
Google Fit: An effortless, comprehensive view of your fitness - lmedinas
http://officialandroid.blogspot.com/2014/10/google-fit.html
======
parfe
Just installed the phone app. Less a "comprehensive view", and more of a
pedometer with graphs. You can manually add activities but the only options
are: Walking, Running, Biking, Other. And even then, you can only record
duration. I suppose there is hidden integration with the wearables, but why
can't I manually input the data?

If I can't record squats, then what's the point?

~~~
mirsadm
I think anyone that is even a little bit serious about their particular
exercise/activity will not use this. I cycle and run. I record everything in
Strava. Most of my friends do too. I can't really see a reason to use this.
Counting steps does not seem to be very useful.

~~~
richbradshaw
The data from Strava will sync into Google Fit (if you want), then if you
wanted to switch to a new app in the future, it could bring in your existing
data from Google Fit. Essentially this can act as an external datastore for
those apps, rather than your data being locked into Strava's infrastructure.

It's hard to think of this as useful with Strava as it's so damn good, but
there are many other apps for other activities that are not as nice to use,
but users are locked into them as losing all your data means starting with a
new app is frustrating.

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lost_name
Were people asking for something like this, or is this Google responding to
Apple's HealthKit?

I understand the need to offer competing products on their own platform, but
I've come to doubt the long term usefulness/support of products in that second
category.

~~~
JTon
I was thinking the same thing. Perhaps the cost of being late for "the next
big thing" tomorrow is much greater than the cost of developing platforms for
a variety of different niches today

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gadders
A better name would be "Google Cardio" (or Met Con if you want to be trendy).

Cardio != Fit. Strength is as much or more an aspect of fitness.

~~~
michokest
That's my main problem with the fitness app industry at large. They are much
more focused on steps, running and calories than actual fitness.

And don't get me wrong, cardio works to a good extent. For most of sedentary
folks, doing _anything_ will be better than doing nothing, and their fitness
level will improve.

But real fitness is about a lot more: strength training, interval training,
sports, etc. Bodyweight workouts and HIIT are a much better return for your
effort than "just tracking". And so will shifting your diet towards something
like paleo or low-carb, instead of just tracking calories.

Part of my frustration with the fitness ecosystem is what made me start up
[http://8fit.com](http://8fit.com). It's a mobile app that offers HIIT do-it-
at-home workouts and low-carb meal plans.

We don't track your steps. We don't integrate fancy wi-fi scales or wearables.
But you know what? If eff-ing works, and our 60k-strong userbase loves the
hell out of it for the results they're seeing.

~~~
michokest
And you can see that strength training or HIIT are completely left out from
the announcement. Strava, Withings, Runtastic, Runkeeper and Noom Coach: all
of them tracking apps, with very little emphasis on the prescriptive aspect of
fitness.

People need a coach, not a tracker.

~~~
treehau5
And the only way I can see that solution happening is some sort of full-body
wearable, neck to toe.

I remember an Under Armor commercial demoing some sort of envisioned prototype
of this kind of tech.

edit: They also have something called Armor39, a strap that goes around your
chest. I am now curious. Anyone used this?

~~~
mahyarm
Well you have Athos clothing trackers coming out soon, which tracks muscle
exertion.

Thing is although, it costs $300-$400 dollars. Runkeeper works with the phone
you already have, and you can optionally add a couple of $50-$150 accessories.
Very different price points.

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tvanantwerp
I just installed this. I had been logging steps on my Android watch for the
past few months, replacing my old Fitbit. I've been looking forward to Google
Fit for a while so I can more easily examine all that step data and visualize
it.

However, as soon as I got it installed, all my previous months' data was
simply gone. Not imported into Google Fit, but just gone.

Fitbit wasn't perfect, but it was better than this.

~~~
bergie
On my Wear watch the history disappeared, but at least the past week (or so)
was synced to the app

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jessejhernandez
I'm hoping they can incorporate something for weight lifting too. It'd be
awesome to chart your growth in a more intuitive way rather then just using
Excel.

~~~
smileysteve
What data points does a phone collect that you see as a beneficial measure of
lifting activity?

~~~
octagonal
You can use it while you're at the gym.

~~~
mkonecny
He meant for example what data points would the phone use to know you're
working out your triceps?

~~~
cratermoon
The allure of the current set of exercise apps is that the device
automatically tracks the effort, using existing features like accelerometer
and GPS, and there's no input required. FitBit tracks steps, some apps use GPS
to track distance covered and derive stats. It's nearly literally a no-brainer
to use them, and they require no cumbersome gear to wear. Even a heart rate
monitor is small and unobtrusive now.

Unfortunately for lifting and many other forms of exercise, the apparatus is
not built into the device you already have or can strap on your belt and
forget about. In addition to needing special-purpose measuring equipment, the
user would have to incorporate the device into the exercise.

