Download these apps straight to your smartphone and get ready to get moving
By Katrina Caruso
Three quarters of Canadians (76%) own a smartphone, according to the most recent Statistics Canada figures. If you’re one of them, and if this is the year you decided to add “Get fit” to your goals, why not look into using a fitness app to get you there?
Tips to Get You Started
Find something that you genuinely enjoy doing, and do it. There’s little point in taking up running or cycling if you hate it. If you enjoy dancing, tai chi, or walking, do that. The apps below are just suggestions; there’s an app out there for the kind of exercise that gets you excited.
Do a little…and then do more. Don’t set lofty goals for yourself that you’ll never stick with. Working out for an hour a day, 7 days a week, might look promising on paper, but you’re not likely to do it. Start with 30 minutes, 3 times a week. Once your body gets used to the workouts, you can always add more time or more sessions.
Don’t aim for perfection. The point is to get moving—you don’t have to do whatever your doing perfectly. Perfectionism can lead to procrastination.
Fitness Apps
My Fitness Pal: This free app can be downloaded on iOS and Android phones. The beauty of this app is that it can track everything from exercise and water intake to calories and nutrition values. You can even scan your favourite foods’ packaging barcodes to make the tracking easier.
Map My Walk, Map My Run, or Map My Ride: If you like to run, cycle, or walk, you can download one of these free apps (available for both iOS and Android) to track the number of kilometres or miles you cover via GPS. The apps will give you details of your journey, including speed, pace, calories burned, and elevation.
Instant Heart Rate: A key factor in working out is pushing yourself, but not too much—you don’t want to overdo it. This app, which is free for iOS and Android, can track your heart rate—you just place your index finger on your smartphone’s camera lens.
Daily Yoga: While there are many yoga apps out there, this one has one of the largest databases of poses and also includes videos, voiced-over guides, and relaxing music for your Savasana pose (the final pose at the end of your practice). There is something for all levels on this app. Plus, it’s free!
Image: iStock/Lightcome.
