Feeling lost in your fitness journey? Ditching your goals because life keeps getting in the way? You’re not alone. Maybe, just maybe, the answer isn’t a high-tech AI health coach, but something far more human: your friends. I’m what you might call a ‘mid’ runner. I’m not breaking any records, but I’m consistently active, juggling a full-time job, family, and other commitments. And that’s okay! Most of us are ‘mid,’ and that’s perfectly normal.
So, how do you stay on track when a personal trainer feels out of reach, both financially and time-wise? In today’s world, the options seem endless. You could follow the lead of Atlantic CEO Nicholas Thompson and leverage a custom GPT for personalized advice. Or, you could dive into Google’s new AI Health Coach within the Fitbit app, a perk of the $10/month Fitbit Premium subscription.
I decided to give the Fitbit AI Coach a try for three weeks, following Google’s instructions. Here’s a little about me: I coach Girls on the Run at my daughter’s school, where she’s befriended a budding track star aiming for the Junior Olympics. My personal goal? To beat a couple of elementary schoolers in an upcoming 5K – aiming for a 7:30 mile pace. I was feeling pretty confident… until several people suggested I ditch the computer and start talking to real humans.
Let’s Talk Tech (Briefly)
To access Fitbit’s Public Preview (essentially a beta version), you’ll need a Fitbit Premium subscription, an Android phone (Android 11 or higher), and you must be located in the US, using English for both your Fitbit app and your phone’s language settings. You can easily switch between the Public Preview and the regular app version, which is handy because the Coach preview does lack some key features. For example, menstrual health logging, blood glucose tracking, Cardio Fitness scores, and advanced running metrics for Pixel Watch 3 and 4 users are currently missing.
I tested the service with the Pixel Watch 4 on a Pixel 9. While my experience with Fitbit’s Running Coach (launched last year) was so-so, I was more optimistic about the AI Health Coach due to its promise of being more comprehensive and adaptable to my lifestyle.
Now, many seasoned runners will tell you that running success hinges on answering a series of yes/no questions correctly. Can I squeeze in a long run on Saturday if Sunday is packed? Should I push through a light sniffle, or rest? Any extra guidance is welcome. I completed a 10-minute questionnaire covering my goals and available equipment. Fitbit eventually aims to incorporate multimodal actions, like analyzing videos of gym equipment to offer exercise suggestions. Ambitious, right?
Early Stumbles
My initial impressions weren’t stellar. The Coach mistakenly thought I was attending a work conference. Easy fix, though. I simply adjusted treadmill runs and hotel room workouts to outdoor runs and light weightlifting sessions at home.
The Fitbit app allows for live tracking of metrics, or you can sync completed workouts later. I personally prefer the latter. Live tracking stresses me out and often proves inaccurate, especially when navigating my neighborhood without a track.
Fitbit’s running workouts seem to align with Zone 2 training, where you train at 60-70% of your max heart rate to improve cardio fitness. But here’s where it gets controversial… Zone 2 training isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. I’m petite, and my heart rate spikes out of Zone 2 just by listening to Rihanna!
I consulted running coach Beth Baker, who suggested using metrics like the ability to hold a conversation while running, VO2 Max, and recovery time to gauge workout intensity. “I’m not a doctor, but that’s just common sense,” she said.
During my first training week, I told Coach I was feeling sick. It advised me to continue working out if my symptoms were above the neck. (I even repeated this advice to my daughter trying to avoid school!) However, it then adjusted my workouts to frustratingly slow 1.5- or 2-mile runs and refused to revert even when I declared myself healthy.
The Fitbit team acknowledged that the Public Preview might experience “memory expiration and persistence” issues, causing unexpected workout adjustments. To fix it, I had to delete my “sick” statements from the Coach Notes and restore my old fitness settings.
A Glimmer of Hope (and a Touch of the Creeps)
After weeks of tweaking, I finally saw some positive results. The Coach recognized my Sunday yoga and Wednesday rock climbing habits and incorporated them into my weekly plan.
For lifting, it recommended kettlebell swings and glute bridges, excellent exercises for runners. This suggests the Coach draws upon reliable information sources. Google has partnered with NBA star Stephen Curry and other experts to ensure Coach’s advice remains grounded.
But there was a strange undercurrent. When Coach asked what affected my sleep, it was tempting to unload all my health and workout woes. And this is the part most people miss… While Google claims not to use Fitbit data for advertising, I’d still hesitate to share overly sensitive health information with a corporation not bound by HIPAA regulations.
The Intervention Begins
My spouse and friends recoiled when I mentioned my Coach conversations. My husband looked bewildered when I consulted Coach for breakfast ideas. “Doesn’t everyone know carbs before, protein after?” he asked. Another friend suggested I “start talking to more people” when I sought Coach’s help with my macros.
Baker, the running coach, offered another gem: “There’s a sneaky way of getting faster: run with people who are faster than you. It’s uncomfortable at first, but it works every time.”
Many enjoy running’s solitary nature – no schedules, just shoes and the open road. However, human connection is a powerful motivator. I started this project to keep up with my daughter and her friend. The faster I become, the more appealing running with others becomes, compared to relying on a computer program.
While tracking exercises and checking in with Coach was satisfying, I sensed my real-life yoga, rock climbing, and running buddies were staging an intervention.
Your mileage may vary, especially if you’re short on time. But real-time feedback from real people holds immense value. Unlike an AI, a friend can spot your illness, gauge your conversational pace, or recognize when you’re struggling. A real person can also gently nudge you when you’re becoming too reliant on a chatbot.
So, is the future of fitness a personalized AI coach, or the enduring power of human connection? What do you think? Are you comfortable sharing your health data with a tech company for personalized advice? Or do you find more value in the wisdom and support of friends, family, and real-life coaches? Share your thoughts in the comments below!