Apple Fitness+ – is it worth it?

My love for Apple products and services continues! 🥴

I recently decided to try out Apple’s new offering – Fitness+. Why? Good question! If you’ve been following me on social media for a while, you’d know how important it is to me to keep fit and stay healthy since a wake-up call in 2016. Prioritising my health has become a habit that has been going on strong for a couple of years! I’m proud of myself for committing to it all those years ago and spending at least an hour or so each day exercising.

Although Fitness+ is mostly aimed at those that perhaps need a little extra push and motivation, I decided to try it out primarily for variety. Before this, I’d been doing similar workouts for the past few years. I was keen to start something new!) I have to say – it’s been kicking my butt and challenging me in new ways.

I’m hooked.

For those that are unfamiliar with Apple Fitness+, here’s a quick summary:

Apple Fitness+ is a new fitness service powered by Apple Watch. You can choose from a catalogue of workouts led by expert trainers. In-session metrics, like heart rate and calories burned, are synced to your iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV, so you don’t have to take your eyes away from your workout to see how you’re doing.

Are you considering trying it out this year? I’ve listed some of the pros and cons of my experience so far. I hope that this post helps you see if it’s right for you!

---

Getting Started

• You can use Fitness+ on your iPhone, iPad or Apple TV
• To get started with a workout, make sure you’ve updated your Fitness app (formerly named Activity) a new tab should appear in the middle of the app for Fitness+
• Make sure your Apple Watch is linked to your account, this is to ensure that everything is synced up properly. The best part (in my opinion) of using Fitness+ is how it is all synced up with your Apple Watch. With that said, if you don’t have an Apple Watch but have an iPhone, iPad or Apple TV – you can still use it!

What I love about Fitness+

The thing I love the most about Fitness+ is seeing my rings and progress throughout a workout. I’m crazy over how it is in sync with my Apple Watch. 😍 I fully sound like I’ve been sucked into the Apple Ecosystem. I mean, I’m not going to deny it 😂 I’m in love!

The workouts themselves are a fantastic variety. From HIIT, strength, yoga, cycling and more! There’s everything for everyone. Each Activity I’ve done so far have always been led by enthusiastic instructors who have got me all pumped at 7 am. My favourites are Betina Gozo and Jessica Skye.

At the end of each workout, the instructors reminded me to keep moving and close my rings was so lovely. It’s that touch that dropped me into the Apple Ecosystem even more! 😂

No more scrolling endlessly on YouTube for a yoga routine to do. When I got into yoga again in 2020, YouTube was my primary source for instructors. There were times I got bored of doing the same routine so I’d spend a few minutes before a workout looking for the right one to do. The mornings’ decision fatigue was exhausting at times, but with Fitness+, I jump on the app, head over to the Yoga section, and play one that I hadn’t played before. Without overthinking if it was a “good” session because I pretty much know the quality, I’m getting at this point.

With my iCloud Family Subscription, I’ve been able to share the love for Fitness+ with my equally fitness-obsessed family without the extra cost.

A sense of community. I’ve missed the gym terribly since last March. One of my favourite parts of going to the gym was working out alongside other people. I didn’t attend that many classes at all, but just being at the gym, at the same time every day, seeing the usuals early morning and giving them that “nod” made my day. 😂

Don’t get me wrong, though! Being alone in my apartment and working out has been great when avoiding creepy men staring at you. But at the same time, that sense of “we’re all at the gym working to be the best version of ourselves that we can be” has been lost since COVID. Working out on Fitness+ reminded me of how awesome it is seeing other people work out with you (and not just the instructor!)

What I hate about Fitness+

The price of £9.99 is steep for what it is. But that’s Apple for you. 🤷🏻‍♀️

If you’re thinking of working out using your TV, you can’t. Unless you have Apple TV, you can’t use your TV to stream the videos. This feature has been the most infuriating thing about Fitness+, where one of the most significant use cases is working out in your living room in front of your TV. WHY force everyone to use Apple TV when streaming it via Chromecast or other streaming services on your TV would do?

I have Chromecast (the 4K version) and a *perfect* TV with shiny lights and a Netflix button on my remote control in my apartment. I straight up refuse* to buy Apple TV to use Fitness+ with it, when I have everything I need from my TV and Chromecast. Dang it, Apple.

I’ve been playing the videos on my iPad, which is significantly better than my iPhone XS Max, but I would still obviously prefer to use my TV. It’s frustrating that Apple has operated it this way! I’ve been keeping an eye on chatter on Reddit for any potential updates in the future. Fingers crossed!

*Don’t you dare show a moment of weakness, Pauline.* 😂

---

Will I keep it?

Overall, I’ve enjoyed using Apple’s Fitness+ over the seven days free trial period. I’ve jumped the gun and bought myself a monthly subscription now as well. I decided not to get an annual subscription, just if I decided to cancel it down the line this year.

Apart from the most frustrating thing about Fitness+, i.e. Apple trying to force you to use their Apple TV product that nobody likes, I’m pretty happy with it and hope to continue to use it throughout 2021 as I switch it up with my workout routine. I don’t have any specific goals this year, but I want to keep up my commitment to a healthier, happier me by prioritising my health.

If you’d like to be Apple Watch friends, let me know! That sense of community and healthy competition is what my Watch thrives off. 😉

Thanks for reading, and don’t forget to #CloseYourRings.