Since I’ve gotten back from vacation, life has been hectic. Almost as if I’m playing catch-up. Staying on track while being anxious is always a hassle for me, so I rely on a few apps to keep things simpler. These days you can pretty much track anything you want with your phone, plus listen to music (or even have a voice cheering you on) while you’re working out. Here are the top 3 apps that I use for health and fitness:
For running, which I do almost daily, I use the Nike Run Club app. Being able to easily access the data for all of your runs including maps of the routes that you’ve taken is really helpful. Most importantly for me, it helps to see the progress I’ve made over time. The app also tells you every mile you’ve run so you don’t have to check your phone for distance (surprisingly not a feature on all running apps). If you’re into guided runs, Nike offers those as well, along with challenges and other social aspects that you can get involved in. Seeing your friends’ runs can add the accountability that you need to push yourself to those goals!
For diet/nutrition, my favorite app is MyFitnessPal. They’ve got it down when it comes to presenting your diet in ways that help you stay on track, which is the biggest challenge for some people. If you’re tracking your macros like I do, MFP makes it so easy. They’ve got almost every food in their database or you can search/scan for it. If you have a smart scale that connects to the app, it can track your weight as well. There’s also a million other features to the app now, including recipes, tracking your steps, setting reminders and challenges, etc. But in my experience, keeping things SIMPLE makes it easier to keep things consistent.
There are a ton of apps available for meditation and mobility work. Whether or not you work out, mindfulness and mobility is something that everyone should be doing. I am currently working on the Trifecta app, which I use for meditation and mobility. We try to incorporate it in our workouts but to make it easily accessible for those who can’t attend classes, it’ll be in the app. Even 5-15 minutes a day dedicated to mindfulness benefits your mental health! I highly encourage it. I’ll let you know when the Trifecta app comes out!
The only thing that apps can’t do is pull you out of bed, remind you to eat healthy, or persistently prod you to sit down and meditate for a few minutes. But they do try to reward you for your accomplishments and push you to keep going, which is sometimes all you need! Remember: At the end of the day these are YOUR goals. So be consistent.
Sport. Body. Mind.
