How The Apple Watch Fits In A Sedentary Lifestyle

[thule179]

We all heard enough about the Apple Watch's fitness features. However, most of us have a rather sedentary lifestyle. How would we use the Apple Watch and how it fits into our lifestyle then?

I saw a review by Willie Tran, which I think hits the nail on the head. What do you think? I would love to hear some discussion here because I too, have a "health unconscious lifestyle"
Link: https://testlio.com/blog/post/how-the-apple-watch-fits-in-a-sedentary-life

 

[Cory Bauer]

We all heard enough about the Apple Watch's fitness features. However, most of us have a rather sedentary lifestyle. How would we use the Apple Watch and how it fits into our lifestyle then?

I saw a review by Willie Tran, which I think hits the nail on the head. What do you think? I would love to hear some discussion here because I too, have a "health unconscious lifestyle"
Link: https://testlio.com/blog/post/how-the-apple-watch-fits-in-a-sedentary-life

My point of view is that there is little to no need for an Apple Watch for a person who is seated at a desk in front of a computer 16 hours a day. Apart from missing out on the fitness companion capabilities - which I would argue make up 40%~ of the watch's unique (in the Apple ecosystem) features - having your hands literally on a keyboard and mouse all hours of the day negates the need for notifications, time-telling, or any other possible features of the Watch.

You don't need a computer attached to your wrist when there's one attached to your hands.

 

[RTWG]

I disagree.

I spend practically my entire day working on my computer, and I love it.

I've got an Apple Watch on order and I am going to use it to make myself more active. I want to stand up and walk about regularly when it alerts me, I want to burn more calories, and I want to get my heart rate up. I know for sure that I will want to complete those goal rings each day.

I think an Apple Watch will make me less sedentary and I can't wait.

 

[mikezmac]

You love gadgets and watches? win/win

 

[JoeTomasone]

I would characterize my lifestyle as sedentary, but not without activity.

I work in a home office most of the time, but travel a lot for work as well. I also run errands, go to the kid's ball games, etc. All the while, I have work and personal emails coming in, texts, social media alerts, etc, just like many people.

What I value Watch for (and what I valued my Pebble for) is the ability to triage the influx while I am not at my computer or otherwise in a position to consult a more suitable device. I can decide at a glance if something is important or not and if I need to deal with it then or not.

Icing for the cake is alerts of incoming rain, sports scores, and the like, as are an even more convenient form of Apple Pay, the ability to send simple replies to messages, and the calendar Complication.


While I may eventually get into the activity-related aspects of Watch, that's not what I bought it for.

 

[Newtons Apple]

I disagree.

I spend practically my entire day working on my computer, and I love it.

I've got an Apple Watch on order and I am going to use it to make myself more active. I want to stand up and walk about regularly when it alerts me, I want to burn more calories, and I want to get my heart rate up. I know for sure that I will want to complete those goal rings each day.

I think an Apple Watch will make me less sedentary and I can't wait.

In reality you need to get away from your computer long enough to do some serious exercise. Starting out with brisk walks, etc to get your heart up in the cardio zone for a good 30 minutes or so. It is a start but you got to really commit yourself and if the watch helps you do it and stick to it, then you have made a great investment.

 

[RTWG]

In reality you need to get away from your computer long enough to do some serious exercise. Starting out with brisk walks, etc to get your heart up in the cardio zone for a good 30 minutes or so. It is a start but you got to really commit yourself and if the watch helps you do it and stick to it, then you have made a great investment.

I should have been more specific, I do exercise and eat well. I just need to be generally less sedentary (as in I need to take more frequent breaks throughout the day, and make sure that I more regularly do exercise as right now I only really do it at weekends). I think the Watch will really help me do that.

 

[Newtons Apple]

I should have been more specific, I do exercise and eat well. I just need to be generally less sedentary (as in I need to take more frequent breaks throughout the day, and make sure that I more regularly do exercise as right now I only really do it at weekends). I think the Watch will really help me do that.

Hope it does what you want

 

[xthine]

I like that I get Giants score updates on my wrist while I am chained to my desk at work.

 

[WannaApple?]

I would really be concerned over someone that sits in front of a computer 16 hours a day/ 7 days a week! They would have a lot more problems than just health lol

I work a desk job just like many do, but I also still get up to take breaks, workout, just to get away from the computer for a bit all in the same time that work emails, texts, IMs, calendar notifications of my next meeting, etc. are still coming in. Also, even those that have desk jobs I believe still have a social life or step away at night to go out, enjoy hobbies, etc. where the watch could come into play, or on weekends. Driving? Comes in very useful for that without having to hold your phone with one hand and the wheel with the other.

So, yes while those that sit behind a computer most work days may not get 24/7 use out of the watch like those that are much more active or have other types of jobs would, but the watch is still very much useful in most all situations or acts of daily living.

 

[thefredelement]

Let it make you healthier.

Add an app to your computer to take a 20 second break every 20 minutes, (stand up and look away at least 20 feet so you don't tire out your eyes, add standing to the circulation going again).

Also if you work in a corporate environment and don't put your personal info onto your work computer the watch can help you stay in the know while not looking down at your phone.

