How do you use your Apple Watch to track your fitness?

I’m trying to lose weight and have been using my Apple Watch to help track my progress. Lately, I’ve hit a bit of a wall, even though I’m still logging my workouts. It made me wonder how to make better use of all the features my Apple Watch offers to get a clearer picture of my overall fitness and make smarter choices about nutrition and training. I’m especially looking to get a better understanding of my Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE).

Since we’re all using Apple Watches here, I’d love to know how you’re using yours for fitness tracking.

Here are some things I’d like to know more about:

  1. Apple Watch and Food Tracking: How do you use your Apple Watch to help with nutrition? Are you using any apps to track your meals, and if so, how does that fit in with your Apple Watch data?
  2. Beyond the Basics: Other than the activity rings, what specific metrics from your Apple Watch do you find useful for tracking progress and making smart decisions (heart rate, sleep data, HRV, VO2 max, etc.)?
  3. Understanding TDEE: Do you feel like your Apple Watch gives an accurate estimate of your TDEE? How do you use that information to adjust your eating and workouts?
  4. Tracking Workouts: What apps are you using with your Apple Watch to track workouts? (Hevy, Strava, Nike Run Club, etc.) How does your watch data improve how you see your training progress?
  5. Breaking Through Plateaus: Has your Apple Watch helped you get past a fitness plateau? What changes did you make based on the data that helped you get moving again?

My Situation: I’ve been tracking my workouts regularly, but I feel stuck. I’m hoping by using more features of my Apple Watch and maybe adding some apps, I can get a better understanding of my body’s needs and make the adjustments needed to keep progressing.

What about you? What Apple Watch features, data points, or app combinations have helped you reach your fitness goals? Any tips for someone trying to optimize their watch for better nutrition and workout tracking?

Thanks for any help you can share!

@Xavi
I recommend using Cronometer. A lot of the good features on MyFitnessPal, like the barcode scanner, now require a subscription.

Do you have Apple Fitness+? Honestly, the best use of my Apple Watch has been making workouts more fun. I especially love cardio sessions on the treadmill or bike with Emily. She’s super energetic, and her Ted Lasso quotes always get me going.

@Finnian
YES! Fitness+ made my workouts so much more enjoyable. I never thought I’d enjoy working out this much before.

My watch tracks my sleep and tells me if I’m getting sick or if something’s off. My heart rate is always spot on too. There aren’t any built-in features for what you’re asking though.

I use Strava to log my activity. The heart rate monitor has been especially helpful when hiking. I keep my heart rate at a certain level while climbing a local logging road. You can read more about that here: link.

I only use my watch to log workouts. Then I use MyFitnessPal on my phone to track my calories. I add running and cycling to the app for calorie tracking, but I don’t count the random ‘move’ calories it says I burned, like when I’m cleaning or walking from the car to work. The watch is just for tracking running, cycling, and weight lifting. Everything else I do on other apps.