**The Effect of Apple Watch on New Year’s Fitness Goals**
In a recent announcement, Apple shared intriguing information on how the Apple Watch supports users in improving their workout routines during January and maintaining them for the rest of the year. This data comes from the Apple Heart and Movement Study, which included approximately 100,000 participants over four years.
Many people give up on their New Year’s fitness goals by the second Friday of January, a day known as Quitter’s Day. However, Apple Watch users show a considerably greater chance of sticking to their fitness objectives. As reported by Apple, there is a significant trend where the average daily exercise minutes for Apple Watch users not only recover in January after a holiday dip but continue to increase into the spring months.
In the first two weeks of January, more than 60% of Apple Watch users raised their daily exercise minutes by over 10% compared to their December averages. Notably, almost 80% of those who enhanced their exercise levels maintained this improvement through the latter part of January, with 90% of that group keeping elevated activity levels into February and March.
Apple also emphasized new features for Apple Fitness+ designed to encourage consistency in workout habits. These consist of multi-week programs aimed at generating momentum for users at the start of the year. Furthermore, Apple is promoting its annual “Ring in the New Year” challenge, which takes place from January 7 to January 31, urging users to close all three Activity rings for seven consecutive days.
For users utilizing Strava with an Apple Watch, a “Quit Quitting” challenge is also available within the Strava app, designed to keep participants motivated throughout January.
The findings and efforts put forth by Apple highlight the beneficial impact of the Apple Watch and Apple Fitness+ in aiding users to adhere to their New Year’s fitness goals, fostering a healthier lifestyle far beyond the initial weeks of the year.
