Fitness and Wellness Apps
Jolene Chambers provides advice on a selection of fitness and wellness apps you should have on your smartphone.
With a combined 4.5 million apps between the Apple and Google Play Stores, there is an app for almost everything. When it comes to health and fitness, there are so many excellent choices out there that it can be almost overwhelming. Whether you want to lose weight, get six-pack abs, or improve your total wellness, these apps are everything you need to achieve your fitness goals.
Before You Dive In
Fitness apps are amazing. They put a personal trainer right in your pocket. But these apps often contain a ton of personal data about you that you would not want falling into the wrong hands.
Unfortunately, many of these companies do not have the best track records when it comes to security. For example, MyFitnessPal experienced a data breach in 2018 that affected 150 million users.
For this reason, you should always take a little extra caution with your health and fitness apps. Do not use your real name and primary email address when signing up. Also, create a rigorous password that you do not use anywhere else. Moreover, use a VPN service to encrypt and protect your internet connection. It increases your overall digital security.
Fitbit
You have undoubtedly heard of the famous fitness tracker, Fitbit. Whether you have one or not, Fitbit is also an exercise and fitness platform. Anyone can download the app onto their phone to track relevant data like their calories, water intake, and training.
From within the app, Fitbit also has a selection of free exercise regimens led by trainers. But things get good when you sign up for Fitbit Premium. It includes enhanced stats, a massive workout library, and other perks. And they are currently offering a 90-day free trial. You have three whole months to decide whether it is the right fit for you or not.
Aaptiv
Everybody loves group fitness classes. Unfortunately, they are likely going to still be off the table for a while longer. Enter Aaptiv. Aaptiv is an audio-only app with a catalogue of over 2,500 workouts.
The catalogue spans from cardio to yoga, muscle building to weight loss, and more. And you will be in the expert hands of one of the Aaptiv’s skilled instructors. Whether you have a favourite class or want something new, there is plenty to keep you engaged.
Nike+ Training App
Nike has expanded outside of shoes and apparel and into wearable tech over the last few years. From smartwatches to sensors and apps, Nike has entered the 2020s.
Nike+ is an intuitive app that tracks calories, workout performance, heart rate, and more. It also links up to all Nike's wearables, making it the perfect way to see how well you are from one convenient dashboard. Like the other apps on this list, it also features fitness classes that you can use to achieve your fitness goals.
Fitocracy
Gamification is everywhere nowadays. And in few places do you see it more often than in fitness apps. Fitocracy combines games with workout planning to inspire you to work harder. Even Arnold Schwarzenegger is a fan of this app.
Fitocracy is easy to use too. Choose from a preset workout category, enter your height and weight, and get ready for reps. If you hit your targets, you will earn badges and ascend in the rankings.
You can compete against friends or the leaderboard to inspire you to push yourself to the next level of fitness.
Body Foundation
Everybody wants that killer Hollywood body. Ashley Borden has long been one of the top trainers of the stars, famous for getting A-list actors in shape.
Body Foundation is a part of her "6 Weeks to Sculpted Series." If you are looking for something a little more focused, then this is it. You will work through a regimen that takes you through cardio, strength training, and flexibility to get into fantastic shape.
The app includes meal planning and weight tracking so you can chart your progress over time.
MyFitnessPal
As mentioned, MyFitnessPal has had an incident with data in the past. But that does not mean it is not a great fitness app. It would be best if you took the precautions mentioned with it.
Under Armour developed MyFitnessPal to be the one-stop-shop for diet and exercise. It makes it easy for people to get into shape. After putting in your health data, you are ready to select your fitness goals and hit the ground running.
It syncs with Apple Health and other devices to make it easy to get a comprehensive picture of your wellness. If you want one app that does it all, it is hard to beat MyFitnessPal.
There you have it. These are the six top apps that will help you train harder, eat better, and live healthier. Now get out there and use them to get into the best shape of your life!
Page Reference
If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is:
- CHAMBERS, J. (2020) Fitness and Wellness Apps [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article574.htm [Accessed
About the Author
Jolene Chambers is a cybersecurity consultant and freelance blogger. She is currently working on a cybersecurity campaign to raise awareness of the threats that businesses and individuals can face online.