Fitness apps can help boost motivation to exercise by tracking calories burnt and providing ideas for work-outs. Nichola Whitehead from NicsNutrition recommends a selection of apps that can help you not only sustain your New Year resolutions, but actual make your fitness routines enjoyable by seeing small incremental goals being achieved!
The Nike+ app costs just £1.99 and tracks where the user has run as well as at what pace. Calories burnt are also provided and the user has the option of playing music whilst jogging, as well as receiving ‘cheers’ from Facebook friends, and letting the user know how many miles or km has been run at what pace. The app only works though if the user takes the phone on the run with them and 3G signal is available. The Nike fuel band app is like an updated version of the nike+ app and means that a simple ‘band’ must be worn instead of carrying a phone with you on a work-out.
Other apps tailored specifically to runners are runtastic and run keeper – both use GPS to track activity and are complete with audio interval cues. Users have the opportunity to check out their accompanying websites before giving the apps ago.
If you’re after work-out inspiration then there are a few apps to help. The Adrian James apps come highly rated and there is a variety to choose from depending on your aims – there’s the boot camp, 6 pack abs workout, toned body work out and toned tummy workout. Each app is tailored to either men or women and are priced at 69p.
If it’s lean muscles that you are after then the StongLifts 5×5 app is for you. The app provides information on both work-outs and what weights to use and tracks both reps and sets completed – no more need for pens and paper in the gym!
For those who want to start running there are lots of ‘couch to 5K’ apps all with a similar goal – to increase cardio-vascular fitness gradually. The apps give you a fitness plan telling you what distance to run and how frequently – building up fitness over a few weeks. Some apps even allow users to publish their success on both twitter and Facebook for even more motivation.