees who work from home have turned to walking pads, grinding out their daily steps during their daily grind.

The WalkingPad C2 foldable treadmill is a good option to consider for this purpose, especially for anyone working with limited space. Its ability to fold in half means it can be neatly tucked away when not in use — albeit only under furniture that is significantly elevated off the ground. The walking pad measures over five inches (13 centimetres) thick when folded, so storing it under a table may be more realistic than sliding it under a couch. Wherever you position it, the C2’s foldable design means it won’t have a large footprint of your living space. It also has a set of wheels on one end, so you can move it in front of your TV while you binge The Bachelor.

With a top speed of six kilometres per hour, the WalkingPad C2 comes with a handy three-button remote control for adjusting the pace. It also has an auto mode which ostensibly detects your speed and adjusts accordingly, though Mashable’s testing found it felt precarious and accelerated too quickly (which is particularly dangerous considering the C2 has no handlebars). Even so, manual mode is all you really need, and is enjoyable and easy to use. Combined with its ability to fold for storage, the WalkingPad C2 is a tempting choice for apartment dwellers.

2. Xenjoy Cube Cycle

While walking pads are a popular option for exercising at your desk, the movement involved can make it difficult to use a mouse at the same time. They’re also often louder than ideal if you were simply hoping to watch Netflix to distract you from your cardio.

The Xenjoy Cube Cycle is a compact under-desk exercise bike that addresses both these issues, running practically silently while also allowing for more stability in your upper body. With eight resistance settings, it can be adjusted according to whether you want a quick burst of exercise or a long, gentle session, and has a simple digital speed and distance counter to track your workout. 

In addition to its relatively unobtrusive size, the Xenjoy Cube Cycle’s wood-look panelling makes it notably more aesthetically pleasing than other exercise equipment. The underside of its synthetic leather seat is roughly stapled in, which considerably detracts from the luxury feel Xenjoy is aiming for, but fortunately you don’t usually see this unless you’re moving the Cube Cycle. The bike can be easily relocated by tipping it onto its front wheels and rolling it into place, and doesn’t need to be plugged in as its digital counter runs on AAA batteries.

If you’re after a hardcore workout, the Xenjoy Cube Cycle may not be for you. But if you just want to get a little extra movement into your day, don’t want a large machine clogging up your home, and are concerned about aesthetics, this may be one to consider.

3. Withings Body Scan smart scale

One of the keys to good health is consistency. Even so, it’s easy to give up when the mirror doesn’t seem to be reflecting any impact from your regular workouts. 

Withings’ Body Scan smart scale helps address this challenge by measuring your body composition as well as your weight, showing you the progress that may otherwise be hard to see. Using handheld electrodes, the Body Scan utilises bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) to determine your percentage of fat and muscle. This means that even if your weight seems stagnant, you can take heart in knowing that your hard work is still paying off in fat loss and muscle gains.

According to Withings, the Body Scan’s handheld electrodes make it more accurate than the Body Comp smart scales, which measure body composition using the user’s feet. Even so, either set of scales is suitable if you want to track trends in your muscle and fat percentage, which will be the most important data for many users. After all, fitness is a journey, not a destination.

4. R.A.D One V2 gym shoe

Specialised gym shoes aren’t technically a workout necessity. Countless people exercise in ratty old trainers every day. Even so, thoughtfully selected footwear can make exercise more comfortable, as well as lower your risk of injury. As such, the R.A.D One V2 shoe is worth your consideration if you’re looking to upgrade your gym gear.

Designed specifically for the gym, the R.A.D One V2 has a wide toe box for stability when lifting yet still fits snugly around the heel, offering a secure fit even for those with broader feet. It also has a noticeably grippy sole, ensuring your feet aren’t shifting as you strain yourself under your weights. Such grip makes the R.A.D One V2 particularly suited for activities such as CrossFit, though it’s also a decent gym all-rounder.

The R.A.D One V2’s aesthetics may not be for everyone, with a contrasting coloured wave pattern along the sides of the shoe. However, choosing a colourway in which the wave is the same colour as the shoe makes this much less ostentatious.

5. Samsung Galaxy Watch 8

Fitness trackers have become ubiquitous gadgets for anyone interested in monitoring their health. Most measure data such as your heart rate and the number of steps you take per day, as well as track your exercise and sleep. 

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 does all this, but takes it a step further (no pun intended) by introducing an antioxidant index. This intriguing new feature measures users’ carotenoids, which are pigments found in plants. Simply press your thumb to the back of the Watch 8, and its light-activated sensor will detect carotenoids in your skin, offering an indication of whether you’re getting enough fruits and vegetables in your diet. (Spoiler alert: you probably aren’t.)

Skin carotenoids have a high correlation to carotenoids in blood, which is widely used as an indicator of a person’s vegetable intake level. Carotenoids’ strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects play an important part in slowing aging, as well as cancer and chronic diseases, so you’re definitely going to want to make sure you’re keeping those levels up.

Though diet is a crucial piece of the health puzzle, it’s difficult for fitness trackers to gauge. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8’s antioxidant index offers a handy reminder to add more veggies to your plate, and might help make you more mindful of what you eat.

UPDATE: May. 25, 2026, 1:46 p.m. AEST This article was originally published August 2025, and has since been updated in May 2026.

​Mashable