Apple expands motivation tools to help users stay active all year
Apple is positioning Apple Watch as a central fitness and health companion for 2026, introducing new workout programs, challenges, and content across Apple Fitness+ designed to help users stay consistent with their goals.
Apple Watch continues to provide daily activity motivation to millions of users worldwide, combining workout tracking, health insights, and behavioral nudges to encourage long-term habits rather than short-lived resolutions.
Apple Watch users stay active beyond “Quitter’s Day”
New analysis from the Apple Heart and Movement Study shows that Apple Watch users tend to increase their exercise levels in January and maintain them well beyond the early weeks of the year. While many people abandon fitness goals by mid-January, participants wearing Apple Watch consistently sustained higher activity levels through February and March.
More than 60 percent of users increased their daily exercise minutes by over 10 percent in early January, with nearly 80 percent maintaining that increase through the second half of the month.
Limited-edition awards and Strava challenge
To kick off the year, Apple Watch users can earn a limited-edition “Ring in the New Year” award by closing all three Activity rings for seven consecutive days in January.
For the first time, Apple Watch users can also participate in a special “Quit Quitting” challenge on Strava. Participants who log 12 workouts during January earn an Apple Watch badge within the Strava app.
Four new Apple Fitness+ training programs
Starting January 5, Apple Fitness+ introduces four structured, multiweek workout programs designed to simplify training and build consistency:
- Make Your Fitness Comeback: A four-week plan featuring 10-minute Strength, HIIT, and Yoga workouts three times per week.
- Build a Yoga Habit in 4 Weeks: Two 10-minute yoga flows per week focused on flexibility, stress reduction, and stability.
- Back-to-Back Strength and HIIT: Three 20-minute sessions per week pairing strength and cardio in a continuous format.
- Strength Basics in 3 Weeks: A beginner-friendly program launching January 12, focused on proper technique and foundational strength movements.
Music-driven workouts and new Time to Walk guests
The Artist Spotlight series returns with new workouts featuring music from KAROL G starting January 5. Additional Bad Bunny workouts arrive in February, aligned with the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show.
The next season of Time to Walk launches January 19, featuring new episodes with actor Penn Badgley, Mel B, and Michelle Monaghan, offering motivational stories, music, and reflections during guided walks.
Personalized fitness across Apple devices
Apple Fitness+ is available on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV, with enhanced experiences when paired with Apple Watch or AirPods. Users can follow personalized Custom Plans or build their own schedules based on workout preferences, duration, and trainers.
Apple Watch continues to support a broad range of fitness and health tracking features, including workout metrics, sleep tracking, heart health insights, training load, and activity trends, helping users make informed decisions about their health throughout the year.