Stay motivated at home with Samsung Health, tracking wearables and the Galaxy S20

We have a theory about exercise: It sucks. We might just be saying that because we’re all computer nerds who haven’t been to the gym in a while but given the current state of the world, it’s reasonable to assume that most people aren’t going to gym. It’s a real mission to stay fit at home, especially when the motivation isn’t hitting you the right way. Fortunately for everyone Samsung has a whole host of wearable health tech designed to keep you active during these stagnant times. With the Samsung Health app, a Galaxy S20 and just a few extras you’ll never head back to the gym again. Unless you wanna. Let’s start with the app.

Sync Your Schedule

Samsung Health is an incredibly accessible app but still, let’s make sure everything is set up for optimum usage, right? One of the neat things about Samsung Health is how it syncs with nearly every newer Samsung device. You may not want to carry your Galaxy S20 on you at all times (maybe keep that bad boy safe when you’re doing those burpees). You’ll be able to sync it with smaller Samsung devices, to ensure you’re still getting the most out of your workout.

Samsung Health pairs with both the Galaxy Watch Active 2 and the Samsung Galaxy Fit e (for when you want something a little more lightweight). It’s obviously a great idea to sync up your devices if you’re planning to exercise or walk around throughout the day (gotta count all those steps) but having the app handy means that you’ll gain a comprehensive reading on your exercise routine. Look, when you don’t have a gym instructor explaining what everything is doing you’ll want that extra bit of accuracy.

So now that you know where Samsung Health works, you’re probably wondering what exactly the app does. Considering what it offers, it’s probably easier to list what it doesn’t do. You’ll be staggered at the amount of assistance Samsung Health offers, covering everything from exercise and general fitness to diet regulation and expert advice. Let’s go over some of these features, shall we? We know you want to get in there and go fast but any good gym bunny will tell you a workout is pointless unless you’re doing it properly.

Better Yourself

You’ve got the gadgets, now to put them to use. Let’s start with the two options you’ll use most frequently: Vital Measurements and Program Discovery. Samsung Health offers an incredibly robust system of measurements for your vitals that only requires your basic information before it kicks into gear. The app asks how active you are to best optimise the experience to suit your needs. At the very top of the app you’ll gain a better understanding of what vitals it’s exactly monitoring. These include your step goal, exercise, food intake, sleep, weight, heart rate and even stress.

Want something a little more in-depth? “Manage Items” lets you add advanced trackers to the display, including blood pressure, oxygen saturation and caffeine intake. The coolest thing is how the Galaxy S20 can figure out oxygen saturation by scanning a finger while you’re holding your phone. Is this the year 3020? Because is some advanced technology.

After logging all your vitals, you’ll want to get the blood flowing a bit. Samsung Health offers a range of Programs to cater for a variety of fitness needs. These programs cover everything from muscle gain, weight loss, endurance boosting and a whole load more. The app is also great at setting up a schedule for working out, making it easier to keep track of everything you should do. Oh, and it’ll provide notifications as to when you should start and what you should be doing. It’s like a personal trainer without the invasion of your personal bubble.

Looking tasty

Samsung Health is great for the basic stuff but then there are the bonus extended features of the app. For example, the coolest feature of Samsung Health on the Galaxy S20 is the ability to take pictures of your food and have Bixby, the phone’s virtual assistant, scan the meal and add all the nutritional information into your log. Bixby can even give you specific information such as the sorts of vitamins available in the meal and provides a recommended amount for you to eat. Maybe you don’t fancy yourself a photographer? Then just add all the food’s information manually and save it, meaning that if you have the same meal again you can just tap it in your log and have it load the repeat. That’s one way to make sure you always have your eye on your carb intake – even if you’re in the middle of ‘spreading out’ a little due to lockdown.