My "issues" with the Apple Watch as a fitness device.

[helveta]

My watch wants me to do 980 active calories per day. Yesterday I ran for an hour and the watch said 5.99 miles but I only had 937 calories. I do sit at a desk all day though.

 

[BigMcGuire]

This is all very interesting stuff....I've never actually done a calibration, so I wonder if this past year of having a Series 2 watch has all been a big lie lol

One thing I haven't quite gathered in this thread is how often do you all actually start a workout from the Workout app on the AW when you go on walks, treadmill, lift weights, HIIT, etc..., or do you just let the Rings pick up your activity naturally? Is there an activity you don't usually start an official workout?

I feel like I get more ring activity if I physically start a workout from the Workout app on the AW before I workout.

Whenever I do anything where I know my heart rate is going to be 120bpm I usually do an activity. For the life of me I cannot walk fast enough to keep heart rate above 120bpm. So the 2-3 mile runs I've been doing - I'll start an activity. If I run with my wife, I'll do an activity. If I'm walking in the park with my wife, I usually don't do an activity.

Watch is pretty good at picking up exercise. Was clearing brush for firewood from a coworker's house and it got all of it (didn't do an activity). Practicing boxing - it gets that too.

Definitely like the activity for my runs so if I run maximum speed for a quarter mile I see my heart rate climb to 180+ and what my speed was that mile.
[doublepost=1517428000][/doublepost]

My watch wants me to do 980 active calories per day. Yesterday I ran for an hour and the watch said 5.99 miles but I only had 937 calories. I do sit at a desk all day though.

Wow 980 calories! Mine started at 720 but I have to run 3 miles to close every ring by night time, often having to walk for a bit before bed so I lowered it to 700 and that seems about right. A day where I try to be more active than usual and a 2 mile run means I close all rings. Couldn't imagine 937! Nice.

Most other AW users I've met in the wild have near 400 (they're also female and a lot smaller than I am).

 

[Suspenders]

Just curious as to what other folks consider a "rest day". On your Sundays, how much activity do you get? Are you getting the 30 minutes of excercise and the 12 hours of stand?

For me, to get 700 calories without doing what I consider a workout (i.e. 2 mile run, 30 minutes on a bike, 60 minutes of aerobics), I have to go on a few walks. Maybe a mile at lunch, 2 miles at home on the treadmill. Basically, my rest day consists of at least 10,000 steps (5 miles) over the entire day. That gets me close, then I'll walk whatever I need to in the evening to get to my goal.

As for individually setting a Move goal, that's doable. You can program it to be 700 for M-Sat and 400 for Sun. You have to change it on Sunday morning, then change it back on Monday morning. Just force press on the AW-Activity app. You'll get a button that allows you to change your move goal.

Thanks for the info on individually setting the move goal by day.

On my rest day, if I know I won't be going anywhere and will basically be home all day, I'll go for a 30 minute walk either outside or on the treadmill, just to move around for a bit. I'm not too particular about closing any of the activity rings on Sunday because I guess I do need 1 day to "rest".

I'm not too concerned about closing any of the activity rings on Sundays. If it happens, great. If not, no big deal. As long as I close the rings every other day, I'm okay.

 

[BigMcGuire]

Definitely seems to me that the AW discourages rest days. I'm 220 5'11 and I get really sore doing a 2-3 mile run at 12 mins a mile. 2 weeks ago I did my first ever 7 day challenge (closing all rings) - running 2-3 miles a day. Wow was I sore. Last week was a rest week for me (I closed red but not green).

Now I'm on day 2 of closing all rings again and I'm sore! lol. But I want those week badges! (Monday - Sunday).

 

[DoubleFlyaway]

Just curious as to what other folks consider a "rest day". On your Sundays, how much activity do you get? Are you getting the 30 minutes of excercise and the 12 hours of stand?

For me, to get 700 calories without doing what I consider a workout (i.e. 2 mile run, 30 minutes on a bike, 60 minutes of aerobics), I have to go on a few walks. Maybe a mile at lunch, 2 miles at home on the treadmill. Basically, my rest day consists of at least 10,000 steps (5 miles) over the entire day. That gets me close, then I'll walk whatever I need to in the evening to get to my goal.

As for individually setting a Move goal, that's doable. You can program it to be 700 for M-Sat and 400 for Sun. You have to change it on Sunday morning, then change it back on Monday morning. Just force press on the AW-Activity app. You'll get a button that allows you to change your move goal.

I keep my goal at 500, even though I blow past it on running days, because it gives me something realistic to shoot for to keep me moving on other days. If I set it up really high, I’d just be like... yeah, I’m not going to come close to that. And I wouldn’t try.

My “rest days” include typically about an hour and a half on a desk bike while working. My workout days are runs.

 

[helveta]

Whenever I do anything where I know my heart rate is going to be 120bpm I usually do an activity. For the life of me I cannot walk fast enough to keep heart rate above 120bpm. So the 2-3 mile runs I've been doing - I'll start an activity. If I run with my wife, I'll do an activity. If I'm walking in the park with my wife, I usually don't do an activity.

Watch is pretty good at picking up exercise. Was clearing brush for firewood from a coworker's house and it got all of it (didn't do an activity). Practicing boxing - it gets that too.

Definitely like the activity for my runs so if I run maximum speed for a quarter mile I see my heart rate climb to 180+ and what my speed was that mile.
[doublepost=1517428000][/doublepost]

Wow 980 calories! Mine started at 720 but I have to run 3 miles to close every ring by night time, often having to walk for a bit before bed so I lowered it to 700 and that seems about right. A day where I try to be more active than usual and a 2 mile run means I close all rings. Couldn't imagine 937! Nice.

Most other AW users I've met in the wild have near 400 (they're also female and a lot smaller than I am).

On run days I can usually get the 980 but not always. I do strength training 3 days a week and 600 looks a lot more doable for that. Thanks to whoever posted the info on how to change the goal, I never would have found it.

 

[ftaok]

I keep my goal at 500, even though I blow past it on running days, because it gives me something realistic to shoot for to keep me moving on other days. If I set it up really high, I’d just be like... yeah, I’m not going to come close to that. And I wouldn’t try.

My “rest days” include typically about an hour and a half on a desk bike while working. My workout days are runs.

yeah I do the same as you. When I run, no problem closing the ring. When I don't, I have to make a decent effort to close the ring.
[doublepost=1517452215][/doublepost]

This is all very interesting stuff....I've never actually done a calibration, so I wonder if this past year of having a Series 2 watch has all been a big lie lol

One thing I haven't quite gathered in this thread is how often do you all actually start a workout from the Workout app on the AW when you go on walks, treadmill, lift weights, HIIT, etc..., or do you just let the Rings pick up your activity naturally? Is there an activity you don't usually start an official workout?

I feel like I get more ring activity if I physically start a workout from the Workout app on the AW before I workout.

I start a workout every time a do one. I consider walking on the treadmill as a workout. I also do an outdoor workout when I now the lawn, otherwise I get no credit because my arm doesn't swing

 

[rgyiv]

yeah I do the same as you. When I run, no problem closing the ring. When I don't, I have to make a decent effort to close the ring.
[doublepost=1517452215][/doublepost]
I start a workout every time a do one. I consider walking on the treadmill as a workout. I also do an outdoor workout when I now the lawn, otherwise I get no credit because my arm doesn't swing

Ha, I do the same when I mow!