Welcome to the New Year, a great time to re-establish fitness goals! Countless apps make it easier than ever to have exercise resources right at your fingertips. How do you choose the best one for you? We’ve tested and highlighted some of the year’s top fitness apps below.
MyFitnessPal
MyFitnessPal has been around since 2005, but its capabilities continue to increase. This is a website and app for tracking daily diet and exercise to help reach fitness, nutrition, and weight management goals. You can log food and water intake, exercise, and weight progress each day. MyFitnessPal makes tracking easy by allowing you to input food from scanning barcodes or choosing from a large database of options. It even lets you set tracking reminders to help keep your goals at the forefront of your day. Most capabilities are free; however, you can purchase a Premium option which will give you access to meal plans guided by registered dietitians, AI-powered food logging, and other customized settings.
Nike Training Club
Get into a home workout routine with the Nike Training Club App. This free app has a huge database of class-style workouts that you can browse by muscle group, workout focus, or equipment used. You can filter workouts further by length and intensity. If you’re looking for a program to follow, you can participate in their workout challenges that range from one week to 2 months. Their workouts display video examples of each exercise so you can ensure proper technique and form. Turn your workout routine into a habit by tracking your workout history and gaining achievements along the way.
FitOn
This app is like having a full gym with trainers right at your fingertips. It is full of free on-demand class-style workouts such as strength, cardio, yoga, dance, HIIT, and much more. You can add friends to create social support or virtually take a class together. FitOn allows you to create a profile to suggest workouts and plans based on your personal goals and fitness level. There is a paid Pro option in the app which gives extra access to personalized meal plans, recipes, unlimited downloads of workouts for offline use, Fitbit and Garmin integration, and premium music.
C25k
If you’ve been thinking about adding running into your workout routine or completing a 5k, but you’re not sure where to begin, then C25k (or Couch to 5k) is the app for you. Training plans start at a beginner level and prepare you to complete a 5k distance in three training sessions per week for eight weeks. Training programs for 5k and 10k are free, but they also offer a paid option called the Zen Unlimited Pass. This paid option includes access to all of their fitness apps (5k through marathon training plans, lifting, and yoga), the ability to track calories and distance, and music tailored specifically for each workout.
MapMyRun
MapMyRun uses GPS to track the distance, pace, and route of your workout. This app is not only for runners. You can also track the stats of your walk, bike ride, swim, or just about any other outdoor cardio activity. You can save your workout history, connect with friends, and create challenges to boost motivation. MapMyRun offers an MVP Upgrade which includes training plans, heart rate analysis, and live tracking so family and friends can follow your location.
Charity Miles
Add more motivation behind your workouts with the app Charity Miles. Each mile you log from running, walking, or biking earns money for one of 40 participating charities. Money donated to the charities comes from corporate sponsors, or you can encourage your friends to pledge support. Once you reach a mileage goal, your friends who have pledged will be prompted to make their donations. You can integrate with other apps like Strava or Steps from Apple Health for more ease of tracking mileage. Charity Miles has a workplace option where companies can create teams or pledge to sponsor mileage.
Find the right app for you and make exercise a lasting habit this year!
Always consult with your physician before starting a new exercise program.
Written by BWS Lead Health Coach- Kelly Schlather, BS, ASCM – CEP