Getting fit is now easier than ever, thanks to the countless fitness apps at our disposal. But with the overwhelming number of options to choose from, how do you know which ones are worth your time?
Well, here are 16 good ones to help you get started:
App #1: Sworkit
It doesn’t matter what your fitness level or goals are, Sworkit has got you covered. Want to build muscle, burn fat, or improve your endurance and flexibility. The app’s 300+ unique workouts and over 400 exercises will help you do them all—even if you don’t have access to any gym equipment.
And, as a bonus, the app also makes finding time to work so much easier. Even if all you had was a minute to exercise, it will still be able to design the perfect training session for you.
But the best part about the Sworkit is that it also gives you access to certified coaches so you don’t have to do any guesswork when it comes to your training and nutrition.
So, how much does it cost?
You have two subscription options to choose from:
- $59.99 per year
- $9.99 per month
But the company behind Sworkit also offers a risk-free seven-day free trial so you can see if the app is right for you before signing up.
App #2: Nike Training Club
Just like Sworkit, the Nike Training Club app also has workouts to help you build strength and muscle, lose fat, and become more flexible. In addition, though, it also has programs designed to help you improve your mobility, reduce your stress levels, and get your nutrition right.
The app also integrates seamlessly with Apple Watch. So, if you have one, you’ll be able to keep track of things like your heart rate, calories, drills, and overall stats without ever touching your phone.
The only downside of the app is that its annual subscription is twice as expensive as that of Sworkit, but with it, you’ll get access to:
- Over 200 workouts
- Professional trainer-led programs
- Over 150 exclusive premium workouts
- In-depth wellness and nutrition guidance
You can also do month-to-month payments of $14.99, or, if you’re okay with only getting access to the 200+ workouts and nothing else, then you don’t really have to pay anything.
App #3: Aaptiv
With more than 10 million downloads, over 50,000 five-star reviews, and an impressive 4.8/5 overall score from more than 40,000 reviews on the App Store, Aaptiv is definitely one of the best fitness apps around today.
Just like the first two apps on our list, it also has workouts for pretty much any area of fitness you want to work on. All you have to do is tell it what you want to accomplish and how long you want to work out, and it’ll handle the rest. It’ll even change the music it plays based on your preferences.
And if you were impressed by the first two apps’ massive workout selections, Aaptiv’s crazy 2,500+ on-demand workouts will surely make your jaw drop! It doesn’t matter if you want to lift weights, go running, or train on an elliptical machine, Aaptiv has got you covered.
But the best part about the app is that it’s even cheaper than both Sworkit and Nike Training Club at just $8.33 a month.
App #4: C25K
This one’s a little different than the first three apps we’ve shown you in that it’s meant to do just one thing: get you ready for your first 5K race.
Specially designed for beginners, the aptly named free C25K app (short for Couch to 5K) promises to get you in competition shape in just eight weeks.
It does this using the principle of interval training where you alternate running and walking until you build enough endurance to run the full distance. The training schedule is pretty manageable too at just three 30- to 40-minute training sessions—preferably done on non-consecutive days—per week.
Need a little extra motivation? C25K has you covered in that department as well. It plays music that’s scientifically proven to get you 35% more pumped and ready to crush each training session.
App #5: Daily Yoga
Loved by 50 million yogis across the globe, Daily Yoga, as the name suggests, is only meant to do one thing: help people get better at doing yoga. It doesn’t matter if you’re a complete beginner or an advanced practitioner, the app has over 100 yoga and meditation classes designed for people of all skill levels.
It also tracks your progress and connects you with a global community of like-minded individuals to not only keep you accountable but also motivated. And, to make your practice even more immersive, the app also provides you with a good selection of tunes you can train to.
But how much does the app cost?
Daily Yoga offers three payment options:
- $9.99 a month
- $39.96 a year (that’s equivalent to just $3.33 per month)
- $199 one-time fee
App #6: Endomondo
The only way you’ll improve in whatever type of sport or training you do is if you keep track of your progress—and Endomondo gives you all the tools you need to do just that.
It doesn’t matter if you’re into running, cycling, skiing, or martial arts. The app is designed to help you record your stats in over 40 different sports.
