A Good Starting Point: Google Fit
Google Fit comes pre-installed on all new Android phones, and if you have a Wear device you can choose to use Google Fit as the main fitness app on your smartwatch. To do so, navigate to the Wear app on your phone, and select Google Fit as your default activity tracker. The Google Fit app covers most of the basics you’ll find on standalone activity-tracking devices—such as steps taken in a day, total active minutes, distance traveled, and calories burned. It even adds some fun and unique features, including Paced Walking, where you can add a gentle audio background beat to whatever music or content you’re listening to and unconsciously pick up your pace. The Google Fit app automatically syncs data with Wear devices, and if you have a Wear watch that includes a heart-rate monitor it can track your heart rate as well. Plus, Google Fit integrates with many other Wear fitness apps, including several mentioned in the list below. The app includes 200 missions, and the immersive experience is part audiobook, part workout coach (or at least motivator). Especially if you get bored easily while you’re out on long runs, Zombies, Run! is worth a download since it will certainly keep you engaged. And you don’t have to sacrifice listening to your favorite music, either; the app will combine your tunes with the story, so even when you’re not “running for your life” when the zombie sounds start, you’ll have the upbeat temp you need. The Seven app uses some gamification strategies to keep you motivated; you start out with three “lives,” and you’ll lose one each day that you skip a workout. You can also unlock achievements as you progress to more advanced workouts. You can even play music from your favorite app to keep your energy up as you work out, and the app doesn’t require an internet connection, so you can get moving anywhere. The StrongLifts app guides you through strength- and muscle-building workouts, and you can track your activity directly from your Wear watch. The app guides you through squats, overhead presses, deadlifts and more, with the goal of getting you to complete three 45-minute workouts per week. You can set your weight preference in the app and track your progress over time as well. The sleep cycle tracking ties into the app’s other main feature: a smart alarm. This will wake you up with gentle sounds at the optimal moment based on where you are in your cycle, with the idea of getting your day started off on the right foot.
