Boost Your 2026 Fitness Goals with Google Fit: How Chromebook and Android Users Can Track Progress

Key Points

• Fitbit users take fewer steps and get less sleep on holidays like Christmas and New Year’s Day
• The holidays can cause increased stress and decreased recovery, as shown by heart rate variability data
• Our bodies tend to move in sync with the seasons, with more rest in colder months and more movement in warmer weather

As we start the new year, many of us are trying to get back on track with our health and fitness goals. To help with this, we looked at data from over 11 million Fitbit users who shared their sleep and activity data over the past three and a half years. This data gives us a unique insight into how the holidays affect our health and wellness.

One of the key findings was that we tend to take fewer steps on holidays like Christmas and New Year’s Day. On average, users took 1,750 fewer steps on Christmas Day and 1,500 fewer steps on New Year’s Day compared to the rest of the year. This decrease in activity can have a negative impact on our overall health and wellness.

The data also showed that our bodies struggle to recover during the holidays. Heart rate variability, which measures how well our body is recovering, decreased by 11% on Christmas Day and 18% on New Year’s Day. This decrease in heart rate variability, combined with an increase in resting heart rate, indicates higher levels of stress. However, the good news is that once our regular routines resume, our bodies are able to recover quickly.

Our data also revealed that our bodies tend to move in sync with the seasons. We naturally lean into rest during the colder months and are more active in warmer weather. On average, we sleep 16 minutes more in winter than in summer. This is important to keep in mind when setting health and fitness goals, as it’s essential to listen to our bodies and not push ourselves too hard during the winter months.

To help with this, eligible Fitbit users can try setting a new step goal for themselves in the Fitbit app. Premium users can also work with the new Fitbit personal health coach to create a customized routine and track their progress. By reflecting on our past data and being mindful of our bodies’ natural rhythms, we can set ourselves up for success in achieving our health and fitness goals for the new year.

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