A multiyear study suggests Apple Watch users increase their activity in January and sustain higher exercise levels into February and March, findings that push back against the infamous “Quitter’s Day” narrative
As the fitness and wellness industry once again grapples with the annual drop-off in New Year’s resolution momentum, new data from the Apple Heart and Movement Study offers a more nuanced picture of how people actually behave in the early months of the year.
According to a new analysis, participants who wear Apple Watch not only increase their exercise levels in January but are more likely to maintain those gains well into the following months.
The analysis examined Activity data shared by approximately 100,000 participants over four years. Each year followed a similar seasonal pattern: average daily exercise minutes declined during the November and December holiday period, then rose sharply in January.
During the first two weeks of January, more than 60% of Apple Watch users in the study increased their daily exercise minutes by more than 10% compared to their December average. Nearly 80% of those users maintained higher activity levels through the second half of January, and 90% of that group sustained elevated exercise minutes through February and March.
The broader Apple Heart and Movement Study includes more than 250,000 consenting participants across the United States and is conducted in collaboration with Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the American Heart Association. The current analysis focused on participants who consistently wore their Apple Watch across multiple years and opted to share Activity data.
Researchers noted that ongoing feedback tools such as Activity Rings, weekly summaries, and long-term trends may play a role in reinforcing consistency beyond January, when many people traditionally abandon fitness goals.
The findings also mirror Apple’s recent direction in fitness and health, which has leaned more heavily into consistency and long-term engagement. The tech giant has introduced incremental updates across Apple Watch and Apple Fitness+ that prioritize structure and repeatability, including multiweek workout formats, expanded trend tracking and personalization for training load and recovery.
Apple has also continued to strengthen connections between its own fitness tools and third-party platforms, particularly around workout sharing and social accountability, reflecting a broader industry shift toward ecosystem-based engagement rather than standalone workouts.
