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In simpler times, maintaining good health was a matter of joining a gym or lacing up running shoes for a loop in the park. At most, you'd buy a watch with a digital display so you could time your laps.

These days, a range of gadgets can help boost your workouts. And I'm not talking about iPods that distract you as you lift weights or sprint to nowhere on a treadmill. Technology can now track your exercise progress, count calories and more.

What's new: An update to the Forerunner 305, the 310XT is waterproof to about 165 feet. But GPS signals don't travel well in water, so don't expect good distance readings while swimming — and forget scuba diving.

What's the same: Like its predecessor, the 310XT offers a "multisport" mode. Press a button as you move from event to event in a triathlon. Afterward, review times and pace calculations for each event and transitions. Unfortunately, this model shares a major limitation with all GPS gadgets: They don't work indoors, and tall buildings can distort signals from the satellites.

What else: If the gift recipient is primarily a runner, check out the Forerunner 405CX ($370), an update to last year's 405. Unlike other models, whose four-sided designs don't win fashion points, the 405 series resemble regular watches.