Google has announced that it's launching challenges for Google Fit in order to get you outside and exercising more. The firm is positioning the new challenges feature as something that will be able to help you stick to your New Year’s resolution to get out and do more exercise. The first challenge will last for 30-days from January 1.
In the announcement, Stacey Burr, VP of Product, Wear OS by Google and Google Fit, said:
“Your goal is to get as many points as possible—and we’ll be cheering you on along the way.
You’ll score Heart Points for any activity that gets your heart pumping. Get one point for each minute of moderate activity, like picking up the pace while walking your dog, and double points for more intense activities like running or kickboxing. Hit 150 Heart Points per week to meet the American Heart Association (AHA) and the World Health Organization (WHO)’s physical activity recommendations shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, improve sleep and increase overall mental well-being.”
If any of you have done jogging outdoors in the past, you’ll know it’s a bit easier when the weather is warmer than in sub-10 degree winters; in order to motivate you to exercise, Google suggests that you could go sledding, use a shovel to clear snow from the yard or drive, park further away from the shops if you drive there so you can add in more walking, it even recommends that you do some wintery activities such as skiing or snowboarding to earn you double Heart Points.
The web giant said the aim of the challenge is to amass as many points as you can. It didn’t say whether challenges would become a mainstay after January but it would be a nice feature to expand upon for those who want to aim for definite goals. The firm has partnered with 36 influencers around the globe to inform followers how they’re earning points, you can use the #GetFitWithGoogle hashtag on Instagram and YouTube to keep up with their progress or share your own.
