Fitness isn’t one of those lifestyle changes that you can think about once for the sake of a New Year’s Resolution, organize through a list of checkpoints, and then forget about completely. Unfortunately, if you want to improve your health and your wellbeing, then you need to be prepared to maintain your fitness levels through a series of small and consistent actions that add up over time, and eventually become natural hobbies.
Because fitness is a full-time job, it can be difficult to fit healthy choices around your paid profession. That’s just one of the reasons why smartphone apps could be the ideal fitness companions for people with hectic schedules who still want to remember to take a few minutes every day for the sake of their health. Following are a list of free, effective apps designed to facilitate fitness – even around a 9 to 5 career.
- Fitbit
If you’ve considered boosting your fitness regimen with the help of smartphone apps before, then you’ve probably heard of Fitbit. Available either as a free option, or with premium membership for $49 a year, Fitbit is available on iOS, Android, and Windows Phones. You can even connect the app with a smartwatch or fitness tracker (either Fitbit’s own range or third party hardware) if you feel like taking technology to the next level.
Fitbit helps you to get the most out of your fitness regime by tracking the number of steps you take every day, as well as:
- How many calories you eat
- How many calories you burn
- Your current weight
- Your blood pressure
- Your resting heart rate
- Your glucose levels
In other words, Fitbit is a great motivator when it comes to deciding whether or not to snack on that last donut, as it will let you determine whether the amount of calories you’ve burned outweighs what you’ve consumed.
- My Fitness Pal
Designed for career-minded individuals who spend most of their days surrounded by temptation, MyFitnessPal is a free app available on Windows phones, iOS, Blackberry, and android. A website and an app in one, this resource gives you a wealth of tools for tracking exactly how much you eat during your working lunches, as well as how many calories you’ve burned off by taking the stairs, instead of the elevator.
When it comes to counting calories, MyFitnessPal is one of the easiest apps to use today, as it gives users access to the largest current database of food and drinks, including fast foods and snacks.
- Lose It!
Ideal for people who are looking to lose weight but might not have the time to get to the gym every day, Lose It! Is a free app available on everything from your Android smartphone, to your Kindle, or apple tablet. It’s particularly beneficial for people who spend a lot of their meals eating name-brand American foods.
The app helps you meet your fitness goals faster by allowing you to set a daily budget for how many calories you want to consume, as well as assisting you in tracking your exercise. Not only is it a great way to motivate yourself to make smarter choices in achieving your weight-loss or fitness goals, but it’s also ideal for those moral-dilemma moments when one of your coworkers brings cookies into the office.
Lose it! Allows you to see exactly how many calories under budget you are for the week, so that you can calculate whether or not a couple of chocolate chips will take you over the line.
Rebekah Carter writes for Broadband Genie
