Apple wants to help you stay – or get – fit in 2026
The start of a new year is often seen as a reason for starting new routines, ditching bad habits, and improving health. And, of course, there are plenty of companies ready to jump on the “new year, new you” bandwagon to provide tools, ideas and apps; and Apple is no different.
The company has announced new programs for Apple Fitness+ which it says will help to transform the fitness of Apple Watch owners. In addition to new workout programs, there are also new playlists from featured artists to help with motivation.
Sticking with the idea of gamifying fitness, Apple is giving Apple Watch owners the opportunity to earn an exclusive new award. By simply closing all three Activity rings for seven days in a row in January, it is possible to bag the Ring in the New Year limited-edition award.
But it is not just those with an Apple Watch who get access to extras like this. Apple says:
For the first time, Strava users with an Apple Watch can also participate in a special “Quit Quitting” challenge in the Strava app throughout the month of January to help motivate them to stay active and committed. After joining the challenge, users who log 12 workouts anytime within the month will earn an Apple Watch badge in the Strava app.
Apple is clearly looking to ease people into the new year gently, as the new fitness programs are not available immediately. If you feel that you would benefit from a few days of recovery after celebrating the arrival of 2026, you have indeed been given a few days grace:
Starting January 5, Apple Fitness+ introduces four brand-new workout programs that offer users weekly training plans to help take the guesswork out of how to reach their goals. The Artist Spotlight series launches new workouts with full playlists featuring KAROL G and Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show superstar Bad Bunny. And this season of Time to Walk features new episodes with Penn Badgley, Mel B, and Michelle Monaghan.
Apple is keen to make much of its own fitness program, pointing to the fact that its own data shows that Apple Watch owners buck the trend of people starting a new year fitness program and then quickly losing motivation. The company says:
Many people give up their New Year’s fitness resolutions by the second Friday in January, also known as Quitter’s Day. A new analysis of data contributed by approximately 100,000 participants in the Apple Heart and Movement Study over four years identified participants with Apple Watch consistently keep up their exercise levels through Quitter’s Day and beyond.
Each year, following a decrease in average exercise minutes during the November and December holiday period, the average daily exercise minutes of Apple Watch users in the study not only rapidly increased in January, but also continued to progress into the spring. During the first two weeks of January, over 60 percent of Apple Watch users increased their daily exercise minutes by over 10 percent from their December average. Notably, many Apple Watch users kept up those exercise levels through Quitter’s Day and into the following months. Nearly 80 percent of those who increased their exercise minutes maintained those increased exercise levels through the second half of January, with 90 percent of that group also maintaining elevated levels through February and March.
Whether you are interested in yoga, meditation, strength programs or improving stamina with HIIT, there is something for pretty much everyone here. You can find full details of everything Apple has to offer in its blog post here.