A barbell could know it's been picked up and put down, but how would it know
how much weight is on it? RFID in the plates? A tennis racket or baseball bat
could track swings and speed, but would anyone even care for that metric?

~~~
smileysteve
Buying an RFID weight set or a piece of equipment with more sensors on it, or
attaching a phone to a bat are all very signifiant barriers of entry.

FitBit, Wear, Microsoft Band, iWatch aren't getting a ton of adoption for
these simple metrics, how do you sell the others? Ie 80% of Americans have
smart phones, 10% will invest in wear devices, maybe it's just .1% that will
invest in bat technology.

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Cowicide
I have no real judgment about fitness apps, watches, etc., but I am curious
about why so many people use them?

If one doesn't have health issues and/or not a professional athlete - why
would one want to keep track of fitness so closely?

I just go out and get exercise and enjoy myself and all this fitness app stuff
seems like a distraction. Plus, I really don't want to destroy expensive stuff
while I'm mountain biking out here in CO just to see my heartbeat.

Is it just an obsessive hobby done out of curiosity or is there some reason I
should use a fitness app instead of simply enjoying myself on my bike, hiking,
etc. and focusing on that instead?

Again, nothing against those who use these apps and devices, I guess I just
don't understand the obsession.

~~~
dragonwriter
> If one doesn't have health issues and/or not a professional athlete - why
> would one want to keep track of fitness so closely?

The majority of Americans are overweight -- which is a health issue, and
addressing that health issue is one of the major reasons people use fitness
trackers.

> I just go out and get exercise and enjoy myself and all this fitness app
> stuff seems like a distraction.

Lots of people _don 't_ enjoy exercise, especially people trying to establish
a pattern with it that haven't done so yet.

> Is it just an obsessive hobby done out of curiosity or is there some reason
> I should use a fitness app instead of simply enjoying myself on my bike,
> hiking, etc. and focusing on that instead?

I think you are presenting a false dichotomy.

~~~
Cowicide
>The majority of Americans are overweight -- which is a health issue, and
addressing that health issue is one of the major reasons people use fitness
trackers.

I've been overweight at times when I overwork. Especially after I was in a
situation where I was a caregiver for a sick loved one for some years. Even
after that spell of time, I lost weight fairly quickly (and healthily) by
mountain biking. I've lost weight by exercising via having fun on a mountain
bike, hiking, climbing, kayaking, surfing, etc. and eating less (and somewhat
healthier) and drinking more water.

I guess I just don't see how a fitness app would have improved my situation.
Again, I'm not dissing on those that use them, but I personally don't get it.

I'm still curious after your response. How would a fitness app and device
helped me?

>Lots of people don't enjoy exercise, especially people trying to establish a
pattern with it that haven't done so yet.

Maybe it's because they set it up like a chore with a computing device instead
of doing it for fun and health as a side benefit?

I'm only half-kidding about that...

I personally can't stand sitting inside and getting exercise on some rat wheel
in a gym. If it's hot, I bring lots of water and dress appropriately for the
weather. If it's cold, I bundle up. I enjoy the challenge that the elements
bring to the table outdoors. I also like using my brain trying to navigate
trails, etc. instead of doing repetitious, boring (to me) brain-dead indoor
exercise machines like treadmills, etc.

I dunno, maybe if people worried less about their fitness tracking devices,
trying to treat exercise like work and instead just have more fun, they'd be
more apt to exercise?

I wouldn't enjoy exercise either if I treated it like work.

>I think you are presenting a false dichotomy.

Perhaps I am for others. For me personally, I just don't see the enjoyment of
meticulously tracking my heart rate, etc. while I'm flying down some trails,
hiking my bike up rocks, etc. I know my heart is working because it's pounding
with joy (and sometimes fear) and that's enough for me. Or, if someone spots a
bear I sure as heck don't need a fitness app to let me know my heart is
ticking. ;)

Again, I know what works for me certainly doesn't work for everyone, but as
hard as I try, I just don't get the fitness apps and devices being very
conducive to enjoyable exercise. Just seems like another distraction from
getting busy and having fun in the process.

The only device I like to bring is a little shuffle for music and I often turn
that off so I can hear the sounds of nature while I'm out there. A fancy pants
fitness device that alerts me that my heart rate has reached some kind of
"optimum" zone or whatever just seems like a mechanical killjoy to an
otherwise organic, almost tribal/ animalistic/sensual experience getting down
and dirty with nature.

Again, this is just me. If other find enjoyment in fitness apps and devices
that run them, then more power to them! :D

Who knows, maybe someone can make a good enough argument for me to start using
them someday if/when I have health issues, etc. down the road.

~~~
dragonwriter
> I'm still curious after your response. How would a fitness app and device
> helped me?

It might not have. Not every product on the market is designed for you
personally.

