Wearables specialist Fitbit has released Fitbit Adventures, a new series of ‘personal, non-competitive activity Challenges that are designed to inspire you to move more and reach your health and fitness goals.’
In a release, Fitbit explained ‘With each step logged, you can advance and virtually experience iconic landmarks and trails in Yosemite National Park or participate in the TCS New York City Marathon, while being motivated by fun facts and inspired through immersive breathtaking photography.’
Available globally in the free Fitbit app, Fitbit Challenges aim to motivate users to increase activity, ‘showing how small steps add up to big results’, with Fitbit data demonstrating that users who participate in Challenges move up to around one additional mile per day, on average.
“Fitbit Adventures are the perfect motivation for anyone who may not want to compete in a traditional Fitbit group challenge with friends or family,” said Tim Roberts, Executive Vice President, Interactive at Fitbit.
“These new challenges inspire you to move more through virtual explorations of some of the most captivating environments in the world – places you might not be able to visit otherwise – all powered by your daily step activity. Whether hiking a beautiful trail in one of America’s greatest natural treasures, completing the most iconic marathon in the world, or visiting one of the many exciting destinations yet to come, we believe Adventures truly brings the experience to life.”
Fitbit Adventures is now available today for free through the Fitbit app on Android, iOS and Windows devices, and is compatible with Fitbit’s full family of activity tracking products, including new health and activity trackers announced today: Fitbit Charge 2 and Fitbit Flex 2.
Users can begin their first Fitbit Adventure with one of three trails set in Yosemite National Park, including Pohono Trail, Valley Loop and Vernal Falls. In order to showcase the natural beauty of one of the world’s most treasured national parks and make it immersive, Fitbit partnered with world-class explorer and award-winning photographer, Chris Burkard.
Coming soon, through Fitbit’s unique partnership with New York Road Runners, users will have the opportunity to experience the iconic TCS New York City Marathon. These two Adventures are the first in a series of innovative Challenges being developed by Fitbit, with future updates adding ‘renowned destinations and experiences from around the world that will encourage and motivate users to reach their health and fitness goals.’
In addition to virtually transporting users to a far off land through imagery, each Adventure features a vibrant new interface that lets the user navigate through their journey in the Fitbit app and see how daily steps ‘collectively advance you along the trail’. Along the way, users have the chance to discover the following experiential elements and milestones:
- Trails: Every Adventure has single and multi-day trails that are the same distance as they would be in real life.
- Daily Destinations: Each morning users are challenged to reach a new destination along the trail. The distance to the destination is personalized to historic Fitbit data, ‘making the experience challenging, yet achievable for everyone’. If the users reaches their destination, the next day’s distance is increased slightly to inspire more activity over time.
- Landmarks: are locations along each trail that are unlocked as users progress toward their destination. Once the user has reached a Landmark, via the app they will see ‘beautiful panoramic images taken from the exact same spot.’… ‘Each photograph dynamically adjusts as you rotate your phone, letting you virtually enjoy the moment just as you would if you were really there.’
- Treasures: Uncover and collect hidden Treasures along each trail, like fun facts about the Adventure, health and fitness tips, and mini challenges. For example, the health tip ‘Sit Less, Move More’ encourages users to set an hourly activity goal in the Fitbit app to counteract the negative effects of sedentary time.
The Fitbit platform – consisting of devices, apps, social and motivational features, advice, and personalized coaching – helps users make behavioural changes to be more active, exercise more, eat smarter, track sleep and manage weight. Through Adventures, ‘anyone with the goal of increasing their activity can now do so in an entertaining and engaging experience.’
