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Show HN: Simple tool to make a habit of exercising

workoutbff.com

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Re: Show HN: Simple tool to make a habit of exercising

#2

Post by smitty1e »

I drank the Samsung kool-aid, with the Galaxy Sx phone, Gear Active watch, and the Level headphones.

The Health App has been a win. Tracking meals and what have you is straightforward.

But the real win is the gamification of the Global Challenge. While completely meaningless in any real-world sense, somehow keeping the step score and all of the silly achievements and missions help to quantify and motivate.

Recently, via the headphones, I've taken in some outstanding podcasts while out walking. (No specifics, lest I violate the HN orthodoxy.)

Overall, any app that gets us up and moving is a positive thing.

Re: Show HN: Simple tool to make a habit of exercising

#5

Post by nickparker »

I love this and hope to see it succeed. I've always found I work out dramatically more reliably with a little bit of social accountability.

Unfortunately not hopping on as a user because I have a workout partner at the moment, but I've been wishing someone would build this for ages.

Re: Show HN: Simple tool to make a habit of exercising

#6

Post by dominotw »

smitty1e wrote: post #2

I drank the Samsung kool-aid, with the Galaxy Sx phone, Gear Active watch, and the Level headphones. The Health App has been a win. Tracking meals and what have you is straightforward. But the real win is the gamification of the Global Challenge. While completely meaningless in any real-world sense, somehow keeping the step score and all of the silly achievements and missions help to quantify and motivate. Recently,…

This is exactly why duolingo owl has so much power over me. Can't lose my 235 day streak and can't drop out of to a lower league after working so hard to get to that league.

Re: Show HN: Simple tool to make a habit of exercising

#7

Post by ptm »

smitty1e wrote: post #2

I drank the Samsung kool-aid, with the Galaxy Sx phone, Gear Active watch, and the Level headphones. The Health App has been a win. Tracking meals and what have you is straightforward. But the real win is the gamification of the Global Challenge. While completely meaningless in any real-world sense, somehow keeping the step score and all of the silly achievements and missions help to quantify and motivate. Recently,…

Thanks for your review.

> gamification of the Global Challenge.

I have personally experienced how powerful gamification ux can be. Especially if used for a positive outcome.

Re: Show HN: Simple tool to make a habit of exercising

#8

Post by ptm »

dominotw wrote: post #6
smitty1e wrote: post #2

I drank the Samsung kool-aid, with the Galaxy Sx phone, Gear Active watch, and the Level headphones. The Health App has been a win. Tracking meals and what have you is straightforward. But the real win is the gamification of the Global Challenge. While completely meaningless in any real-world sense, somehow keeping the step score and all of the silly achievements and missions help to quantify and motivate. Recently,…

This is exactly why duolingo owl has so much power over me. Can't lose my 235 day streak and can't drop out of to a lower league after working so hard to get to that league.

> duolingo owl has so much power over me.

I use duolingo as well - and one of the saddest days was when I lost a 100+ day streak. It's funny how a meaningless number can have so much power.

Re: Show HN: Simple tool to make a habit of exercising

#9

Post by ptm »

nickparker wrote: post #5

I love this and hope to see it succeed. I've always found I work out dramatically more reliably with a little bit of social accountability. Unfortunately not hopping on as a user because I have a workout partner at the moment, but I've been wishing someone would build this for ages.

Thanks for your review.

> I work out dramatically more with a little bit of social accountability.

I have experienced the same myself, and suspect that it is true for most people.

Re: Show HN: Simple tool to make a habit of exercising

#10

Post by thekyle »

One critique I have is that it seems like it's binary whether you complete a task on any given day which doesn't work well if you only partially complete something.

For example, lets say I set a goal to walk for 1 hour per day. But then I only walk for 30 minutes, how would the app handle that situation?

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