Running on empty...

Fitness is cool. And it's not only about pumping iron or playing squash - it's also about hitting the streets as a runner.

The world of tech has been paying attention because over the past two years or so, gadgets and apps that track your fitness levels have been popping up - it's like having a personal trainer on the go.

In a recent article, PC Mag writes: "The devices on the market today are highly evolved cousins of pedometers from yesteryear. They're much smarter, more accurate, and do a whole lot more than measure how much you walk."

Leading the pack is Nike, the same brand that made running the cool kids' activity of choice, especially in Johannesburg, where their running club members take to the streets during peak traffic. I too, am one of these ''cool" people.

One of their most popular products is the FuelBand, which is worn on the wrist and displays different colours according to how much (or little) physical activity the wearer has been doing.

If you don't have the cash to spend on a FuelBand, you can get the Nike Running app. At the end of your workout, a famous person's voice (usually Ellie Goulding, in my case) will congratulate you for a great run. Beware, though, the Nike Running app never agrees with the treadmill - for instance, the treadmill will claim you've been running 2.1km while the Running app will have you at 2.3km. If, like me, you're a bit lazy, then go with the app's numbers.

I recently tried a new wireless activity tracker, the Fitbit Zip (which is part of a family of Fitbit products). It's good for keeping track of your day-to-day physical activity that's not part of an active workout.

It monitors how many steps you've taken (the aim is 10000), the distance covered, calories burned and even how much water you've ingested. It comes with a rubber clip to hook onto your jeans, shirt pocket or bra.

Because of its portability, you barely know you're wearing it so you can go about your daily activities.

Another great thing about the Fitbit Zip isyou can sync its data to your smartphone or computer wirelessly so you will always know whether you're becoming more active or lazier, thanks to the app.

The downside? The Fitbit Zip is kind of ugly and when I Instagrammed a picture of it, a lot of people commented that it looked like a Tamagotchi (remember those Japanese digital pets in the late 1990s?).

According to PC World, the ''fit tech industry expects to see more than 300 million body sensors in use by 2016" so clearly fitness gadgets are the way to go.

While they are a great way of keeping track of your fitness levels, they're still not going to help you get fit. But they are a good way to start.

The Fitbit Zip is available from the iStore for R899