It also allows you to set goals and then build personalised training plans to help you crush them—all while listening to your favorite tunes for some extra motivation.
Want to share your achievements with your family and friends while keeping track of theirs? Endomondo allows you to do that too so you can inspire each other to do better.
But one of the most interesting features of the app is its audio coach, which is designed to give you relevant real-time feedback on how well you’re doing during training. Lagging behind? It’ll tell you to pick up the pace. Getting close to setting a new personal record? It’ll be there to cheer you on too.
Now, with all the features we’ve shown you so far, how much do you think an Endomondo subscription cost?
Well, whatever your guess is, it’s probably wrong because you don’t actually need to purchase a subscription to use the app—unless you want access to its optional features.
App #7: MyFitnessPal
Of course, exercise is just one part of your fitness journey. If you want to see results, you need to get your nutrition right too—and this is where MyFitnessPal comes in. The app not only allows you to easily keep track of what you eat (and how much you exercise), but also set fitness goals and design an eating plan that supports them.
It also has a massive searchable food database of more than 11 million items so you always know how many calories you’re consuming.
Following a specialised eating plan like Keto, Atkins, or South beach? That’s perfectly fine too! Whatever diet you’re on, the app can accommodate it.
But the best part is that just like Endomondo, the MyFitnessPal app is also totally free to use unless you need the optional features that come with a premium subscription.
App #8: Foodility
If you want to keep track of your food intake but don’t need all the bells and whistles that come with MyFitnessPal, then the free Foodility is the app for you.
It’s as simple as food journals get. You simply take a photo of each meal, add a quick caption, save the entry, and you’re done!
Now, just because the app is simple doesn’t mean it’s ineffective. Studies show that simply keeping a log of everything you’re eating can help you make better food choices because it makes you more aware of what you’re putting in your mouth.
The problem is that we all have a tendency to underestimate how much we’re actually eating—and it’s not just by a couple of calories either. Research suggests that a lot of people underreport their caloric intake by as much as 50%. Just imagine how easily this can sabotage your progress.
App #9: Lifesum
It doesn’t matter if you’re looking to build muscle, burn fat, or maintain your current physique, Lifesum will help you build an eating plan designed to help you achieve your goals.
Just like MyFitnessPal, this app also comes with a food database that rates the quality of each meal you consume. In addition, though, it also allows you to track your macros, monitor your body composition, and create and save healthy recipes.
It also comes with a feature called Life Score, which gives you an idea of how healthy you are based on 16 fitness and nutrition metrics. This allows you to address weak points that you may not even be aware of.
Using other fitness tracking apps like Fitbit, Apple Health, Google Fit, Runkeeper, Samsung Health, Endomondo, and Withings? Automatically consolidate all your stats in one place with Lifesum premium—for just $2.33 a month—so you don’t have to keep wasting time jumping from one app to another.
App #10: Fooducate
When it comes to losing weight, the quality of the food you eat is just as important as the number of calories in each of your meals. Fortunately, the free Fooducate app allows you to easily keep track of both.
But that’s not all it does. It also allows you to scan the barcode of more than 250,000 commercially available food products to instantly know which ones are good for you and which ones you should avoid.
In addition, it also has an easy-to-understand dashboard that gives you an overview of how healthy you are based on the kind of foods you eat and the amount of exercise you do.
Finally, it also provides you with helpful health, fitness, and nutrition tips as well to help you make progress faster.
App #11: Rise
Here’s the thing: no matter what kind of fitness or nutrition app you use, you’ll still most likely reach your goals faster if you had an actual fitness and nutrition expert guiding you every step of the way.
Well, that’s exactly what Rise gives you.
For under $2 a day, you get access to a professional fitness coach who will not only keep you accountable but also help you reach your goals faster.
But does it actually work?
Rise is so confident that you’ll lose weight with their program that they’re offering a 30-day money-back guarantee if you don’t see any results after working with one of their coaches.
Sounds like a pretty sweet deal, right?
