(Video Games) Pokemon Go, Google Fit and Measurable Exercise Time

Like many kids from the 80's and 90's when I was a younger I enjoyed playing the "Pokemon" series from GameFreak and Nintendo Inc. In the summer of 2016 when the game released the first licensed "spin-off" for mobile devices like the "Apple iPhone" and "Android OS" I joined the proverbial "bandwagon". A year later and despite being what one could consider a "major fan" of the Pokemon games "Niantic's Pokemon Go" has left many including yours truly asking themselves "what now?".

The novelty has worn off for the majority of the initial user base, and due to the applications rapid initial adoption there doesn't seem to be much as far as potential "new" users. Despite the game being touted as the "the next big thing" by various health professionals for exercise and continued fitness when the motivation to advance in the game itself is lost the motivation to exercise seems to wane as well. (Especially in my personal experience.)

A large portion of "why?" I don't use the game to continue to reach my fitness goals (besides everything being measured in "kilometers") is the lack of quantifiable information being provided. I can look at my "eggs" and with some basic recollection and computation figure approximately how many tenths of a kilometer I have walked, well a good guess at least. And look at my "buddy" Pokemon as well to get a general idea of how many kilometers I have likely walked, and that's about it.

After the start of a recent in-game mini event and a serendipitous installation of "Google Fit" for a different purpose, I came to realize that probably because "Pokemon Go" uses the "Google Maps API" the two applications can work in conjunction! The application not only measures steps taken like a standard pedometer but also lists the approximate calories burned each day as well. This feature along with other points such as "daily goal setting" with reminders has given me a new motivation to "Catch 'em All", but even with "more information" and the practical goal of a healthier lifestyle I honestly wonder if I will keep up with my new fitness goals.

Feel free to comment below, share any other "fitness apps" that work with "Pokemon Go", and your personal fitness goals. Thanks for reading!