diff --git a/backend/app/workers/tasks.py b/backend/app/workers/tasks.py
index 06cc37e..c23b471 100644
--- a/backend/app/workers/tasks.py
+++ b/backend/app/workers/tasks.py
@@ -23,9 +23,9 @@ celery_app.conf.update(
     task_track_started=True,
     worker_prefetch_multiplier=1,
     beat_schedule={
-        "sync-garmin-connect-hourly": {
+        "sync-garmin-connect": {
             "task": "sync_all_garmin_connect",
-            "schedule": 3600.0,  # every hour
+            "schedule": 1800.0,  # every 30 minutes
         },
     },
 )
@@ -481,8 +481,20 @@ def sync_garmin_connect_user(user_id: int):
         if not cfg or not cfg.sync_enabled:
             return {"status": "skipped"}
 
+        # Snapshot config values before any intermediate commits (commits expire ORM attrs)
+        email        = cfg.email
+        password_enc = cfg.password_enc
+        token_store  = cfg.token_store
+        last_sync_at = cfg.last_sync_at
+        sync_acts    = cfg.sync_activities
+        sync_well    = cfg.sync_wellness
+        lookback     = cfg.sync_lookback_days if cfg.sync_lookback_days is not None else 30
+
+        cfg.last_sync_status = "Connecting to Garmin..."
+        db.commit()
+
         try:
-            garmin, new_token = authenticate_garmin(cfg.email, cfg.password_enc, cfg.token_store)
+            garmin, new_token = authenticate_garmin(email, password_enc, token_store)
         except Exception as exc:
             cfg.last_sync_at = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
             cfg.last_sync_status = f"Auth error: {exc}"
@@ -491,25 +503,30 @@ def sync_garmin_connect_user(user_id: int):
 
         if new_token:
             cfg.token_store = new_token
+            db.commit()
 
         activities_queued = 0
         wellness_days = 0
         errors = []
 
-        if cfg.sync_activities:
+        if sync_acts:
+            cfg.last_sync_status = "Syncing activities..."
+            db.commit()
             try:
                 activities_queued = sync_activities(
-                    garmin, user_id, cfg.last_sync_at, db, settings.file_store_path,
-                    lookback_days=cfg.sync_lookback_days if cfg.sync_lookback_days is not None else 30,
+                    garmin, user_id, last_sync_at, db, settings.file_store_path,
+                    lookback_days=lookback,
                 )
             except Exception as exc:
                 errors.append(f"activities: {exc}")
 
-        if cfg.sync_wellness:
+        if sync_well:
+            cfg.last_sync_status = "Syncing wellness data..."
+            db.commit()
             try:
                 wellness_days = sync_wellness(
-                    garmin, user_id, cfg.last_sync_at, db,
-                    lookback_days=cfg.sync_lookback_days if cfg.sync_lookback_days is not None else 90,
+                    garmin, user_id, last_sync_at, db,
+                    lookback_days=lookback,
                 )
             except Exception as exc:
                 errors.append(f"wellness: {exc}")
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/ProfilePage.jsx b/frontend/src/pages/ProfilePage.jsx
index d40e22f..ac9e824 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/ProfilePage.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/ProfilePage.jsx
@@ -119,6 +119,8 @@ export default function ProfilePage() {
   const [gcSaved, setGcSaved] = useState(false)
   const [gcError, setGcError] = useState('')
   const [gcSyncing, setGcSyncing] = useState(false)
+  const syncPollRef = useRef(null)
+  useEffect(() => () => { if (syncPollRef.current) clearInterval(syncPollRef.current) }, [])
   useEffect(() => {
     if (garminConfig?.connected) {
       setGcForm(f => ({
@@ -153,12 +155,37 @@ export default function ProfilePage() {
     setGcSyncing(true)
     try {
       await api.post('/garmin-sync/trigger')
-      setTimeout(() => { refetchGarmin(); setGcSyncing(false) }, 3000)
-    } catch (e) {
+      // Poll every 2s: wait until we've seen an in-progress status, then wait for terminal
+      let seenInProgress = false
+      syncPollRef.current = setInterval(async () => {
+        const result = await refetchGarmin()
+        const status = result.data?.last_sync_status ?? ''
+        const terminal = status.startsWith('OK') || status.startsWith('Partial') || status.startsWith('Auth error')
+        if (!terminal) seenInProgress = true
+        if (seenInProgress && terminal) {
+          clearInterval(syncPollRef.current)
+          syncPollRef.current = null
+          setGcSyncing(false)
+        }
+      }, 2000)
+      // Safety: stop polling after 10 minutes regardless
+      setTimeout(() => {
+        if (syncPollRef.current) { clearInterval(syncPollRef.current); syncPollRef.current = null }
+        setGcSyncing(false)
+      }, 600000)
+    } catch {
       setGcSyncing(false)
     }
   }
 
+  const syncProgressPct = status => {
+    if (!status) return 5
+    if (status.startsWith('Connecting')) return 10
+    if (status.startsWith('Syncing activities')) return 35
+    if (status.startsWith('Syncing wellness')) return 70
+    return 5
+  }
+
   // PocketID config
   const [pidForm, setPidForm] = useState({ issuer: '', client_id: '', client_secret: '' })
   const [pidSaved, setPidSaved] = useState(false)
@@ -389,6 +416,20 @@ export default function ProfilePage() {
             </>
           )}
         </div>
+
+        {gcSyncing && (
+          <div className="space-y-1.5">
+            <div className="h-1.5 bg-gray-800 rounded-full overflow-hidden">
+              <div
+                className="h-full bg-blue-500 rounded-full transition-all duration-700"
+                style={{ width: `${syncProgressPct(garminConfig?.last_sync_status)}%` }}
+              />
+            </div>
+            <p className="text-xs text-blue-400">
+              {garminConfig?.last_sync_status || 'Starting sync…'}
+            </p>
+          </div>
+        )}
       </Section>
 
       {/* PocketID — admin only */}