There’s an app for that!
In addition to filtering photos and listening to music, apps can be a great way to stay on track with your health and fitness goals. There really is an app for everything including your diet and weight loss goals.
Pepperdine junior Brenna Ardron says she loves using applications to enhance her workout.
“Whether you want a workout geared toward leaning out, toning or even strength training you have all those different options with an app,” Ardron said. “The portability of having it on your phone is really nice.”
Apps can be a huge help if you’re trying to stick to a fitness plan or just improve your overall health. Here are a few of my favorites:
MyFitnessPal: MyFitnessPal allows you to keep track of your daily caloric intake. Users can enter their current weight, activity level and goal weight, and Myfitnesspal will then calculate your daily caloric needs. The app provides users with weight loss strategies. You can even log the foods you’ve eaten throughout the day. The app deduces the food items’ calorie count and takes into consideration your daily exercise while producing its calculation. It also keeps track of your progress.
Moves: Don’t have a Fitbit? No need to worry! Moves is a free app that tracks your daily steps and calories. This app is a great way to keep track of just how much you’re moving. It not only monitors how many steps you’ve taken, but also keeps track of how many miles you’ve walked. It provides detailed records of how long you’ve spent walking and how many calories you burned in the process.
Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock: For those of us that love to hit the snooze button, Sleep Cycle is the perfect free sleep app to track your sleeping patterns. A good night’s rest is imperative to your health, and Sleep Cycle lets you know if you’re getting just that. The app tracks daily sleep patterns and analyzes them over time. Sleep Cycle can uses an accelerometer already in your iPhone to monitor any movement you unconsciously make at night in your bed to determine how well you’re sleeping. It doubles as an alarm clock.
Strava: This app is a great tool for runners and cyclists. Strava allows you to track your time, and even compare it to other users. You can keep track of your distance and pacing. Plus, thanks to GPS tracking, you can even save your favorite trails. The best part is you can connect the app to Facebook to easily connect with your friends. This is a great app to use with other students.
Nike Training: The prime all-around fitness app. Nike training has everything you could need rolled into one app. It has a variety of workouts to choose from for every fitness level, whether you’re hoping to get lean or get toned. You have the option to choose what kind of workout you’re looking for, and you can design a four-week program to cater to your fitness goals. The “Sport Feed” allows you to add friends and compare workout plans.
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Do you have a favorite app that didn’t make my list? Let me know on Twitter: @shaylagthatsme
