More often than not, the holiday season derails any plans of sticking to a nutritious diet, but Google Fit is here to make it easier. The company is releasing a few new features to help you stay on track during such a busy time of year.
When Google Fit first launched its redesigned app this past summer, many users were disappointed that a widget was omitted from the previous version. Thankfully, the feature is back — you will now be able to see your stats at a glance via your Android home screen. By simply pinning the widget, you will be able to check your Heart Points and Move Minutes. You will also have access to additional metrics including steps, calories, and distance displayed right underneath.
For those unfamiliar with Google Fit, your activity is tracked within two categories: Move Minutes and Heart Points. Fit counts each minute with 30 or more steps as a Move Minute and you receive one Heart Point for every minute of moderately intense activity or when you complete more than 100 steps per minute.
As for changes within the Google Fit app itself, there is now a section for your last workout. When you open the app and scroll toward the bottom, you see the workout you last participated in — whether that is a bike ride or an afternoon run. Listed below that are your stats like point the amount of points you earned, how long the workout was, and how far you went. You also have access to a visual map tracked via GPS of exactly where you went.
Another new feature is the ability to adjust the activity intensity, in order for Fit to award you more accurate Heart Points for the workout. Whenever you manually log a workout into your journal, you will now see a slider under a section titled “Effort” which is where you’ll be able to adjust how easy or tough the workout was.
If you’re the owner of a Wear OS smartwatch, you will also be able to rely on your device to calm you down during those moments of panic. Similar to the Apple Watch or Fitbit, Google Fit will include an app dedicated to breathing exercises on Wear OS.
Google will be rolling out updates to both Android smartphones and Wear OS smartwatches this week.
