Getting and staying healthy may not always be easy, but there are apps available that can make it a little easier for you to achieve your goals. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, work on your fitness or eat better, below are ten apps that can help you (just like they’ve helped me) take your fitness and nutrition to the next level:
Nike Training Club
This was my first training app. It has over 185 free workouts including strength, endurance and yoga. Each workout has a video so you can see a demonstration of each exercise and you can create a customized training plan that suits your particular fitness level. I find the workouts to be both challenging, but also approachable and manageable. Many of the workouts, however, do require some exercise equipment such as balls, weights, or bands, so, you will definitely want to either do these at the gym of invest in a few basic items so you can do it at home.
Freeletics
Freeletics has a few apps, but I utilize Freeletics: Fitness Coach. If you want to lose weight, build muscle or get in shape anytime and anywhere then you will want to try this as well. Freeletics has 10-30 minute workouts that use bodyweight alone. They include training videos to teach you how to do an exercise (just in case you don’t already know) and workouts are organized by level of difficulty. One thing to note, the free version does not come with the customized training plan; instead, you do have to pay for that.
Fitlist
Fitlist is a great app to use if you like to (and know how to) design your own workout routines. You can build your own workout from either the exercises available or by entering your own exercises. There is also a premium version that has workouts that you can utilize. This app works very well, even though it really is no frills. If you are a more advanced gym-goer who is able to create your own workout routines, this is a great way to log your reps and your progress.
Couch to 5K
If you are new to running then Couch to 5K is a great way to start. With an in-app trainer encouraging you along the way, Couch to 5K provides a training plan that will help you get off the couch and running a 5K in nine weeks time. Each “run” alternates between a walk and each run only lasts for approximately 30-40 minutes.
MapMyRun
This is a great app for tracking your run, particularly if you run outdoors. To me, the real benefit to this app is the ability to track your running route each day and to share your route real-time with friends or family. It integrates seamlessly with your music library too, so you can feel free to jam away during your run.
Breethe
Breethe provides guided meditations, including meditations to help you fall asleep. When you find yourself in need of a short mental break, try one of their 5 minute guided meditations. They also have a premium version that contains additional content.
MyFitnessPal
This is a great app for tracking your calorie and food intake. No matter how healthy or fit you are (or are not) you will not see real progress by just working out alone. Instead, you have to be mindful of what you are putting into your body. And, despite our best efforts, we often think we are eating healthier than we actually are. This is where the app really shines; it has space for you to add what you had for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as, any snacks. The library of foods and meals is huge so you should be able to find almost anything. In addition to informing you about your calories, the app will also summarize the nutrients in the meals you enjoy so you can track your nutrition as well. Hands down, this is my favorite app for nutrition and calorie tracking.
Sleep Cycle
Before I purchased my Fitbit, I used Sleep Cycle to help me track my sleep. It analyzes movement and sound throughout the night to help track your sleep cycle and wake you up when you’re in the lightest cycle. If you have been looking for a good way to track your sleep, this is it.
Fitbit
Even though you need a Fitbit to get the benefits from the app, I really cannot say enough good things about my Fitbit HR. It does a very good job at auto recognizing exercises. Plus, it will track your sleep (don’t forget, a good nights rest is the first step in a healthier you). Also, with its constant reminders to move, you will find it relatively easy to get your 10,000 steps each day.
Hidrate
Although you may not technically need a Hidrate Spark water bottle in order to obtain the benefits from the app, it really works best when you have one of their smart water bottles. In case you have not heard of them before, Hidrate Spark makes smart water bottles. Each water bottle has a sensor stick attached to the lid, which tracks how much water you drink. I can also attest that they have excellent customer service. The amount of water you need to drink adjusts each day based upon the temperature, location, and altitude. They are still in the start-up phase so there can be glitches every now and then, however, it has still been a great investment and a great tool for remembering to drink my 8 glasses each day.