How to Use Your Smartwatch to Set Fitness Goals
How to use your fitness tracker (or smartwatch) to actually get fit
While your shiny new fitness tracker or smartwatch sadly can't get fit for us, wearables can be excellent motivators. However, that doesn't come out of the box as standard.
To give you more of an insight into how to set goals and stick to them, we've enlisted the help of two personal trainers to shed light on the nature of goal setting, to help you figure out the kind of device, goals and setup you need to stay motivated.
Here's how to use your wearables to actually make the good intentions stick.
Pick the right tracker for you
Polly from The Fit Mum Formula believes that to hit fitness goals using a tracker "you want a tracking device to make the process easier not irritating."
She explained that without realising it, most of us have different motivations when it comes to making big changes to our fitness. "Some people love seeing numbers and are motivated by achieving goals, whereas others just want to see results," she said.
You need to work out what motivates you. If you like seeing numbers on your way to a goal you'll need a device with a screen so you can keep your motivation levels high throughout the day. That could be something like an Apple Watch Series 5 or a Fitbit Charge 3.
However, if having a constant reminder is off-putting then something more discreet could be in order. In that case, why not choose a hybrid smartwatch such as the Withings Move ECG (pictured) or Fossil device, which doesn't put your steps front-and-centre.
Set your goals
Fitness trackers are all about meeting goals and most devices suggest some to get you started. But if those are unattainable or too easy, it can kill our motivation.
Alex from Xander Conditioning and Fitness First believes many of his clients are selling ourselves too short when it comes to goal setting, saying people approach fitness goals "timidly". Why? "People hate to fail," he said.
Polly agreed: "There's nothing more demotivating than 'failing' because you couldn't stick to a plan because it was unrealistic."
The challenge if you're going it alone with a tracker instead of a personal trainer is getting to the bottom of what a 'realistic goal' really is.
Essential reading: How to change your Fitbit goals
So the first step is having a much more quantifiable outcome in mind rather than approaching your fitness with subjective goals, a process many can find challenging. Often "run 5km" doesn't sound half as appealing as "look like Rosie Huntington-Whiteley on a beach in two months," but when you're using a fitness tracker you have to take personal responsibility for the goals you're setting.
Alex believes something that takes us away from achievable goals and into sketchy territory is being too subjective. He said he meets people every day who say they want to be able to "fit into a dress" by a certain date, "look good on a beach" or just "get fit."
Alex says he tells his clients they're not making their goals realistic enough everyday, but unfortunately your Fitbit can't do that for you.
"I like to see people first achieve the small goals, build their confidence to aim higher and then encourage them to set more ambitious targets."
So what do these small goals actually look like? Well, Polly suggests implementing goals can be as simple as "adding a piece of fruit to breakfast and going for a 15 minute walk after supper every evening, if that's more than they're currently doing and is all they can stick to right now, then that's progress."
She sees goal setting and progress much more about forming habits rather than going for long, gruelling workouts that you're only likely to stick to a few times a month.
Tracking steps might not be as important as you think
Unless you opt for more advanced devices, many of the popular trackers are geared up for people who exercise, but who also want to keep tabs on how many steps they take during a normal day.
You could argue we've all become a little too focused on this 'magic metric.' As if hitting that 10,000 goal that your tracker delivered out of the box means you're on your way to becoming the next Usain Bolt. But what do the experts really think?
Polly said that upping the amount of steps you're taking can make a difference to your fitness, especially if you're new to exercise or have been struggling with an injury. Just like bigger goals, she says take it slow, even though you're walking.
"Going from very few steps to 10,000 overnight is unrealistic, so I would set smaller goals and build up, say 5,000 steps per day in the first week, 7,000 in the second and 10,000 in the third, only moving onto the next goal once the first one is achieved."
For weight loss results, be realistic
Steps are a good starting point, but Alex warns us that hitting these rather arbitrary goals isn't going to help us all lose weight, "I find that the number of steps a person takes has little influence on their body fat or weight," he said.
