Most of us are struggling to lose some pounds, gain some strength, improve our eating habits, or tone our tush. Technology can be your best ally in this journey, and with the likelihood that you own at least a tablet, iPod, or smart-phone, some, or all, of these great fitness apps can help you along your progress!
Endomondo
Endomondo uses GPS built into your smartphone to track your outdoor cardio. Whether you're hiking, biking, walking, or running, turn the application on and it will use your personal data to calculate distance travelled, average speed, and calories burned. It's a rewarding boost when you force yourself to walk home from class, or get off the bus a few stops early, since you see exactly how much you've burned by doing so. Endomondo uploads your workout data to your personal file on endomondo.com, and lets you keep an ongoing log of your progress.
My Fitness Pal
Primarily a calorie tracking application, it syncs with your online MyFitnessPal.com account to keep track of food eaten, and calories expended by cardio activity. When you set up your account you input basic information like gender, height, weight, and age which allows the program to calculate your Basic Metabolic Rate (BMR). Your daily calorie allowance is calculated on your BMR as well as weight loss (or gain) goals. Used diligently and honestly, the app is very effective at helping along your fitness journey.
Daily Workouts
DailyAb, DailyLegs, DailyButt, and DailyArm are all developed by the aptly named Daily Workout Apps, and are a collection of routines for targeted training perfect for people who use the excuse “I just don't have the time.” Dumbells are the only equipment you may need, and you have the option of a 5, 8, or 10 minute workout. The video takes you through every moment of your workout in real-time. Very efficient, you can work the four major areas in as little as 20 minutes a day – no excuses!
Nike Training Club
Amazing. That's the only word I can use to describe this. It's the closest thing you're going to find to a personal trainer in the App Store and worth every penny you don't pay for it. (Yay! Free!) Nike Training Club has you set up an account, or lets you log in using Facebook, and after you've downloaded the workouts you're good to go. Four main categories house amazing routines that get you in shape: Get Lean, Get Toned, Get Strong, and Get Focused. Lean focuses on cardio and includes plyometric routines, Toned helps you tighten your body, Strong is all about strength training (think squats and lunges), and Focused lets you target specific problem areas. Three distinct levels – Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced let you pick your skill level so you're not intimidated or overworked, and helps you track your progress as you advance through the workouts. An encouraging voice tells you to “fight through the burn,” which seems silly when you're just reading this article, but is actually really helpful when you're feeling the aforementioned “burn.”
