Google has begun rolling out what it says is the biggest update to Google Fit since its launch in 2014, taking the lid off a redesign of the Google Fit app for Android and the Fit section inside Wear OS.
Getting to this point was the product of Google working with the American Heart Association and the World Health Organization to, as the company puts it, “understand the science behind physical activity” and figure out how to spur people into getting more active. Which is why the new Google Fit is built around two pretty simple activity goals the update bases on recommendations it got from the AHA and WHO about how people can improve their health — those goals are called Move Minutes and Heart Points.
With the former, you track your progress based on how much activity you do during the week. This can track lots of different kinds of movements in a way that’s meant to be more than just a step-counter. Get your heart pumping, meanwhile, and “Heart Points” gives you credit for those activities — one point for each minute of moderate activity like walking your dog but making the pace a little more brisk. You get double points for more vigorous activity like running or kickboxing.
“It takes just 30 minutes of brisk walking 5 days a week to reach the AHA and WHO’s recommended amount of physical activity, which is shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, improve sleep, and increase overall mental well-being,” Google notes in a blog post today announcing the Google Fit update.
In some more detailed documentation, Google explains that “if you enjoy a different type of workout, select it from a list of 120+ activities like pilates, rowing, or spinning, and Google Fit will actively track the Heart Points and Move Minutes earned during your workout. Google Fit also integrates with your favorite apps such as Strava, Runkeeper, Endomondo, and MyFitnessPal to give you credit for every Move Minute and Heart Point you earn.
