Launch of the new Google Health app and Fitbit Air
In my recent column on The Era of the ‘Executive Athlete’, I explored why top executives are increasingly training like elite competitors. The reason is simple: high-performance leadership is no longer about who works the longest hours, but who manages their energy with the most precision. Traditionally, that level of precision required a “team” of expert coaches. But now, Google is globalizing that expertise with the launch of the Google Health app (replacing the Fitbit app) combined with the Google Health Coach and the Fitbit Air.
Top performers—from NBA champions like Stephen Curry to the executives I coach—understand that peak output requires a dedicated support system. Usually, that involves a trainer, a nutritionist, and a sleep specialist working in sync. But for the busy leader, managing that team is a job in itself. On May 19, that elite level of coordination becomes accessible to everyone with the launch of the new Google Health app and the screenless Fitbit Air.
I decided to try it myself
As an executive coach specializing in ADHD and high-performance anxiety, I always recommend that my clients practice a sport and maintain healthy habits to anchor their focus. However, I often see how my clients get overwhelmed trying to track their health while simultaneously performing at their best at work. It often feels like you have to choose between professional success and personal wellbeing.
I decided to try it myself. Over the last year, I used the Fitbit ecosystem to track my recovery, sleep, and performance with the same rigor I apply to a continuous improvement project. The first message I sent to my health coach was a clear goal: to become the #1 ranked tennis player in Texas for my division. In exactly one year, I accomplished it. Success wasn’t about “doing more”—it was about having a system to remind me when to train, how to stay motivated, and how to recover optimally. This is precisely what the new Google Health Coach, built with Gemini AI, offers. It isn’t just a tracker; it’s a personalized, 24/7 advisor you can chat with to make sense of your biometrics in real-time.
Google Health App and Google health coach
GoogleBeyond the Tracker: A First Look at the Google Health Coach
Rolling out between May 19 and May 26, the redesigned app shifts the focus from passive monitoring to active coaching. Here are the main features and updates from previous versions:
- The 15-Minute Rule for Recovery: I’ve long advocated for intentional breaks to reset the brain. The Coach now analyzes your “Readiness” and suggests “Strategic Pauses” or recovery-focused movement based on your real-time stress levels, not just a rigid schedule.
- Biometric Correlation & Medical Records: For the first time, U.S. users can sync medical records. You can ask the Coach to summarize complex lab results or see exactly how your 2:00 PM lunch is impacting your 10:00 PM sleep quality.
- Multimodal Logging: You can log nutrition by snapping a photo of your meal or log a workout by simply photographing a gym whiteboard.
- Inclusive Well-being: Redesigned Cycle Tracking and Mental Wellbeing features (where “Resilience” replaces the old stress score) help you understand how your internal cycles affect your performance window, allowing you to “timebox” your most demanding tasks for when you are at your peak.
The Fitbit Air
The app is accompanied by the new Fitbit Air. I will be personally testing this device during my upcoming matches and coaching sessions. Its standout feature? It is screenless.
In an age of constant distraction, the Air allows you to stay “in the moment” while it tracks your vitals in the background. I have recommended that many clients use wearables to track their sleep and workouts, but many, especially those with ADHD, mention they get distracted by constant wrist notifications. The Fitbit Air solves this; it is screenless, sleek, and lightweight. There is even a Special Edition designed with Stephen Curry featuring a performance band engineered for maximum airflow.
Globalization of the Elite Coach
As Stephen Curry recently noted, the difference between a good day and a great one is having objective data that tells you if today is a day to “pull back and prioritize recovery.”
The most successful leaders of the future won’t be the ones who push through burnout; they will be the ones who treat their health with the same curiosity and structure they bring to their business.
Stay tuned, as I will be sharing more updates and deep dives after the Google Health and Fitbit Air launches on May 19.