There are many ways to keep you fit and active, especially with the help of apps.
Activity-tracking apps keep a record of all the activities you do. They can be for a specific activity, such as running, but often you can choose which activity you're going to do from a list. These apps create a log of all your activities and the stats associated with them, such as how many calories you burned or whether your bicycle ride today was as long as yesterday.
We’ve compiled this list to help take out the guesswork so you can spend less time deciding on an app and more time trying it out.
Strava
If your favourite thing about fitness is the sense of community and social connection it provides, Strava could be for you. The app is designed for exercisers who enjoy a little friendly competition as they run, bike and swim their way to peak fitness. With Strava, you can join workout challenges with other app users, share photos from your sessions and even follow your friends’ fitness activities. Meanwhile, it covers the important basics like tracking your workout distance, speed and endurance.
Pros:
- Best for outdoor activities
- A community based approach to fitness
- Great race training assistance
- Virtually accountability partners
Cons:
- Lacks music integration
- Most features require a paid subscription
- May require internet connection to map your runs
Home Workout – No Equipments
You don’t need to go to a gym to get a good long-term workout with the results you want, whether it’s building strength or losing weight. Sync Home Workouts with your Apple Health app to watch easy-to-follow animated and video workout guides, get daily reminders throughout the day so that you don’t forget a workout, and see your progress over time within the app.
Pros:
- Best for full body training
- Set workouts with fancy gym equipment
- Reminders on the app keep you motivated
- Progress driven
Cons:
- Building muscle may take longer without equipment
Nike Training Club
This app gives you the perks of personal training without the heavy price tag. When you download the app, a quiz asks what kind of workouts interest you most and how many times a week you want to exercise.
Based on your answers, it recommends a few four- to eight-week structured programme consisting of 10- to 60-minute workouts. Nike Training Club’s workout offering runs the gamut, from yoga to bodyweight boot camps to core training. It also offers nutrition, recovery, sleep and mindset advice.
Pros:
- Best for holistic health approach
- Personalised workout recommendations
- You can easily post your daily workouts on social media or your community on WhatsApp
- Allows you to join or create monthly running challenges
Cons:
- Apple Watch integration for heart rate monitoring needs improvement
- Android users occasionally report video and workout timer glitches
MyFitnessPal
MyFitnessPal helps you with monitoring and tracking what you eat.
With a huge food database; barcode scanner; recipe importer; restaurant logger; calorie counter; and food insights, you’ll have a comprehensive idea of your nutrition. When you download it, it will give you an option to choose a goal — weight loss, weight gain, and weight maintenance.
The app will help you build healthy habits to reach your goals. Log your exercise and steps, and get support and motivation from the active forums.
Pros:
- Best for food education
- The apps food database makes easy to log in your food, even without a food scale
- It helps you understand calorie intake
- You can discover new recipes and create workout plans
Cons:
- It may take time to know how to log your calories accurately without food scale
- It may lead to under eating if you overly obsess about calorie intake
Adidas Runtastic
Runtastic makes it easy to track distance, time, speed, elevations, and calories burned — all the stats that matter. A Voice Coach offers audio feedback, and saved statistics make it easy to analyse your training patterns. Plug in a yearly running goal and Runtastic will help you get there
Pros:
- Best for beating personal best goals
- A Voice Coach
- Access to a fit community worldwide
- Monitors your yearly goal
Cons:
- Best function are enjoyed on a good internet connection
- GPS connectivity can calculate distance incorrectly
8fit Workout App
If you’re trying to lose weight or slim down, you know that isn’t not all about exercise; what you eat plays just as big a role. Tackle both sides of the equation with this app, which pairs exercise programmes and meal plans.
Weekly HIIT workouts geared toward your experience level fry fat and rev your metabolism while the food side of the app helps you take note of everything you eat. It’s a one-two punch for keeping your fitness on track.
Pros
- Best for weight loss
- Short and effective workouts
- Nutrition to aid weight loss
Cons
- If you don’t pay attention to the technique while exercising, you may injure yourself.
None to Run
This running app is geared toward the total beginner, with approachable workouts, simple training schedules, and encouraging audio prompts.
None to Run offers a 12-week plan designed to increase how long you’re able to run at one time, with less emphasis on pace or distance, as these metrics might not be as accessible as simple time spent running.
It also has a range of non-running workouts that focus on increasing mobility, building strength, and preventing running-related injuries. If you like jogging to music or podcasts, the app’s mid-workout alerts will run in the background without interrupting your groove.
Pros
- Best beginners app
- Personal trainer in your app
- Step by step 12-week plan to make you run
Cons
- Beginners driven app
- GPS connectivity can calculate distance incorrectly
No matter what kind of motivation or daily prodding you need to meet your fitness goals, there’s an app that can push you in the right direction.