My healthy/fitness Apps post!
Ok, so since I’m still getting asked regularly, I thought I’d do a post and make this a tab all its own outside my FAQ. So basically here I’m going to be detailing all the apps I use for my health and fitness. These are all amazing apps and ones I am very thankful to have access to and I believe that most (though not all) are also available on android as well as iphone software.
Food/intake Apps:
Daily Burn Tracker – This one is first because I use it as my primary food diary due to its level of accuracy and its more in depth breakdowns. It has a basic free version as well as going right up to pro (paid) for more support and information.
Info – It’s a food diary which gives you a greater level of input which allows you to gain a better understanding of your sleep patterns, fitness levels and food intake. It has the option for meal plans and workout plans when you first sign up. It breaks down your food intake into a pie chart, allows you to create your own foods, chose the balance of your diet (low carb, high protein, balanced etc) as well as give you daily intake targets outside of just calories. In regards to exercises, aside from having a large database including strength/weight training exercising, allowing distance to be included in your input allows for a more accurate burn rate. There is also a challenges section, where you can join people with similar/same goals and work to complete them. Also has android and iphone apps. Definitely worth investigating.
Myfitnesspal – This is a far more basic version of dailyburn tracker. The entire program is free, however I have found inaccuracies in its food breakdowns, exercise burn estimates and intake recommendations. I use myfitnesspal primarily to keep track throughout the day due to the ease of the iphone app and to post on tumblr, as the overall layout is more user friendly for tumblr.
Info – A basic food/exercise diary. Allows you to connect with friends in a fb feed style environment. Has a barcode scanner in the app which is awesome for quick entry. Very user friendly and easy to use. No meal plans, workout plans or challenges though and not always accurate. Has an iphone and android app.
Water your body – This little beauty is personally one of my favorites. It allows you to put in your personal info and it tells you how much water you should be drinking!!
Info – This app is absolutely perfect for people who aren’t sure of how much water they need to drink a day. In this app you input your weight and details about your lifestyle such as: activity level, pregnancy, breastfeeding, the altitude you live at, if it’s a very hot day, if you are unwell and allows for additional water to be added. You simply chose how much and click on the table to add it to your intake. Over time it graphs your intake and as incentive to drink well, for good grades you get trophies for your accomplishments. This app also now has the ability to set reminders of when to have a drink as well. Available in a free or paid version on iphone.
Burn it lite/Pro – This app has been a great motivator to me when I’ve wanted to eat something naughty. It’s an app made by rebel and it basically yells you if you had that bar of chocolate, how much exercise would you need to do to burn it off!
Info – So you tell it what food you want to eat from their huge selection, pick an exercise and it will tell you how long you’d need to do that exercise to burn off that food. Its definitely kept me away from naughty stuff more than once. Available in a free or paid version on iphone, not sure if its available on android.
Drink Tracker – This one is an Australian app for those who like to have a few drinks.
Info – Basically when you first download it you create a profile which details your age, height and weight. All the important stuff. When you go out for a night of good times and drinks, note the time and as you drink, just log each drink you have. It will calculate how long it takes the alcohol to leave your system, ie when its legally safe to drive. Not that I promote drink driving, but I think its useful to know when your actually beginning to break the alcohol down and in a safer mental state to drive.
Big Oven – Basically one of the best recipe apps I have ever found!
Info – Not only does this app keep a huge stock of recipes you can browse, but you can also tell it what food you have in the fridge/pantry and it will give you recipes you can make with those ingrediants! Awesome or what! Free on iphone, not sure if its available on android.
Foodish – A new little gem I found this morning.
Info - If pictures are more your thing, why not try a visual food log. Just snap your meal, give it a health rating, and you’re done. There’s no calorie-counting, but for an honest way to track your food intake, it doesn’t get much better than this. This app is free.
Food Additive Checklist – Excellent for those who aren’t sure what additives are in their food.
Info - Make sure you’re fuelling your body as best you can, by avoiding unhealthy food additives. This app will tell you all about the additives in the foods you consume – the safe ones, and those that can be harmful to your health. E numbers are categorised from one to five to give you an idea about their health risks. This one is a paid ($1.99) app.
Fitness Apps
Runkeeper – This app I literally have a love affair with. Its so simple to use, can be used with anything from hiking to treadmill running. It keeps everything tracked for you and gives you personal bests :)
Info – A fitness app which allows you to record your cardio exercises either real time via GPS. Has a huge variety of exercises to choose from. Has the option for interval training. Can run as a background app. Music can be played at the same time. Free.
Couch to 5k – A truly awesome app for those who want to learn how to run. It got me running and I’d recommend it to anyone!!
Info – Firstly note, there is a huge variety of Couch to 5K apps to chose from. Fancy yourself as a runner but not sure how to get started? Commit to just 20 to 30 minutes, three times per week, and the official C25K program will have you running a full 5K in just nine weeks. The program starts slowly, so it’s ideal for absolute beginners. You can track and share your progress, and when you’re ready, there’s even a discount to register for a 5K in your area. There are free and paid versions available.
Fitcommit – A great way to track your workouts!!
Info – Its basically a calendar which allows you to input the exercise you do so get an instant visual representation of what exercises you have actually done. It also gives you little awards for milestones and consistency. Paid app.
Nike Training Club - A new app I have a bit of a love affair with.
Info - NTC is a personal trainer in your pocket. With 130 workouts built around strength, cardio, interval, and core training, you’ll never be stuck for workout ideas. All workouts feature detailed instructions and audio support, and range from 15 minutes to 45 minutes in length. As an added incentive, you can earn reward workouts from celebs and their trainers. It’s a free app.
Gympact – I am literally in love and cannot wait to download this when I get home. Talk about motivation plus :D
Info - There’s nothing like a financial incentive to get your butt off the couch and into the gym. When you register with GymPact, you commit to a minimum number of workouts per week, or pay the price for every day you miss. Literally. If you fulfil your pact, you’re in the running to receive cash rewards and prizes! This is a free app.
iFitness – A good one I’ve found for people who are new to the gym or undertaking new training programs (like me) who aren’t really well versed on new exercises.
Info - New to the gym this year? iFitness is a handy tool that will help you take control of your fitness. With a database of more than 450 exercises, complete with audio and video instructions, you’ll be a pro in no time. Also lets you track log your workouts so you can keep track of your progress. It’s a $0.99 app but well worth it!
Interval Timer – Exactly what the name suggests. Great for people wanting to do their own interval training!
Info - Interval Timer is ideal if you’re a fan of circuit training or looking for a way to time your workout sets. You can specify the number of rounds and how long you want them to last, plus the rest period in between. There’s also a voice alert option that will tell you the remaining time every 30-seconds or minute and countdown the last five seconds of a round. This is a free app.
All-in yoga – Basically yoga on your iphone :D
Info - Align your body and your mind with 200 yoga poses and a choice of ready-made programs. Listen to music as you practice and be guided by the voiceover. Watch videos of a professional female yogi for tips on posture and be inspired every day with encouraging quotes from famous yogis. There’s also the option to design your own program. This app costs $0.99.
Sleeping Apps
Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock – Getting good sleep is currently one of my biggest issues and I’m hoping to help better understand my sleeping patterns with this little beauty.
Info - Being fit and healthy isn’t just about getting enough exercise, it’s also important to get enough sleep. Sleep Cycle alarm clock analyses your sleep patterns and wakes you up while you’re in your lightest phase of sleep, so you feel rested, refreshed, and ready to start your day. This app is $0.99.
