Apple Watch Guide

Your Apple Watch is the perfect companion for real-time nutrition tracking during activities. Quick glances, fast logging, and instant sync make tracking effortless while you’re on the move.

Why Use FuelFlow on Apple Watch?

Always accessible: Just raise your wrist - no need to fumble with your phone.

Instant logging: One tap to log food or water intake.

Real-time stats: See your progress at a glance without interrupting your activity.

Instant sync: Changes appear on your iPhone in less than 1 second.

Works offline: Bluetooth connection only - no internet required during activities.

Watch App Interface

Main Screen

When you open FuelFlow on your Watch:

No active session:

  • Start Session button
  • Recent session summary (if any)
  • Quick access to Library

Active session:

  • Current stats - Carbs, sodium, water
  • Elapsed time - Duration of activity
  • Progress rings - Visual goal progress
  • Quick log buttons - Food and Water

Digital Crown:

  • Scroll through lists
  • Adjust values when setting goals
  • Navigate timeline

Tap:

  • Select items
  • Log food/water
  • Start/end sessions

Force Touch (if available):

  • Access quick actions
  • End session
  • Settings

Swipe:

  • Navigate between screens
  • Go back

Starting a Session on Apple Watch

Quick Start

  1. Open FuelFlow
  2. Tap Start Session
  3. Rotate Digital Crown to select activity type:
    • Run
    • Cycle
    • Workout
    • Race
  4. Tap Next
  5. Set nutrition goals using Digital Crown:
    • Carbs/hour (e.g., 60g)
    • Sodium/hour (e.g., 500mg)
    • Water/hour (e.g., 0.5L)
  6. Tap Start

Instant sync: Your session appears on your iPhone immediately!

Using Previous Goals

If you’ve run a session before:

  1. Tap Start Session
  2. Tap Use Last Goals
  3. Goals from previous session are pre-filled
  4. Adjust if needed
  5. Tap Start

Pro tip: Set up your standard goals on iPhone, then use “Use Last Goals” on Watch for fastest start.

Logging During Your Activity

Logging Food

Method 1: From Active Session

  1. Raise your wrist
  2. Scroll to see your food library
  3. Tap the item you consumed
  4. ✓ Logged!

Method 2: Quick Log

  1. Wake your watch
  2. Tap Log Food button
  3. Select item from list
  4. Confirm

The log:

  • Appears instantly on your iPhone
  • Shows in your timeline with current timestamp
  • Updates your progress bars
  • Syncs via Bluetooth (no internet needed)

Logging Water

  1. In active session, tap Water button
  2. Select amount:
    • 100ml - Quick sip
    • 250ml - Small bottle
    • 500ml - Standard bottle
    • Custom - Use Digital Crown for any amount
  3. Tap to confirm

Hydration tracking: Water logs sync instantly to iPhone and update your hourly rate.

Viewing Your Progress

While the session is active, scroll to see:

Stats Screen:

  • Current intake vs. goals
  • Hourly rates
  • Progress percentage
  • Elapsed time

Timeline Screen:

  • Recent 5 logs
  • Timestamps
  • Food/water consumed
  • Chronological order

Pro tip: Customize which screen shows first in Watch app settings.

Watch Complications

Add FuelFlow to your watch face for instant access during activities.

Adding a Complication

  1. Force touch on your watch face (or long press)
  2. Tap Edit
  3. Swipe to Complications screen
  4. Tap a complication slot
  5. Rotate Digital Crown to find FuelFlow
  6. Tap to select
  7. Press Digital Crown to save

Complication Styles

Circular:

  • Shows activity status
  • Carb goal progress ring

Modular:

  • Session elapsed time
  • Current carb intake

Infograph:

  • Mini graph of intake over time
  • Goal percentages

Graphic:

  • Session status
  • Quick stats

What complications show:

  • No active session: Last session summary or “Start Session”
  • Active session: Live stats, elapsed time, progress

Best Watch Faces for FuelFlow

Infograph Modular: Large complication shows full stats

Modular Compact: Quick glance at key numbers

Activity Digital: Built-in workout tracking + FuelFlow complication

Siri: Smart suggestions show FuelFlow when you’re active

During Your Run/Ride

Best Practices

Pre-activity:

  • Start session before leaving
  • Quick glance to confirm it’s running
  • Check that goals are set correctly

During activity:

  • Log as you consume (don’t wait)
  • Quick glances only - focus on your activity
  • Use raise-to-wake for hands-free viewing
  • Don’t worry about precision - approximate times are fine

Post-activity:

  • End session when finished
  • Quick review of summary
  • Detailed analysis on iPhone later

Hands-Free Tips

Raise to wake:

  • Enable in Watch Settings
  • Just raise wrist to see stats
  • Screen wakes automatically

Speak to log (Coming soon):

  • “Hey Siri, log a gel in FuelFlow”
  • Voice confirmation
  • No tapping required

Auto-wake during activities:

  • Works with Apple Workout app
  • Screen stays active longer
  • Easier to glance while moving

Ending Your Session

On Apple Watch

  1. Scroll to bottom of active session
  2. Tap End Session
  3. Confirm
  4. Quick summary displays:
    • Duration
    • Total intake
    • Averages

Or:

  1. Force touch on active session screen
  2. Tap End Session
  3. Confirm

Instant sync: Session end syncs to iPhone immediately. Review full details there.

