Making healthy choices every day is challenging already, but the staggering number of fitness apps on the market might tempt you to quit before you ever get started. From meal tracking to interactive game playing, if you have the will, one of these applications has the way. But how to find the one that best suits your needs?
Making healthy choices every day is challenging already, but the staggering number of fitness apps on the market might tempt you to quit before you ever get started. From meal tracking to interactive game playing, if you have the will, one of these applications has the way. But how to find the one that best suits your needs? We compared features, user ratings, and affordability to bring you the top five iPhone apps for tracking your health—because we think seeing your progress makes it easier to stick to your goals.
MyFitnessPal Calorie Counter And Diet Tracker
Claiming to be the fastest and easiest calorie counter on the market, this app doesn’t disappoint. Not only does it remember your favorite foods, it lets you save entire meals, add several foods simultaneously, and lists nutritional information. It also boasts the largest food database of any calorie counter—with over 2 million entries—and lets you access a streamlined version of the list offline. A barcode scanner helps you track store bought items with multiple ingredients, and you can add your own recipes to see how they measure up nutritionally. Share your progress with friends so you can stay accountable and cheer each other on. Additional features include tracking for cardio and strength training, customized goal setting, daily nutritional summaries, and progress reports. Oh, and it’s all free.
MapMyRun—GPS Run, Jog, Walk, Workout Tracking and Calorie Counter
Originally designed to help runners of all abilities easily track pace, distance, calories, elevation and time, this app has evolved to leave no one behind. MapMyRun users can track over 600 types of activities—from cycling to skateboarding—and can take advantage of the app’s GPS-driven route navigation. Search a list of local routes at MapMyRun.com, save favorites to your phone, and then compete against others for bragging rights. Compatible sensors (sold separately) let you monitor biofeedback, like heart rate or cadence, and the sponsored challenges give members a chance to win cool prizes. It sweetens the deal that you get all these perks for free, but if you crave extra features, the MVP upgrade—available for $5.99/month or $29.99/year—gives you access to mobile coaching, interval training and live tracking, letting friends see your progress on a map in real time.
Full Fitness: Exercise Workout Trainer
Hundreds of exercises are sorted by body region, target muscle, and equipment needed, and each includes detailed instructions. Users can customize a workout routine and then track progress, keep workout logs, and view graphs to monitor improvement. 30 pre-defined routines designed by fitness professionals take the guesswork out of reaching a particular goal, and the cardio program has the added bonus of requiring no additional equipment. With a stop-watch timer to track rest times in between sets, as well as a weight monitor, BMI calculator, and body measurement tracker, Full Fitness covers all angles to effectively support your health goals. You can even schedule workouts in advance, track multiple users, and share your workouts with others. The app costs $1.99, but that’s where it ends; the developers don’t believe in frustrating in-app purchases.
Strava Cycling
Strava’s developers missed the camaraderie and competition that our busy lives and solitary workouts force us to miss out on, and created this app as a solution. Apparently, “social fitness” resonated with many people, because Strava has garnered stellar reviews ever since its inception. Cyclists (and runners, with Strava Running) can see distance, speed, elevation, and calories burned, and can compare their rides against past efforts as well as other athletes’ times. Earn rewards for beating personal records or for clocking the best times among locals and pros that have ridden the same section of a trail. On the road? Find the most popular routes wherever you are. Collect heart rate, power and cadence data from sensors (sold separately), and follow friends and clubs to see their latest rides. Strava is free, although a premium subscription gives users even more ways to make the most of their training, including filtered leader boards and biofeedback analysis ($5.99/month or $59.99/year).
Fitocracy
Fitocracy’s mission is simple: to make exercise more addictive and accessible for everyone—by making it fun. This app acts like a real-life video game, where members can track workout progress in order to earn points. By accruing points, players can level up, which in gaming terms means advancing to the next stage. “Quests” are a collection of challenges that let users learn new activities and earn bonus points. The interface evokes Facebook, although connecting with this community of Fitocrats will make you a better, stronger person. Follow friends, give props, and bring the support of thousands with you on your journey. You even have an option to post your successes to Twitter and Facebook automatically. The app is free, but for $4.99 a month, you can support the “awesomeness” (a word you’ll see a lot of on the site), and unlock new milestone markers, preview new features, and copy other member’s workouts to your dashboard.
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