Apple’s Activity app (a.k.a. the Fitness app) is deeply integrated into the Apple ecosystem, capable of storing tons of helpful data for you, your trainer, and your doctor.The fitness apppairs especially well with an Apple Watch. The latest models have extensive sensors to keep track of your heart rate, steps counted, and the oxygen in your blood. Tracking your numbers can help you get your resting heart rate down, get your cardio heart rate up, and increase your calories burned, among other smartwatch-oriented goals.
There’s a small catch. To make sure the Apple Watch gives you the best data and tracks your progression, you’ll set specific fitness goals for how active you are each day. The Activity App manages those goals, so it’s important to be comfortable adjusting your fitness benchmarksvia the Apple Watch (even on Android)as you continue to improve. Here’s how to do it.
If you have one of thebest Android smartwatches, useGoogle Fit to track your fitness goalsand stay active.
How to switch goals in your Apple Watch
Before you begin, make sure your WatchOS is fully updated and uses the latest version available to your Apple Watch Series model (currently Apple Watch Series 10 in 2023). This ensures you have access to the latest tracking features and UI so that everything looks its best. Some features may be limited or unavailable if you have an Apple Watch that’s a few models older than Series 10. These features appeared with the Apple Watch Series 3, so most users should be good to go.
When everything’s up-to-date, log in to your Apple Watch and open theActivity app. Your home screen may look different depending on the settings you choose and the apps you frequently use. Identify the Activity app by its set of three colorful rings. When the app opens, swipe up to access settings. SelectChange Goals.
Apple takes you through the three “rings” of exercise that the app’s icon symbolizes. Each governs a different kind of activity, and you need to go through them one by one.
First is the Move ring, which stands for the number of active calories you burned for the day, the calories lost from moving around, working, or generally being active. Here, set the number of active calories you want to burn each day with the plus or minus signs and selectNext. Remember, calories burned like this are only a part of the story. It’s also important to create a healthy diet designed for progressive weight loss if this is an important goal for you.
Next is the yellow Exercise ring. This shows what the Apple Watch detects as brisk activity via its sensors: moderate to vigorous exercise. It’s limited and doesn’t know if you are jogging, doing HIIT intervals, or something else (the Workout app is better for that). However, as long as you let your Apple Watch arm move freely, it starts tracking when you are jogging, running, or walking speedily to get your heart rate up. Set the number of minutes you want to work out this way (Apple suggests no less than 30) and selectNext.
The third ring is the bluish-teal Stand. Here, the Apple Watch detects and shows how long you have been standing and actively moving around for at least a minute. Standing in the Activity app isn’t about burning calories or getting fit. It’s about regularly standing for a few minutes an hour, which is important in sedentary jobs where sitting a lot can increase cholesterol, blood pressure, and more. Apple recommends standing like this at least once an hour for 12 hours a day. Adjust your hours, and selectOK.
Your Apple Watch lets you know when you’ve reached one of your goals and congratulates you for reaching all of them in a day. you’re able to adjust them again as needed, look at goals over time, and even join competitions.
How to set workout reminders for an extra edge
If you are serious about your activity levels and meeting those goals you set, turn on workout reminders. This only takes a few minutes of setup on the Apple Watch. Here’s what to do:
Extra tips for managing the Activity app
These tips will help you optimize your performance beyond the three major goals:
Now you’re ready to hit those goals
The Activity app is ready to keep you updated on meeting basic daily movement goals and help you start burning calories. With the tips on notifications we provided, you can choose how informative the app is, but it’s a good feeling to see the “all goals completed” notification pop up.