App #12: Waterlogged
One of the simplest and most impactful things you can do for your health and fitness is to stay hydrated every day. By just drinking enough water, you can:
- Improve your physical performance, especially during exercise
- Boost your energy levels
- Improve your cognitive function
- Boost your metabolism by up to 30%
- Prevent overeating
- Keep cravings at bay
- Improve the delivery of nutrients to your cells
- And so much more!
Unfortunately, a lot of people still fail to do it—which is exactly the problem Waterlogged addresses. As its name suggests, the app allows you to set clear hydration goals and keep track of your total water consumption every day.
Now, if you want the app to also remind you to drink water throughout the day, you can upgrade to the premium version for only $3.99. Doing so also unlocks the app’s Fitbit integration and gives you lifetime access to all new features as they become available.
App #13: Strong Workout Tracker Gym Log
Now, in case you’re wondering what progressive overload is, as the name implies, it refers to the process of making your workouts progressively more challenging over time. The goal is to force your body to keep making positive adaptations such as increased strength, muscle mass, endurance, explosiveness, flexibility, and mobility.
Of course, you can only increase the difficulty of your workouts if you know exactly how much work you do in each session—and this is where Strong Workout Tracker Gym Log comes in. It allows you to easily record all your workouts and track your progress so you always know how well you’re doing.
But that’s not all. The app also features powerful analytics, which allows you to gain valuable insights on your training, and an extensive exercise database designed to teach beginners proper form and give more advanced lifters new movements to try.
Strong Workout Tracker Gym Log is totally free to use but comes with optional paid features.
App #14: Sleep Cycle
Wondering why we’re featuring sleep apps in this list? That’s because the amount of restful shut-eye you get per night has a massive impact not only on the quality of your workouts, but on your post-workout recovery as well.
The thing, though, is that it’s not just the number of hours you sleep that dictates how well you’ll function the following day. The way you wake up plays a huge role too.
Think about it. Do you enjoy being jolted awake by a blaring alarm clock every single day? Probably not, right? If you’re like most people, you’d most likely much rather prefer gradually waking up on your own.
Unfortunately, unless you’re unemployed or don’t go to school, you don’t really have that luxury.
This is where the Sleep Cycle app comes in. It keeps track of your sleep patterns throughout the night and wakes you up during the period of light sleep that’s closest to the alarm time you set the following morning. This ensures that you wake up feeling well-rested and more ready to take on the challenges of the day ahead.
The app is free to use but comes with optional paid add-ons.
App #15: Power Nap App
While it is important to catch enough quality ZZZs every night, sometimes, you still find the need to sneak a quick nap in during the day to recharge—and that’s exactly what the aptly named Power Nap App helps you do.
It uses relaxing sounds like rain to help you fall asleep faster, and then gently wakes you up using equally relaxing sounds like birds chirping, light piano melodies, and delightful bells.
The problem with power naps, though, is that it’s super easy to go overboard, and when you do, you wake up feeling even more sluggish than you did before you dozed off. Fortunately, the Power Nap App prevents that from happening by only allowing you to set a maximum nap time of 30 minutes.
The app is 100% free to use but, just like Sleep Cycle, comes with a host of optional paid features.
App #16: Calm
Did you know that chronic stress can make you fat? Yes. You read that right.
When you are stressed, your body releases a hormone called cortisol and enters fight-or-flight mode. It doesn’t matter if what’s stressing you out is a wild animal that’s about to eat you or just your annoying colleague who’s keeping you from getting any work done. Your body responds the same way.
The problem is that because there are so many things that stress us out every single day, our body never really gets the chance to completely relax. As a result, our cortisol levels stay elevated, which, in turn, causes:
- Slower metabolism
- Binge eating
- Increased fat storage (especially around the midsection)
Obviously, these are not the issues you want to be dealing with when you’re trying to get fit—and this is where the Calm app comes in. It helps you manage stress better through meditation, mindful movement, stretching, better sleeping habits and relaxing music and scenes.
The app is free to use but comes with optional paid features.
Take Your Fitness to a Whole New Level With These 16 Apps!
You now have everything you need to put your fitness journey on the fast track. Give these 16 amazing fitness apps a shot and see for yourself just how much of a difference they can make in your training.
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