Both Google Play and the App Store are teeming with popular categories featuring thousands of mobile applications. These cover everything from games and entertainment to lifestyle and productivity. Health and fitness is another such popular category. Because weight loss and exercise is such big business, it can be difficult to separate effective apps from those that are just cluttering the marketplace. With that in mind, here are some top options that have proven effective for multitudes of regular folks who just want to get in shape.
Fitocracy
This option merges social and fitness to create an effective system for getting in shape. The app allows the user to stay connected with friends and family as well as compare goals and notes on exercise regimens. Not only that, but Fitocracy also puts the user in touch with fitness experts near and far in order to help craft that ideal weight-loss strategy.
My Fitness Pal
Exercise is only one part of the fitness goals equation; eating right is crucial as well. This app is a calorie counter and more, helping users monitor food intake with a digital food journal. It even comes with a database of some 350 exercises people can utilize to burn off those snacks. My Fitness Pal also allows folks to connect with friends and check their weight-loss progress as well.
RunKeeper
Quantified Self is has become quite the craze in certain fitness circles, and this app effectively capitalizes on the trend. The app is fully integrated with over 100 fitness-related websites and helps the user keep accurate track of all exercises in his or her regimen. It aggregates all fitness data obtained from activities such as walking, bike riding, weight lifting, treadmill and more, and presents their overall effectiveness in graph form. The app even comes with a built-in voice coach and customizable training schedules.
Beeminder
This app incorporates cold hard cash into the notion of motivation. For many folks, it can be difficult to maintain an effective fitness goals regimen. Beeminder incentivizes the process by penalizing the user a certain dollar amount whenever they fail to meet exercise goals. The amount may be small (often around five bucks), but it is usually just enough to give the average Joe or Jane the motivation he or she needs to stick to the workout plan.
Gain Fitness Cross Trainer
For many, adhering to an exercise regimen is one of the biggest hurdles to leading a proper lifestyle. Learning new exercise routines can be an impediment as well. Gain Fitness Cross trainer offers a number of video tutorials so smartphone owners can glean new and effective exercises. It covers everything from strength training to yoga and has many cardio options as well. All in all it is a solid virtual personal trainer.
By installing one or more of the above options, fitness-minded smartphone owners will have a number of weight-loss tactics at their disposal. And between social integration and creative motivational features, users should find at least one system that works for them.
Ashley Porter is a professional blogger that shares fitness and nutrition tips. She writes for Fitness19.com, an affordable fitness center with locations nationwide.