It took us a bit longer than expected - the viruses seem extra persistent this winter, and then the feature turned out trickier than first expected, but nonetheless we are here now, and happy to present our version of cardio fitness.
NEW METRIC - Cardio Fitness aka VO₂ Max
VO₂ max measures how efficiently our body uses oxygen during exercise - and that efficiency shows up everywhere, from workouts to everyday energy and how easily we move through daily tasks. It makes most sense when looked at as a trend, not an isolated number - consider it as another piece of the complex puzzle that is you.
Your smartwatch estimates cardio fitness from recorded outdoor walks, runs, and hikes. You can compare your monthly trend to your average resting heart rate, steps, activity duration, activity energy, and distance - month by month, going back years. When you record any of the three activity types consistently, you will start to observe what behaviour impacts it, how changes impact you, and whether how you feel actually matches what you see.
One thing worth knowing before you dive in: the estimate is most meaningful for those who run or hike regularly. If walking is your main outdoor activity, the estimate can skew higher than your actual running fitness would support. If your main activities are elsewhere - cycling, swimming, gym - the number may not reflect your actual cardiovascular fitness. The trend over time tends to be more telling than any single figure.
Find Cardio Fitness in the Wellbeing section of your Streak tab.
And a little reminder. Having the stats and data is fun and helpful, but don’t let yourself be dictated by it. YOU are the best, most accurate and reliable source of information on yourself. Gentler Streak, like any other wellness app, should be there to help build a better connection with yourself, not replace it - for you to notice changes in your body faster, understand the cause and effect better, and then based on that take decisions that truly support you. That’s what we’d like to achieve.
If Gentler Streak’s been useful, a quick App Store review reaaally helps. It means people hear about it from you, not just from us insisting how great it is.
Got feedback? We read and reply to every message, so feel free to reach out.
Email: support@gentlerstories.com
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Thank you for exploring your fitness with us!