Again, you keep saying that you have lots of exercise activities you know
about and enjoy, and that the challenge you've had is overwork. Lots of other
people _don 't_ have lots of exercise activities they enjoy, but measurement,
and the feedback and sense of accomplishment from improving their numbers _is_
something that they get positive feelings from which help counteract the
negative feelings from an unpleasant activity that doesn't produce immediate
tangible results (although, for people whose challenge is overwork,
measurement can be an early signal that an imbalance is occurring that might
be visible before tangible harm, so it _could_ be useful for people whose
situation is more like yours, as well; come to think of it, lots of people I
know who have found trackers useful seem to be more like you in that regard --
several, for instance, are _usually_ regular ballroom dancers, but have lots
of other commitments and less-fitness-friendly activities in their life,
so...)

~~~
Cowicide
> Not every product on the market is designed for you personally.

Sure they are. I am product Gawd.

> Again, you keep saying that you have lots of exercise activities you know
> about and enjoy, and that the challenge you've had is overwork. Lots of
> other people don't have lots of exercise activities they enjoy, but
> measurement, and the feedback and sense of accomplishment from improving
> their numbers is something that they get positive feelings from which help
> counteract the negative feelings from an unpleasant activity that doesn't
> produce immediate tangible results

I see your point.

> although, for people whose challenge is overwork, measurement can be an
> early signal that an imbalance is occurring that might be visible before
> tangible harm, so it could be useful for people whose situation is more like
> yours

So a fitness app could use tracking to alert me when I need to take a break
from work and repeatedly prod me to get exercise? I'd smash it and then I'd
need an anger management app to help me cope with my fitness app. ;)

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shasheene
Anybody have any success connecting the app to Strava?

I'm _really_ not a fan of the logo. Makes the app look like a different kind
of app. Should be change it to something that's more associated with fitness
at first glance.

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VLM
Does it link to "Google Health"? It might be interesting to have exercise data
in an electronic medical record format.

~~~
anigbrowl
It would be if they were still operating GH. That had the potential to be a
massively useful product; I spent a few days putting all my records from the
last several years into it and building a comprehensive EHR that belonged to
me, instead of a hospital. I loved it and would cheerfully have paid
subscription fees, but Google just nuked it with virtually no explanation.

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thro1237
I meticulously entered my lab results, height, weight, etc into Google health
few years back. And they promptly discontinued the service. What is the
guarantee that this will not meet the same faith? I am not buying into this
unless they make it open source -- so that somebody else can take over when
Google loses interest.

~~~
dragonwriter
> What is the guarantee that this will not meet the same faith?

There's generally no guarantee that _any_ service _anyone_ provides won't be
discontinued. Either (1) the service provider is prepared to jettison services
that end up becoming net money losers (and thus, its services are at risk of
being discontinued voluntarily), or (2) the service provider is not
particularly concerned about being able to sustain itself (and thus, its
services are at an elevated risk of being discontinued involuntarily).

There is not a third option.

> I am not buying into this unless they make it open source -- so that
> somebody else can take over when Google loses interest.

Open sourcing the implementation is kind of orthogonal to providing a
transition path for the data so that what has been captured for any user can
move to a new provider's system. It is neither necessary _nor_ sufficient for
that.

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neves
The integration with other apps is still vaporware:
[http://officialandroid.blogspot.com.br/2014/10/google-
fit.ht...](http://officialandroid.blogspot.com.br/2014/10/google-
fit.html?showComment=1414534414331#c5438504173420008740)

------
macu
It's clearly a product very early in development. I'm surprised Google
released such a minimal product in such an important domain, but willing to
give it a chance, feed it data and see how it matures.

~~~
dragonwriter
> I'm surprised Google released such a minimal product in such an important
> domain

I'm not -- they need to have _some_ data aggregation/presentation front-end to
encourage manufacturers and source-data-feeding app vendors to integrate with
the back-end. Once they do that, there'll be more incentive for more
presentation front-end work (both by Google and by third-parties -- that's the
whole point of an open platform.)

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phreeza
[http://fit.google.com/](http://fit.google.com/) is giving me a 502 error
right now...

~~~
tarellel
Try using: [https://fit.google.com/](https://fit.google.com/)

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Istof
I'm surprised that the title of the article hasn't been fixed yet since
everyone seem to agree that it isn't comprehensive.

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zyxley
So... how long before they discontinue this, too?

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kolev
Can't measure up to Exist [1]!

[1] [https://exist.io/](https://exist.io/)

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puzzlingcaptcha
Is it possible to import data/interface with Google's My Tracks?

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executive
maybe this will spur FitBit to get on board with GFit and Health.app

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nathansobo
Look at your body in the mirror.

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zenciadam
It's _not_ comprehensive.

What about people who do things which require real athleticism or strength?

~~~
darkstar999
They have better ways of tracking their info.

~~~
zenciadam
Then it's not comprehensive.

