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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Toronto chapter.

Edited by Tasmiyah Randeree

Let me preface this by saying that I’m not a die-hard Apple junkie. After using MacBooks for school my entire life, I chose to switch to a Windows laptop when I started attending UofT. I’m capable of leaving behind Apple products when it’s time to.

Of course, I’m also fairly saturated with Apple otherwise: Apple Watch Series 1, AirPods, Beats Studio Wireless, iPod Shuffle, and an iPhone X. Getting past the novelty of using a smartwatch and the cringe factor of AirPods – and Apple Watches, but that’s died down a little, right? Right?- I find myself relying mostly on these devices for exercise.

Since new iPhones have just been unveiled, the iPhone XS, XR, and XS Max, now seemed as good a time as any to share my experiences with the devices I’m familiar with, as part of my fitness and health routines. Hopefully, I can help you figure out if these devices are right for you.

When I say fitness, I mean using these devices for outdoor running, indoor cardio and strength training. I pick up heavy things and put them down, that sort of thing. Not the hardcore iron regime that many fitness lovers prefer. 

My wireless Beats are pretty much just used for studying. I think they’re ideal for me; that being said, any over-ear wireless, noise cancelling headphones would suffice. It’s not Apple makes the best headphones I just so happen to have Beats. 

So in light of my fitness routine, here are some of the best and worst functions these devices have: 

Apple Watch, Series 1

  • Calories Burned:

    • The Apple Watch is equipped with a heart monitor. It’s not as accurate as one that can make contact with your torso, but it will estimate cardio calories burned depending on your body measurements and the type of exercise you’re doing, since it comes preprogrammed with a selection of cardio options.

  • Cardio and Strength:
    • When doing strength conditioning, calories aren’t all burned during the workout like they are with cardio, as your body is doing a lot to repair and recover after the workout. So, I treat these counts as an underestimate and a means of tracking the intensity of my workouts, as well as the time I spend working out.
  • Quantifying:
    • Distance measurements on the Apple Watch are pretty accurate. Whether I’m running on tracks or courses, it’s fantastic for measuring my distance and pace. Again, I use calorie count for an intensity reference, if I should go faster or if I should consider taking a break because I’ve pushed myself too hard, that sort of thing. The heart rate feature is also good a reference for intensity goals.
  • Music:
    • Adjusting my music or volume from my Watch while leaving my phone behind as I exercising has made my routine more efficient.
  • Daily Goals and Activity:
    • The Apple Watch features three daily goals and it tracks you too if you want: Move, Exercise, and Stand. Move helps you set weekly goals for Active Calories. Exercise encourages thirty minutes of brisk activity daily, even if it’s just picking up the pace while walking or climbing Con Hall stairs. Stand reminds you to stand for at least a minute every hour during 12 different hours of the day. All of these goals have wheelchair-friendly alternatives and you can adjust your Move goal. Plus, your watch can help you determine a new one weekly if you want. I try to treat these as baselines or minimums to hit daily, but when exam season rolls around, the reminder to just stand up and walk for a minute is especially welcome. There are also a bunch of badges and achievements to discover or unlock within the Activity app, and like a participation trophy or golden star sticker, well, it’s a sweet touch of immediate gratification.
  • Breathe:
    • A built-in app, Breathe, encourages regular mindfulness, meditation and breathing exercises, even if it’s just a minute every few hours. It’s really simple and easy to use and I love that I have a constant reminder to keep me mindful and calm. There is an abundance of apps that do the same thing as Breathe, but because this is built-in, it’s really convenient and so I have an easy way to deal with my high-stress levels during exam season. 
  • Drawbacks:
    • While the Apple Watch Series 2 and 3 can handle laps in the pool, they aren’t fully waterproof to the extent that they can last during a water sports event. Personally, this isn’t much of an issue for me which is odd because I’m Hawaiian and it’s unusual that I am not a water sports lover.
    • The battery life is quite poor. By the end of a long day and a long workout, my battery is in the red. I always a keep a normal watch on me in case my Apple Watch dies. The only consolation is that the device charges at a fast speed. 
    • They’re still pretty useless without an iPhone.
  • Is the Apple Watch for you?
    • If you have the money and are getting into the fitness scene, this device is for you especially if you already own other Apple devices like an iPhone.
    • That being said, while I appreciate the convenience of the countless features the Apple Watch has to offer, I honestly think its more of a toy, an expensive toy. 

AirPods

  • Double Tap

    • Cross-country taught me that it’s dangerous to entirely tune out my surroundings when I exercise so whether I’m running outside or if I’m in the gym I like knowing that at any time I can be made aware of my surround. The AirPod’s double tap feature can easily turn off or pause my audio as well as call on Siri, turn to the next track or go to the previous track. The double tap feature can be personalized to a person’s preference.

  • Connectivity
    • The minute I pull my AirPods out of their case, they connect to my phone automatically. I can also view the battery life of my AirPods on my phone which stops them from ever being on the brink of death. 
  • Wireless
    • After forgetting my iPod shuffle in Toronto over the summer one year, wireless was on my mind. I had seen a lot of people back in Hawaii wearing AirPods and after testing them out for myself I saw that they stayed in really well, whether I was sprinting, jogging, benching or squatting, they stayed in. 
  • Drawbacks:
    • They’re small and easy to lose track of if you’re clumsy. I haven’t lost mine yet but I have misplaced them for a moment before.
    • Unlike the Watch and other major Apple Devices, there aren’t any security features. Here’s to hoping they don’t get stolen.
    • The fact that it does not fully cancel outside noise might be considered a drawback for some, though I prefer still being aware of my surroundings. 
  • Are the AirPods for you?
    • If you want wireless and can afford the AirPods, I say why not?
    • If you want good sound quality but you don’t want to be cut off entirely from the outside world, this is for you. 

iPhone

  • Music

    • I love my Spotify playlists which is why I always take my phone with me when I exercise! There is also a ton of other music apps that an iPhone gives you access to, but then again so do most smartphones. 

  • My program
    • I always have a screenshot of my workout program on my phone so if I forget what comes next, I can easily check up.
  • Apple Watch
    • The Activity app can be viewed in greater detail on your phone: you can view how much exercise you’ve done for the day, how many steps you’ve taken and how many achievements you’ve unlocked. There is also a detailed heart rate and heart rate recovery chart to view alongside various other elements your watch and phone track.
  • Health App
    • This is a hub for all things health tracking which I can’t say I’ve fully explored. If there’s something you want to track, it’s probably there. This is also where Medical ID information can be found like emergency contacts, allergies etc. 
  • Drawbacks:
    •  I love my iPhone so I really can’t think of any. 
  • Is the iPhone for you?
    • I love my iPhone and it integrates really well with my Watch especially in terms of fitness. There probably are a bunch of other devices that do the same thing as an iPhone so I would say its personal preference.  

 

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Lauren Levy

U Toronto '21

Lauren is a second year undergraduate from Hawai'i at the University of Toronto working on a Neuroscience major, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology major, and English minor. She is passionate about research, fitness and health, social justice, and the environment, and developed a background in public speaking through Public Forum Debate in high school. Lauren loves tea, concerts and music festivals, fitness, attending conferences and presentations, macarons, brush lettering and other stationery-related art, and sharing aloha spirit.