Incorporating Tools for Health

Part of my strategy for maintaining my health focus involves using specific tools. One app I occasionally use is Calory, which assists me in tracking my daily calorie intake and provides quick nutritional information when needed.

My primary tool, however, remains my Apple Watch. The Activity Rings on my watch serve as a daily reminder of my physical activity levels and help me gauge my progress.

Many users take pride in achieving badges for maintaining a Perfect Week, Month, or Year by consistently closing all their rings. Since acquiring my first Apple Watch equipped with Activity Rings, I've found it frustratingly hard to attain this goal. Every time I remove my Watch to charge it, I’m often disheartened to see that my rings, apart from the Standing Goal, are barely halfway filled.

While I have always enjoyed jogging and long-distance running, my current fitness level and weight make it more challenging to sustain long runs. Yet, the idea of covering distances remains appealing, especially with my favorite music, podcasts, or audiobooks to keep me entertained. Audiobooks not only provide entertainment but also motivate me to push through so I can keep listening.

The Challenge of Jogging with the Apple Watch

The downside of jogging with the Apple Watch is that it doesn’t always register a high calorie burn, depending on the duration. For instance, after a recent 2.83-mile run that took about 40 minutes, my watch recorded a burn of 545 calories, with only 445 being active calories. While this isn’t a bad burn, it’s still less than my goal of 800 calories for the Move Ring.

To compensate, I often follow up my run with a Fitness+ workout to meet my Move Ring target. There have been many days where I’ve taken walks during work breaks or completed a short jog, yet I still end up with calories left to burn when I take off my watch for the night.

In the past, I would jog around my house multiple times or do quick workouts to elevate my heart rate and close my rings. Now, I often place my watch on the charger and let it go. While I feel a sense of annoyance at finishing the day “incomplete,” I often lack the motivation to change that.

Adapting My Move Goal

Apple has recently allowed for adjustments to the Move Goal, and I’ve modified it several times to suit my needs. However, constantly changing this goal just to close my rings feels more like a chore than a meaningful achievement. On days when I’m less active but want to maintain my streak, I could lower my Move Goal significantly, but that feels like gaming the system. Why should I feel the need to manipulate my goals just to stay on track?

Thus, I’ve come to terms with my mixed feelings about the Activity Rings. There are days when I excel, surpassing my Move and Exercise targets, while other days I struggle to even close my Move Ring. The days I see minimal movement on my Activity Rings tend to coincide with times when I use my Apple Watch more as a timepiece and notification device. I’ve learned to focus on my daily activities rather than fixate on fitness metrics. When I’m caught up in work, home chores, or personal tasks that don’t involve physical activity, I recognize that my watch is simply serving its function as a smartwatch.

The Joy of Closing the Rings

When I do manage to close all my rings, it still brings me a sense of exhilaration. Whether it’s finishing a challenging workout or spending a long day doing yard work with my wife, seeing the animation on my watch that signifies I’ve “Completed All 3 Rings” is a reminder of why I appreciate the Apple Watch as a fitness companion.

Not being able to close all three rings daily doesn’t diminish the watch's fitness features. There were moments when I felt I wasn’t maximizing its potential, but I’ve now reached a point where I value the fitness aspect without viewing it as a failure if I don’t hit 100% every day. My objective in committing to the Year of Health is to foster positive habits related to my well-being.

Rather than adhering to strict diets or extreme workout regimens, I aim to enjoy meals that promote weight loss while being sustainable for the long term. I want to establish a workout routine that I find enjoyable, ensuring I’ll continue it long after this year concludes.

Additionally, I don’t want to set myself up for future disappointment by aiming to close all my Activity Rings consistently over an entire year. That isn’t the purpose I want my Apple Watch and Activity Rings to serve. I see them as guides that provide insight into my progress, and I wish to avoid feeling judged by them.

In conclusion, I genuinely enjoy using the Apple Watch and the fitness capabilities it offers. The Activity Rings and Fitness+ have added a layer of fun to my health journey over the past few months. I look forward to the days when I can close all my rings, but if I don’t manage to do so because I’m focused on other priorities or have done the best workouts I could, I still view that as a success.