Collegiettes™ are busy girls. We know working out and eating right are priorities, but we would appreciate a little help staying on track. Look no further. Staying healthy and fit is easy with the latest technology. Whether you need motivation to work out or help watching what you eat, these smart phone apps will keep you on track.
Apps for Working Out
Nike Training Club
Cost: Free
Phone: iPhone
Prefer to work out at home instead of trekking over to the fitness center? Nike Training Club gives you exercises that anyone can do at home. You can choose to slim down, add definition, build strength, or target problem areas, and the app will give you a list of moves that can be completed in 30-45 minutes. Paige, a student at Clemson, says “it’s a great app for in home workouts that syncs your music to coached workouts for getting lean, tone, and building muscle.”
iMapMyRun
Cost: Free
Phone: iPhone, Android
This app goes the distance. Keep track of your pace, elevation, distance and calories with iMapMyRun. If you don’t take your phone along on your run (or if you hit the gym instead), you can add your exercise stats afterward. If you’re on vacation, iMapMyRun can give you a route to run. Posting your workouts to your Facebook or Twitter is an option (after all, who doesn’t like to brag about being in shape)? Sync your account with www.mapmyrun.com and find other friends that have accounts.
Couch-to-5K
Cost: $0.99 for iPhone; Free for Android
Phone: iPhone, Android
Want to start running but distance isn’t your forte? Try this app. It promises you can run a 5K if you train 30 minutes a day, 3 days a week, for 9 weeks. It tracks your routes with the built-in GPS and you can listen to your playlists while using the app. When you’re ready to run the 3.1, you’re eligible to receive $1 off certain races (iPhone only).
Easy Abs
Cost: There is a free version and a $0.99 version
Phone: iPhone, Android
Prepare for bikini season with the Easy Abs app. Spend five to ten minutes of your time doing exercises that target all abdominal muscles to get a toned and trim tummy. The free app offers ten exercises, and the $0.99 app boasts thirty.
Pedometer
Cost: Free
Phone: iPhone
Maybe working out isn’t your thing. No one likes to ruin an awesome hair/makeup day by getting sweaty at the gym. Staying active is critical, though, so turn on the pedometer and see how many steps you take in a day. Aim for about 10,000 steps, experts advise.
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Nutrition Apps
My Fitness Pal Calorie Counter
Cost: Free
Phone: iPhone, Android
Stick to your weight loss goals with the My Fitness Pal Calorie Counter. Set goals and track your progress with ease. Laura, a student at Appalachian State, says, “I use the My Fitness Pal app for the iPhone and I’m obsessed with it! It logs your weight, counts calories and tracks exercise. It can also scan barcodes off of store bought items to figure out exactly what you’re eating!”
Lose It!
Cost: Free
Phone: iPhone, Android
If you typically eat at home and you’re looking to count calories, this app is great for you. Enter basic information (height, weight, how much weight you want to lose over a certain period of time) to find out how many calories you are allotted per day. Add each component of your meal, like a food diary. There’s also a space to add any exercise you’ve done.
The Eatery
Cost: Free
Phone: iPhone
Eating the right amount of food is just as important as eating healthy food. Thanks to restaurants and mom’s delicious cooking, our idea of portion control can be kind of skewed. Cue The Eatery app. Take pictures of your food and The Eatery will rate your meal. Online users can comment—both honest and motivational.
Eat This, Not That! Restaurants
Cost: $4.99
Phone: iPhone
You may have heard of these books—they show one of the worst options at popular chain restaurants (what you shouldn’t eat) and then provide a healthier option (what you should eat). No need to tote the books around anymore; add this app to your smart phone repertoire and pull it out when you make a pit stop at a chain restaurant. Lauren, a student at the University of Kentucky, explains her favorite features: “Not only does it have a calorie log, but you can check out the healthiest options at restaurants and see swaps for grocery items that are better choices on a health level.”
Fooducate
Cost: Free
Phone: iPhone
Check out how healthy your food is. Search for food or scan its barcode and see its benefits and disadvantages. Each food item is assigned a grade and you can compare products to see a list of options that score higher.
What are other health and fitness apps you love? Leave a comment!