Watch-Specific Features

Always-On Display (Series 5+)

With always-on display:

  • Stats visible without raising wrist
  • Quick peripheral vision checks
  • Battery lasts full long run/ride

Tip: Dim the always-on display in Watch settings to extend battery life during ultras.

Cellular Watch

If you have cellular Apple Watch:

  • Still uses Bluetooth for instant sync when iPhone is nearby
  • Falls back to CloudKit if iPhone is left at home
  • No cellular required for core functionality
  • Great for races where you leave phone at aid station

Haptic Feedback

Feel notifications during activities:

  • Session started confirmation
  • Goal reminders (if enabled)
  • Low battery warning
  • Sync status updates

Battery Management

Typical battery usage:

  • Active session: ~3-5% per hour
  • Background sync: Negligible
  • Always-on display: +1-2% per hour

For ultra-distance events:

  • Disable always-on display
  • Use theater mode between logging
  • Charge at crew stops if possible
  • iPhone fallback if Watch dies

Syncing with iPhone

How Instant Sync Works

When your iPhone and Watch are connected:

You log on Watch → iPhone updates in < 1 second

You log on iPhone → Watch updates in < 1 second

How it works:

  • Uses Bluetooth or WiFi Direct
  • No internet required
  • Automatic and seamless
  • You’ll never notice the sync happening

When Devices Aren’t Connected

Bluetooth off or out of range:

  • Logs are saved locally on Watch
  • CloudKit syncs when internet is available
  • Usually syncs within seconds when connected
  • No data loss - everything syncs eventually

Checking Sync Status

Green checkmark (✓): Synced with iPhone

Syncing icon (↻): Sync in progress

Cloud icon (☁): Using CloudKit (iPhone not reachable)

Tip: You don’t need to worry about sync status during activities. Log your nutrition and sync happens automatically.

Customizing the Watch App

In FuelFlow Watch Settings

Default screen:

  • Stats first
  • Timeline first
  • Food library first

Haptic feedback:

  • On/Off for logging
  • On/Off for notifications

Always show goals:

  • Display goal progress always
  • Or hide when goals are met

Quick log favorites:

  • Pin most-used items to top
  • Reorder list
  • Hide items you don’t use during activities

In Apple Watch App (iPhone)

  1. Open Watch app on iPhone
  2. Scroll to FuelFlow
  3. Configure:
    • Show App on Apple Watch
    • Notifications
    • Complication settings
    • Background app refresh

Troubleshooting

“Can’t see session started on iPhone”

Cause: Bluetooth not enabled or devices out of range

Fix:

  1. Check Bluetooth is on (both devices)
  2. Bring devices close together
  3. Open FuelFlow on Watch
  4. Session should appear immediately
  5. If not, check iCloud sync (may take a few seconds)

“Food library not showing items”

Cause: Sync delay or library not synced from iPhone

Fix:

  1. Scroll down and pull to refresh
  2. Wait a moment for sync
  3. Check that items exist in iPhone library
  4. Force quit and reopen Watch app

“Logs not appearing on iPhone”

Cause: Bluetooth connection interrupted

Fix:

  • Wait a few moments - CloudKit will sync
  • Check iPhone Bluetooth settings
  • Bring devices closer
  • Logs are never lost - they’ll sync automatically

“Watch app not installed”

Cause: Automatic installation pending or failed

Fix:

  1. Open Watch app on iPhone
  2. Search for FuelFlow
  3. Tap Install
  4. Wait for installation (can take a few minutes)
  5. Check iPhone and Watch are paired

“Battery draining quickly”

Possible causes:

  • Always-on display during long activities
  • Many background apps running
  • Old watchOS version

Fixes:

  • Disable always-on display
  • Close unnecessary apps
  • Update to latest watchOS
  • Use theater mode when not logging

“Can’t tap small buttons”

Accessibility tip:

  • Enable larger text in Watch settings
  • Use Digital Crown to scroll instead of tapping small items
  • Customize quick log list to show fewer, larger items

Advanced Tips

Race Day Strategy

  1. Pre-race: Start session 15 minutes before gun time
  2. First hour: Focus on racing, quick logs only
  3. Mid-race: Check stats at aid stations
  4. Final push: Log what you take, review later
  5. Post-race: End session, full analysis on iPhone

Training Rides/Runs

  • More detailed logging
  • Experiment with different items
  • Review progress more frequently
  • Test your nutrition strategy

Multi-Sport Events

  • End cycling session
  • Start new run session
  • Keeps data separate for analysis
  • Or use single “Race” session for total event nutrition

Paired with Garmin/Other Watches

Many athletes use:

  • Garmin/Suunto/Coros for GPS and activity tracking
  • Apple Watch for FuelFlow nutrition tracking

Tip: Wear Apple Watch on non-dominant wrist, other watch on dominant wrist.

Need Help?

Email: support@fuelflow.run Website: fuelflow.run

Your wrist is now your nutrition command center. Practice during training, execute flawlessly on race day.