The best exercise and fitness apps

Life is busy and we’re all attempting to juggle the pressures of work and family whilst trying to squeeze some exercise in for good measure. There just aren’t enough hours in the day and so fitness and exercise apps can be an absolute godsend when it comes to monitoring fitness, progress, calorie intake and much much more. And so, this blog aims to uncover what we believe (with the help of some good old-fashioned research) to be some of the most usable and effective apps on the market at present:

My fitness pal
My Fitness Pal is a website and app which you can use to track your fitness and calorie intake. You can enter your height and weight, as well as your goal weight and it calculates your goal calorie intake once you have set a date limit within the program. You keep a diary each day of what you’re eating and it comes with an extremely comprehensive food list. 

If you’re exercising as well, you input your calorie output and it adds this onto your daily allowance. It also shows you how much fat, protein and carbs is present in each food so you can balance this also. This basic account is free, but you can also pay for an upgrade which goes into more detail around nutrition, but I have to say, the basic app is excellent. It also features blogs, recipes and more. Definitely worth trying for the health-conscious mind. 

MapMyRun
Train smarter with MapMyRun. There are dozens of running apps available on the market. This intuitive interface allows you to begin tracking your workout. You simply select your activity and hit the green ‘start workout’ button and there are loads of pre-loaded, trackable activities available to choose from, not just running.

You can opt for a pre-loaded map, but it also offers a blank starter map which allows you to leapfrog from location to location, enabling you to design a fully customised route. You can also sift through other user-generated routes or re-do previous runs you’ve recorded live.

It also features audio features on a paid subscription, including voice feedback and audio coaching, which allows you to set custom goals and receive coaching alerts as you get close to your goals. The premium service essentially offers coaching and motivation which is next level to simply mapping your route. 

Fitbit
Of course here you actually need a Fitbit, but with sales reaching over 76 million devices worldwide, we thought this one was worth a mention. Your Fitbit tracks your every move, from exercise and calorie output to heart rate and sleeping patterns.

Exercise or no exercise, the goal is 10,000 steps per day, although you can set your own personal goals if this just isn’t achievable. It tracks your movement and shows you trends over time, including distance and calories burned. It notifies you when you’ve been ‘dormant’ for a period of time and urges you to get moving. It monitors your heartrate and so cleverly records sleep patterns as well as light sleep, deep sleep and awake time.

You can also stay inspired on your exercise journey by sharing stats and challenging friends and family. It also enables you to track calorie intake and track your weight and weight loss goals. Moreover, we’re seeing many children with these types of devices and it’s a great way to make them aware of activity and the importance of health and fitness.

Les Mills
Renowned for his cardio, strength, HIIT, core and flexibility classes and used by PT’s, instructors and coaches alike. You can now access these workouts instantly, in the comfort of your own home via the app. Especially good if you love your fitness classes but just don’t have the time or money to get to the gym on a regular basis.

Freeletics
Another train anywhere, anytime app, perfect for those of us on the go. You can access Freeletics workouts and watch video tutorials. A fantastic app to ensure you can fit training into your daily life. You can adapt your training program to your schedule, fitness level and goals. And these workouts entail no equipment so you can literally train from wherever you want, whenever you want. As well as the free version, you can opt for ‘the coach’ which is basically a digital personal trainer. You give your coach feedback after each session and your workout plan is adjusted according to whether you found it too easy or too difficult.

If you’re just starting out on your fitness journey or looking to the next level, these apps are certainly worth a look. So, why don’t you download some or all of these apps, pop your phone in your running belt. So you can utilise them whilst exercising, as well as listening to music to stay motivated.

Check out our Amazon store and website for accompanying equipment, including a wide range of running belts and microfibre towels.

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