Helpful apps
Applications on your phone and tablet are utilised day in and day out. With easy access to photo editing, maps, games and social media – if you’re not using them as part of your health and fitness routine too then you are definitely missing out! Health and fitness app usage has grown substantially over the last few years, with no __ of it slowing down. The purpose of apps range from tracking (of fitness, nutrition and workouts), motivational and educational and relaxation apps. Here are a few worth checking out!
For nutrition tracking!
Tracking what you eat is not everyone’s cup of tea. However, if it’s something that you’re interested in then you’re going to want a friendly interface to make it as quick and easy to use as possible. MyFitnessPal, Calorie King and Loseit are three easy to use apps for tracking nutrition. However, it does pay to shop around to which one suits you the best to get the most out of it!
For those quick workouts!
For those of us with busy lives (let’s face it, that’s most of us) – it’s easy to relate to not finding time for consistent exercise. Sometimes it’s just not feasible to get to the gym to do that workout or class because of work travel, childcare or time commitments. Not to worry – quick and easy workouts can be found at just the tap of a button with apps providing just this. 7 minute workout, Keelo and Adaptiv are three that are simple apps which get you from point A to point B – no hassle and most of the time, no equipment either. But don’t let their time efficiency fool you into thinking they will be a stroll in the park. Be prepared to get that heart rate up and a sweat on!
For the runner!
Running apps are in abundance these days all the way from planning your run, to data recording and analyses. Depending on if you have any wearable technologies such as smart watches or smart glasses etc. many of these come with associated apps which make the data easily accessible. NikeRun Club is just one suggestion of these apps. Footpath, is also a fantastic way to plan a route you want to take. It can give you an overview of what km’s you’ll be up for and also has built in directions that can come through your headphones if you are trying out a new route. That way, all you’ve got to focus on, is you.
To relax and recover!
Perhaps one of the most overlooked consideration of training is what you do when you’re not in the gym. On the flip side of training, is recovery. Calm and Simple Habit are great apps for short sessions (some only 5 minutes) of meditation and relaxation. If you’re someone who struggles to wind down in the even after a busy day at work or and adrenalizing workout – this may be a simple answer for you to aid in getting a restful sleep. For those who struggle to get enough sleep, Sleep cycle is a great app to help you stay on track and accountable for just how much sleep you are actually getting. A feature which is really on in this app is the built in alarm function – but it’s not like any ordinary alarm. You select what time you would like to get up, for example – between 6:00AM and 6:15AM and through using the microphone on your phone (and the previous data analysed during your sleep), the app will wake you up when you are in your lightest sleep; meaning waking up feeling refreshed, rather than wanting to hit the snooze button and roll on over back to sleep.
Pip Tockuss
B.Clinexerphys, (AEP, Aes, ESSAM)
Accredited Exercise Physiologist
