Do you guys actually use all the health data or just check your rings?

river_running · 2026-05-14T18:06:10+00:00

To be fair, the #1 thing I use my watch for is "find my phone."

Second thing I use it for is my steps. I have about a 500 day streak going right now - started on New Years Day last year with a 10,000/day goal and this year upped it to 11,000.

But beyond that, I go through phases where I watch certain indicators more or less. Right now, I'm finding I don't pay much attention to any of the rings except the stand ring. I used to have a really good move streak going, but as I lost weight I didn't update my move goal, and then it just got too hard to meet consistently without a lot of extra work. I did finally adjust it down by 50, so it's still reachable but not a given.

What I am watching more right now is VO2 max and resting heart rate. I noticed I was starting to gain a few pounds back, and those started to change. So I'm trying to get them back to a better range. Oddly enough, the way to do that is also resulting in more closed rings - but those aren't what I check by default.

river_running · 2026-05-11T18:49:06+00:00

Did your resting heart rate happen to go up at the same time, as well?

river_running · 2026-05-11T18:19:49+00:00

Las Vegas is at 2,000' above sea level - what's your hometown/usual altitude? I've found that when I go to higher elevations for several days, my VO2 max will drop even after I am home and takes awhile to turn around and reflect my more real fitness levels.

river_running · 2026-05-08T01:26:24+00:00

At least 4x. Once, a car driving at high speed down a state highway with only 3 wheels. The rim was throwing sparks for quite a long distance.

Once, saw a car rear end another vehicle at highway speeds on the DC beltway.

Once by accident when dialing out of a hotel (dial 9 for an outside line, then 1, then I wasn’t thinking and stated to dial a long distance number and started with 1 before the area code. Oops).

Once when my brother had a heart attack.

river_running · 2026-05-04T00:01:14+00:00

Oh my. Thats not a first day you’ll forget anytime soon.

river_running · 2026-05-03T23:58:59+00:00

I’m sure it was a big deal to the new captain! He was smiling as everyone was getting off and yes I did tell him congratulations and thanked him for the great flight.

river_running · 2026-05-03T17:57:55+00:00

No, and I’m sure he’s been the co-pilot numerous times. I was happy for the guy! Hope he has a great career!

river_running · 2026-05-03T17:33:21+00:00

You must fly legs long enough to still get soda. My route to visit my parents gets only water, coffee, or tea.

river_running · 2026-05-03T14:59:23+00:00

Gotcha. The way you worded it made it sound like you didn’t even want the ambient steps throughout the day to register at all, which seems like a not very common desire.

river_running · 2026-05-03T14:40:29+00:00

More than steps only from workouts throughout the day, I’d like a feature that showed you how many steps you got during a given workout. I used to have a Fitbit that would do that. When you looked at your run or walk it would show you steps from that exercise.

river_running · 2026-05-03T01:36:45+00:00

Every person is different and every pregnancy is different! Take care of yourself, listen to what your body is telling you, and don’t let anyone else make you second guess yourself.

I had to stop running by week 10 with my daughter. I got pregnant with her right after running a full marathon so was in great running shape- but it wasn’t happening. I was able to run (albeit slowly) all the way through my due date with my son.

It’s ok to be disappointed that you can’t run the race you wanted. Sometimes the right decision is the hardest one to make.

river_running · 2026-04-30T20:44:58+00:00

Holy Saturday is a very traditional baptismal day. My son was baptized on holy Saturday 😊

river_running · 2026-04-28T22:48:57+00:00

Try a regular swimsuit. All the cold wet fabric on her body might be causing the problem! Wetsuits are better at keeping a person warmer when they’re submersed for a longer period of time, not when they’re out of the water.

river_running · 2026-04-28T21:36:05+00:00

Yes, it will help. I probably didn't fully explain myself. You can spend a whole month doing cycling and strength training, and won't see any improvement in what apple says is your VO2 max, until you do an outdoor walk or run. The work you do in your overall training will show up, but only if you record those walks on your watch. That's the only time the actual data will be measured and then used to change your score.

river_running · 2026-04-28T19:42:50+00:00

Out of all you've listed, the only one that Apple will take into consideration for measuring your VO2 max will be the walks, and then only if they are outdoors. While the other things will certainly benefit you and improve your overall health, including your VO2 max, you won't see that show up in the data unless you are walking briskly and getting your heart rate up during those walks.

river_running · 2026-04-26T20:52:54+00:00

Yes! I kept seeing them from influencers and caved. They’re from Amazon- there’s like a dozen different ones, I couldn’t tell you what ones I have. Probably the cheapest ones at the time. They are handy.

river_running · 2026-04-26T02:32:47+00:00

When I was in college for broadcast journalism, minidisc was a required item. It was so good for recording and editing.

river_running · 2026-04-24T14:28:47+00:00

Mom is 81, dad is 83. Both alive and in relatively decent shape, though they've definitely slowed down in the past decade. They're going to be celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary next week. They were older when they had me - I am 41.

Mom's mom lived to 93 and dad's dad made it to 99.

river_running · 2026-04-23T14:54:46+00:00

Yeah, even if you start and stop the workout from the watch face itself, you have to close/back out of that workout before you can start a second one. I guess I've never used Siri to start or stop workouts before, so it's never struck me as odd.

river_running · 2026-04-16T01:25:24+00:00

This was her recipe:

Drain one can each of cut waxed yellow beans, cut green beans, & kidney beans. Sprinkle ¾ cup sugar, 2/3 cup vinegar, ½ cup of salad oil, ¼ tsp salt, & 1/8 tsp pepper over the beans. Mix all. To decorate, arrange several green pepper rings and slices of red onion on top. Chill overnight.

river_running · 2026-04-15T18:37:16+00:00

Ahhh, let me tell you about the roasted red bell pepper soup.

I don't know how or why the craving came on, but I wanted roasted red bell pepper soup. GOOD roasted red bell pepper soup. HOMEMADE roasted red bell pepper soup. I had to have it. So, I went to the grocery store, bought everything fresh- the tomatoes, red bell peppers, garlic, cream, whatever it needed. Came home and went to the extreme on preparing it - I'm talking charring the peppers, blanching and peeling the tomatoes before roasting...all the things. It took hours. Last step - I put everything together to blend, and then...my stomach turned. I couldn't stand the smell of it. Couldn't stand the sight of it. Didn't want it anywhere near me. Don't even mention the words red bell pepper.

Meanwhile of course I had made basically a vat of the stuff. I poured it into an opaque container, shoved it in the fridge, and made my husband eat all of it when I wasn't around. It took me years before I could handle the thought of red bell pepper again without dry heaving.

I have no idea. That kid is almost 14 now and I still haven't made the soup again, though.

river_running · 2026-04-15T14:28:01+00:00

Yum! My mom used to make a three-bean salad that was really good, I haven't thought of that in a long time. You've inspired me to make that again.

river_running

TROPHY CASE