The Apple Watch has become more than just a timepiece; it's a personal fitness companion that encourages a healthier and more active lifestyle. At the heart of this experience lie the Activity Rings: Move, Exercise, and Stand. The fundamental goal is simple: close these rings every day. Let's delve into how these rings work, how they contribute to weight loss, and how to make the most of this feature.
Understanding the Activity Rings
The Apple Watch uses three rings to represent your daily activity:
- Move (Red): Tracks the active calories you burn throughout the day. This includes any movement, from taking the stairs to playing with your kids. The Apple Watch recommends a new Move goal each week, tailored to your activity level.
- Exercise (Green): Measures the minutes of brisk activity you've completed. The Activity app aims to identify activity that equals or exceeds the intensity of a brisk walk. Aim for at least 30 minutes of brisk activity daily to minimize the risk of stroke, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and weight gain.
- Stand (Blue): Monitors how often you stand up and move around during the day. Aim to stand and move for at least one minute during twelve different hours of the day. Sitting too much can contribute to health problems, so the Apple Watch provides gentle nudges to get you moving.
Personalizing Your Goals
The Activity Ring goals can be personalized. You have to figure out the best numbers to set so you stay motivated to move and keep closing those rings.
Red Ring: Move
The Move goal is initially set at 500 calories but should be adjusted based on an individual’s personal lifestyle and goals. It takes a bit of trial and error to find the move goal that works for you. Luckily, the Apple Watch has a feature to help: Each week, the watch automatically recommends a Move goal based on your past activity. Updating your move goal is a way to help keep yourself accountable. You may see little to no change if you continue with the same move goal weekly, so slowly progressing week after week will help you reach your overall goals.
Green Ring: Exercise
Initially, the exercise goal defaults to 30 minutes. For starters, 30 minutes of activity is easy to get done if you just show up. Secondly, as researched by many studies, 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity can lower the risk of premature death and many diseases, such as stroke, heart attack, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.If you know you always exercise for longer than 30 minutes, you should consider increasing your Exercise ring goal.
Read also: Side Effects of Keto Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies
Blue Ring: Stand
Finally you have the Stand goal, which is set to 12 hours. This might seem like a lot, but keep in mind that to close the ring you just have to show continuous activity for at least one minute during 12 different hours of the day. If that seems beyond easy for you, adjust the goal for more hours. This is an especially important ring if you have a job that requires you to sit for the majority of the day.
How Closing the Rings Contributes to Weight Loss
The Apple Watch can be a valuable tool for weight loss through several mechanisms:
- Increased Awareness: The Activity Rings provide a constant visual reminder of your activity levels, making you more conscious of your movement throughout the day.
- Motivation: The gamified approach of closing the rings can be highly motivating. The desire to complete the circles can encourage you to take the stairs, go for a walk, or engage in other forms of physical activity.
- Goal Setting: The ability to personalize your Move, Exercise, and Stand goals allows you to set realistic and achievable targets, which is crucial for sustained weight loss.
- Tracking Progress: The Apple Watch tracks your progress over time, allowing you to see how your activity levels are changing and how you're moving closer to your goals.
- Accountability: Sharing your Activity Rings with friends and family can provide an extra layer of accountability, as you're more likely to stay on track when others are watching.
Tips for Closing Your Apple Watch Rings
- Choose a watch face that displays the rings: One of the best ways to prioritize closing your rings is by making the rings visible to you at all times.
- Pay attention to stats during workouts: The Workout app on the Apple Watch allows you to choose the metrics you want to see on screen.
- Share your activities with friends: If you have friends and workout partners who also have an Apple Watch, invite them to “share activity” on the watch.
- Link your go-to workout apps: If you have an Apple Watch, but you’re already an avid user of another fitness or exercise app, like Strava or AllTrails, install the app on your watch.
- Track everything: Instead of taking the bus or subway wherever you have to go, walk or bike instead and track the activity.
Maximizing Accuracy
To ensure the most accurate tracking of your activity, consider the following:
- Calibrate Your Apple Watch: Resetting your existing calibration data and recalibrating your Apple Watch can improve the accuracy of estimations made by Activity app and Workout app.
- Wear Your Watch Snugly: For the best performance from your Apple Watch - including the most accurate readings from the heart rate sensor, which is used continually during workouts - be sure to wear your Apple Watch snugly (but not too tightly) during general daily wear and during any workouts.
- Use the Workout App: When recording specific fitness activities, be sure to use the Workout app (or a third-party app that shares data to Health) and to choose the activity type that most closely matches your workout.
- Arm Movement: During general daily wear and when using the Workout app to record workouts when GPS data is either not relevant or not available, the Activity app and Workout app track your arm motion (measured by the accelerometer) when estimating results including pace and progress towards the Exercise goal.
- Location Services: For more accurate tracking of outdoor workouts, it may also help to check your Location Services settings.
Beyond the Rings: Additional Features
The Apple Watch offers a variety of other features that can support your weight loss journey:
- Workout App: Provides detailed tracking for various workout types, allowing you to monitor metrics like duration, calories burned, and heart rate.
- Heart Rate Monitoring: Continuously monitors your heart rate, providing valuable insights into your fitness levels and workout intensity.
- Activity Trends: Tracks your activity trends over time, allowing you to identify patterns and make adjustments to your routine.
- Awards and Challenges: Offers awards for reaching milestones and challenges to compete with friends, providing additional motivation.
- Reminders to Breathe: Provides reminders to take a few moments to breathe and relax, which can help reduce stress and improve overall well-being.
- Apple Music and Apple Podcasts: Stay motivated during workouts with your favorite music and podcasts.
Real-World Experiences
Many users have found the Apple Watch to be a valuable tool for improving their fitness and losing weight. One user shared that they crossed the 400-move mark on their Apple Watch, meaning they had managed to meet their move goal every day for over a year, even during the pandemic. This consistent activity helped them stay in shape and lose weight. Another user found that closing the rings became an obsession, motivating them to get more movement in than they normally would.
Read also: Exploring Apple Cider Vinegar and Cranberry Juice
Potential Drawbacks and Considerations
While the Apple Watch can be a great tool for weight loss, it's important to be aware of potential drawbacks:
- Downtime Isn't Really an Option: The incentives to close the rings don’t accommodate much down time. Recovery and rest are important.
- Not a Magic Bullet: The Apple Watch is a tool, but it's not a substitute for a healthy diet and a well-rounded exercise program.
- Accuracy Issues: While the Apple Watch is generally accurate, there can be occasional discrepancies in tracking.
- Obsessive Behavior: It's possible to become overly focused on closing the rings, which can lead to unhealthy behaviors.
Read also: A natural elixir for wellness