When it comes to weight loss, Polly agrees it's a territory to be approached with caution if you're going it alone. "As you lose weight 'metabolic adaptation' occurs as a result of changes in weight, muscle and body fat percentages, and monitoring a person's diet throughout this will mean you can make changes accordingly," she explained.
Alex agrees that weight loss isn't impossible with a tracker, but can muddy the waters a bit given muscularity is the most important thing to bear in mind when you're trying to shift the pounds. He tells me "most calories are burned at rest based on the amount of muscle mass the person holds, as opposed to being burned during exercise - a common misconception."
This is where some trackers can fall short, estimating the amount of calories you have left for the day but not giving you an accurate indication of how many you actually need. One suggestion would be to employ the use of other apps and devices that paint a bigger picture, like using MyFitnessPal for a better idea of the nutritional value of what you eat rather than relying on less comprehensive database that give you an idea of calories and little else.
Change goals gradually for the best results
It's all well setting goals, but armed with just a tracker, how can you know when things need to be changed, adapted or scrapped completely?
Polly said: "If someone is preparing for an event then goals would change weekly so that they progress gradually until race day."
To her this means making a number of changes in your workout programme and back-tracking your goal setting so you'll hit your final distance or time when you need to.
"Usually this involves simply increasing the distance run each time," which would be easy for anyone with a fitness tracker and a calendar to work out. She also recommends those with wearables make sure to "adjust rest and diet protocols in accordance, as more activity will require more rest and focus on nutrition to aid recovery."
Alex recommended persevering with your goals and busting through mental blocks, even if your fitness tracker is telling you that you should change them or have hit them already: "A real goal should only be changed / adjusted / improved once achieved," he said.
Wearables are great tools so use them
Taking your fitness into your own hands with a tracker can be extremely empowering if your goals are realistic.
As Alex summed up: "Most people fail because they do not measure what they are trying to achieve."
Even if our wearable tech can't kick us out of bed for a run at 6am every morning one thing it's damn good at is measuring.
How to use Strava with your smartwatch
If it isnt on Strava, it didnt happen goes the popular saying, and what better way to make sure that your activities are logged accurately on Strava than by connecting your smartwatch?
The best smartwatches encompass a huge variety of options, but they all serve a similar purpose when it comes to fitness; to record activities in detail, and show health and recovery insights to get you on your next workout sensibly and safely.
Strava is one of the best fitness apps out there, especially for runners and cyclists. You can record GPS-based activities with the Strava app on iOS and Android smartphones, but with Strava on your smartwatch, you'll be able to start and stop activities from your wrist and get heaps more health data than just using your smartphone alone.
Strava supports pretty much all of the best fitness trackers and running watches. Many devices, including those from Garmin, sync activities to Strava through their own software. However, if you have an Apple Watch, Samsung Watch, or Android Wear device like the Google Pixel Watch 2, you can download the Strava app to your watch and use it to smash fitness goals on the go.
Ive worn pretty much every smartwatch brand out there either through review testing or indecision so I know how easy it can be to add the Strava app and track workouts. Heres how to connect your smartwatch to Strava for the best experience.
How to use Strava on your Apple Watch
1. Install Strava on an Apple Watch
1. Start by downloading the Strava app from the App Store and getting logged in on your phone if you haven't already.
2. Then open the Apple Watch app, go to the My Watch section, find Strava, and tap Install.
2. Authorize permissions
1. When you first open Strava on your Watch, you should see a prompt appear on your phone asking you to authorize Strava for Apple Watch.
2. Once that's done, you're nearly ready to start recording, but you'll want to make sure that Strava can use your Watch's built-in heart rate monitor.
3. Launching the Strava app on the watch should trigger another prompt on your phone and the watch screen, asking you to grant Strava permission to access and update your Health data.
4. Scroll down within the Health app to find Allow Strava to Read and activate heart rate (and all your Health data unless you have a good reason not to). You can always find this data in the Sharing section of the Health App.