 

[5105973]

I'm not really sure what to say to this subject. I just know that I've lost weight since I got the Apple Watch even though the update effed up the way the exercise ring credits exercise for me. I'm not precisely sedentary but I wasn't burning enough calories to offset the way my metabolism now works. The Watch prodded me to increase my activity to keep up with the decreased efficiency of my metabolism since the onset of menopause. It just makes me more aware. I wasn't really paying attention before and have been used to being ultra thin all my life so it was a nasty shock to find myself unable to get into clothes that fit fine this time last year.

 

[Cory Bauer]

I disagree.

I spend practically my entire day working on my computer, and I love it.

I've got an Apple Watch on order and I am going to use it to make myself more active. I want to stand up and walk about regularly when it alerts me, I want to burn more calories, and I want to get my heart rate up. I know for sure that I will want to complete those goal rings each day.

I think an Apple Watch will make me less sedentary and I can't wait.

Then the Watch will be great for you. There's a large difference between someone who intends to use the fitness companion features of the watch to better themselves, and someone who intends to ignore or turn them off entirely in order to maintain their current sedentary lifestyle.

 

[susan12369]

I'm not really sure what to say to this subject. I just know that I've lost weight since I got the Apple Watch even though the update effed up the way the exercise ring credits exercise for me. I'm not precisely sedentary but I wasn't burning enough calories to offset the way my metabolism now works. The Watch prodded me to increase my activity to keep up with the decreased efficiency of my metabolism since the onset of menopause. It just makes me more aware. I wasn't really paying attention before and have been used to being ultra thin all my life so it was a nasty shock to find myself unable to get into clothes that fit fine this time last year.

Me too, though I'm upset about what they did the exercise ring. I no longer find that motivating me since it's so unreliable now.

I have a desk job and appreciate the reminders to get up and move throughout the day.

I also appreciate the notifications because while I'm at work, I'm usually not accessing all of my personal messages, etc (except when I come on this board . A quick tap on the wrist lets me know what's going on without my having to remove my fingers from the keyboard.

 

[susan12369]

Then the Watch will be great for you. There's a large difference between someone who intends to use the fitness companion features of the watch to better themselves, and someone who intends to ignore or turn them off entirely in order to maintain their current sedentary lifestyle.

Even if for some reason I turned off the fitness features, I would still appreciate the notifications, and heck it's just a nice looking IMHO timepiece.

 

[Banich2]

My point of view is that there is little to no need for an Apple Watch for a person who is seated at a desk in front of a computer 16 hours a day. Apart from missing out on the fitness companion capabilities - which I would argue make up 40%~ of the watch's unique (in the Apple ecosystem) features - having your hands literally on a keyboard and mouse all hours of the day negates the need for notifications, time-telling, or any other possible features of the Watch.

You don't need a computer attached to your wrist when there's one attached to your hands.

I disagree. I work at a desk and have a pretty active lifestyle. I jog, I walk my dog for great distances, play tennis, and go to the gym. I always wear my watch (except to bed) and find that it's just as useful at my desk as it is while I'm on the go.

And as far as missing out on the fitness capabilities...I never use them when I'm working out. I used to set the workout app when I went running but not anymore, and I still love the watch.

 

[aluminiumj]

I've had my watch for about 2 weeks now and I love it, I would say especially since I sit at a desk all day and am not at all inclined to get up from my desk unless absolutely necessary (law of inertia at work!)

I know this is a horrible habit of being sedentary for so many hours at a time, but I often get so caught up in what I'm doing that suddenly I look up and it's been hours since I last stood, much less got up and walked around (I think many of us can relate to this).

I love that the Watch taps me to actively remind me to stand up and move around.
It does the worrying for me so that I can go about my day.

It also encourages me to take the long way around to get my Move ring filled, and I've started going for brisk walks outside after work to get that damn Exercise ring as well.

So for me, I would say that the Watch has helped this mostly sedentary person to become more active.

I'd say that the author is missing out if he ignores the fitness features completely, but it's his prerogative to give his point of view about the other features that he enjoys, especially if he feels that they're overshadowed.

 

[acctman]

My point of view is that there is little to no need for an Apple Watch for a person who is seated at a desk in front of a computer 16 hours a day. Apart from missing out on the fitness companion capabilities - which I would argue make up 40%~ of the watch's unique (in the Apple ecosystem) features - having your hands literally on a keyboard and mouse all hours of the day negates the need for notifications, time-telling, or any other possible features of the Watch.

You don't need a computer attached to your wrist when there's one attached to your hands.

I work on a computer easily 16hrs or more a day... Yet I'm pretty fit and regularly work out. The Apple Watch motivates me even more to stay fit. My Move ring is set at 1020 and I easily hit it or come close to it. I workout twice a day, and weekends 3-4hrs per day. If you want to be fit / active you can, no matter what type of job you have. heck I even stand when i play video games for hours on end...

 

[CharlesShaw]

Also if you work in a corporate environment and don't put your personal info onto your work computer the watch can help you stay in the know while not looking down at your phone.

THIS is my primary reason for buying an Watch. I want to keep my phone in my pocket and would never access my personal life on my work computer. And wearing it on the train commute to and from work (while bundled up in winter) is the second most important use I have in mind.

 

[Rok73]

...most of us have a rather ̶s̶̶e̶̶d̶̶e̶̶n̶̶t̶̶a̶̶r̶̶y̶ lazy lifestyle...

Fixed it for you.