Have you ever completed a 60-minute workout , but noticed that your "Exercise Time" habit in Habitify only shows 40 minutes, or sometimes nothing at all?
This is a very common point of confusion, and it's not a bug. It's due to the important difference between two separate data types that Apple Health tracks: "Workouts" and "Exercise Minutes."
This guide will explain the difference and show you how to track your activity correctly.
The Key Difference: "Workout" vs. "Exercise Minutes"
It’s easy to assume these are the same, but Apple Health treats them very differently.
What is a "Workout"?
A "Workout" is simply a timed session that you manually start and stop in the Workout app (or a third-party app like Strava). The duration of a "Workout" is the total time from when you pressed "Start" to when you pressed "End."
Example: You start a "Strength Training" workout. You exercise for 45 minutes but take several short rest periods. The total logged "Workout" duration will be 45 minutes.
What is "Exercise Minute"?
"Exercise Minute" (the green ring on your Apple Watch) is a metric that Apple calculates automatically based on your intensity level. You earn an "Exercise Minute" for every full minute of activity that equals or exceeds the intensity of a brisk walk. Apple uses your heart rate and movement data to determine this.
Example (continued): During your 45-minute "Strength Training" workout, your heart rate was only consistently elevated for 25 minutes (the other 20 minutes were rest periods). In this case, Apple Health will only grant you 25 "Exercise Minutes," even though your "Workout" was 45 minutes long.
You can also earn "Exercise Minute" without even starting a formal workout, for example, by running to catch a bus or walking quickly up a flight of stairs.
How Habitify Syncs with Apple Health
The "Exercise Time" habit template in Habitify is specifically designed to sync with one data type: "Exercise Minutes."
It does not sync with the total duration of your logged "Workout" sessions. This is why you often see a discrepancy between the length of your workout and the time that appears in Habitify.
The Solution: Choose the Right Habit for Your Goal
If your goal is to close your green Exercise Ring: You are using the correct setup! Continue to use the "Exercise Time" habit linked to Apple Health. The number you see in Habitify will match the number of minutes on your green ring.
If you goal is to track the total duration of a specific activity (like only your runs): Create a new habit, but instead of "Exercise Time," choose the exact habit template that matches your activity's name (e.g., "Running," "Swimming," "Strength Training"). Then, set a duration goal (minutes or hours) and link it to Apple Health.
If your goal is to track the total duration of your workouts: The automated "Exercise Time" sync will not work for this. Instead, you should create a manual habit in Habitify (e.g., named "Log My Workout"). After you finish your workout, you can manually check it off or log the total duration.
How to See the Difference in Apple Health
You can see both data types for yourself in the Health app:
Open the Health app on your iPhone.
Tap Browse > Activity.
To see your green ring data, tap on Exercise Minutes.
To see your timed sessions, scroll down and tap on Workouts.
We hope this clears up the confusion and helps you track your fitness goals more accurately.
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