3. Record a workout
1. The Strava Watch app is much more streamlined than the iPhone version, and only gives you the option to start, stop and pause activities, plus show your progress during those activities.
2. To start recording an activity, tap the Strava icon on your Apple Watch, scroll and tap to pick the activity, then press the start button to begin.
3. Once the activity has started, there are two screens to swipe between. The main screen displays elapsed time, distance and heart rate in real-time, while a swipe to the left brings up the Pause and Finish buttons, Settings and a Screen Lock perfect for when you're running in the rain.
4. When you're done running, cycling, skiing or activity-ing, hit the Finish flag to end your session and sync the data with the full smartphone Strava app. Any miles logged will count towards your weekly progress automatically.
While using Strava on your Apple Watch is convenient, it does come with limitations. The app doesn't support Strava Live Segments (so no real time updates as you go) and you can't see maps or Strava Routes on the display.
How to use Strava with your Samsung Watch
There's a standalone Strava app for Samsung Gear and Galaxy smartwatches, but the installation method depends on how new your device is. Devices after and including the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic use Wear OS, which I've covered below.
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If you've got an older Samsung smartwatch (pre-2021), you can still install the Strava app on your Samsung Gear device from the Galaxy Store. You'll need to visit this Strava page from a desktop to connect your Strava account and receive a four-digit code to link up your device.
Just like with Strava for Apple Watch, the interface is simplified. Once you've opened up the Strava app on your Samsung device, select an activity and you'll see the time, pace, or speed, plus distance and heart rate. A swiping motion lets you change settings, Pause, Finish, or cancel the activity.
How to use Strava with Wear OS Watch
Strava supports the best Wear OS Watch from Wear OS 3.0 and above, and that includes the likes of the Google Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2, plus our current favorite Wear OS device, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro review.
1. Install Strava on your Wear OS watch
1. Open the Google Play Store from the watch, search for Strava, and tap to install it. Once you've done that, the button will show as Open instead of Install.
2. You'll be asked to sign in to Strava on your paired phone, too (you can't use a Samsung or Pixel watch with iPhones, but you probably know that already). When you open Strava on your smartwatch, it should automatically be signed in, but there's a quick authorization step to add your credentials if not.
2. Record a workout
1. Using Strava on a Wear OS Watch is super simple. The first time you open it up from your app drawer you'll be asked to permit it to access your location and health data. Accept the terms to get started.
2. To record a workout from the app, select your activity type, and hit Start. You might have to wait a few moments for the GPS to lock onto your location, but then you're ready to get moving.
How to use Strava with Garmin
Most people buy a Garmin Watch for serious fitness tracking. Garmin devices are definitely more fitness trackers than smartwatches, and there aren't any products in the Garmin range with a dedicated Strava app.
But, by syncing your Garmin watch with Strava via the Garmin Connect Mobile app and Bluetooth on your smartphone, any new activities be they runs, cycles, or swims will sync toStrava automatically. Head to the settings section of the Connect app, Go to Connected Apps, select Strava, and set up your connection and preferences.
How to use Strava with Fitbit
As with Garmin wearables, not everyone counts Fitbit devices as smartwatches. And while there's not a dedicated app for Strava on Fitbit devices, you can sync up your activities in just a few taps, so that your Fitbit workouts get sent straight to Strava.
The easiest way to connect your Fitbit device is at this Strava link. If you're on an iPhone, then you'll also find the option nestled with settings. Once synced up, Garmin sends activity data from the last 90 days, while Fitbit only sends new ones after you've synced up your devices (unless you export and add them manually).
Using a smartwatch with Strava can give a real boost to your fitness journey, integrating powerful tracking technology with your active lifestyle and letting you go hands-free without your smartphone. I've loved the freedom of going running without my iPhone, while still being able to track my miles and listen to music.
Whether you're using an Apple Watch or the latest Wear OS device, the smartwatch-Strava combination gives you instant insights into your performance, so that you can push boundaries and smash your PBs. Try using Strava with your own smartwatch and get more motivation on every stride or pedal.
