Google Fit adds curated YouTube playlists about exercising at home

For many, exercise has been one area particularly affected by COVID-19 lockdowns and social distancing requirements. Google Fit wants to help ease that by integrating YouTube playlists on staying healthy indoors.

Since the situation started several months ago, YouTube has been encouraging watchers to #StayHome through a #WithMe campaign. Google Fit is now directly surfacing those videos for remaining inspired, healthy, and active.

Through the Stay Fit #WithMe campaign, you will begin to see curated #WithMe YouTube videos and playlists in your app experience — ranging from home workouts to meditation and mental wellness tips.

This “Stay Fit #WithMe” card appears just underneath the rings for Heart Points and Steps, as well as the Move Minutes, calorie, and distance metrics. You’ll be able to browse topics like yoga, well-being, high-intensity interval training, workout, and dance. Tapping any item in the carousel opens the YouTube app to your selected playlist.

In the Google Fit app, you can browse and view dozens of YouTube’s well-being, meditation, and fitness videos. We want to encourage you to continue to strive to hit the AHA and WHO’s recommended amount of weekly physical activity by incorporating this content into your fitness plan.

The card joins others about “simple steps to avoid getting sick” and weekly progress recaps. YouTube’s red theming is particularly eye-catching against Fit’s stark white background and blue/green accents. It’s rolling out this week to Google Fit for Android and iOS.

In April, Google rolled out a Fit redesign that prioritizes step count and Heart Points. Move Minutes are still available, but no longer a central focus. As part of this, new Wear OS Tiles were also introduced.