
One of the easiest ways to stay motivated when trying to live a healthier lifestyle is using a fitness app. There are thousands of fitness apps on the market. Some are free, and others have subscription programs that unlock more content. Each app has a different focus because everyone has a different definition of “fitness. “It can be challenging to find the right app for you. Because everyone’s fitness journey is different, finding the right app to use for your goals is important.
Nike Training Club
This app is not only visually appealing, but it’s also easy to navigate. Upon downloading the app, you must answer a few questions about yourself. Some questions include age, height, weight, and fitness goals. After you input your basic information, you can start working out.
This app focuses on physical exercise and only has a small section on nutrition. The bulk of the app includes videos of professional trainers showing different workouts and how to do them. When looking back on your activity in the app, you can also view your various achievements, which include trophies. You can even add your friends and motivate each other.
MyFitnessPal
This app is one of the top free fitness apps because it has everything. You can log steps, calories, water intake, and any exercise you can think of. You can set weekly goals for any fitness category. The app syncs with your health app on your phone to keep track of steps and distance walked. It can also access health data from a smartwatch if you own one, but it isn’t necessary.
The best part of this app is the challenges you can join. One of the challenges is 11,000 steps daily over 28 days. There are also nutrition-oriented challenges and more. There is an option to upgrade to premium to unlock more features and get rid of advertisements, which is $19.99/month or on sale for $79.99/year. The premium version isn’t necessary as the free version has so many features.
Strava
The focus of this app is on cardio. This app allows you to track foot sports, cycle sports, water sports, winter sports, and others that don’t fit into these categories. The app tracks distance, time, heart rate, etc. You can sync your smartwatch and even add friends to see the maps of their workouts.
Cardio is the most important exercise you can do for your health, regardless of your fitness goals. Cardio is essential for your everyday health, even if that means a walk around your neighborhood. Cardio helps supply your body with oxygen by pumping blood throughout the body quickly. Overall, this makes your body function better. Cardio is the most important physical activity you can do if you choose to do any. [1]
Reference:
[1] Lavie CJ, et al. Exercise and the cardiovascular system: clinical science and cardiovascular outcomes. Circ Res. 2015;117(2):207-219. doi:10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.117.305205 [Times cited=173] [Journal impact factor=17.37]