Smartphones have changed everything; fitness included. Fitness apps allow everyone to have a personal trainer for less than $5. Lifechanging nutritional information and tips are available with a simple download. Yes, it’s true I have always had of a love fitness and have most of my life, but I credit that to my active parents that modeled that exercise is fun and a part of our daily life.
As mothers we have a major opportunity, influence and responsibility to our families to help them lead a healthy lifestyle. Whether you are looking to get back into shape or searching for more tools to keep your workouts interesting, here are my top 5 fitness apps that educate, motivate and will move you into being the best mom you can be!
My Fitness Pal
This is my favorite app because it’s FREE and the key to being fit is more about nutrition than exercise. My Fitness Pal is a food and exercise log that calculates the calories burned versus the calories eaten, tracking exactly the deficit needed to achieve your personal weight loss goal. The app has an extensive nutritional value index for foods, remembers foods you have logged before and allows you to see if you are hitting daily values of protein, carbs, etc…The best feature may be the ability to share your log with friends as long as they have the app.
Daily Burn Video Workouts
This versatile app can be used on smartphones, Wii’s or streamed through your tv or computer. From yoga to a kettlebell workout, Daily Burn offers a variety of workouts. The app can customize your workout by time, activity, intensity level and even trainer because it is natural to choose a favorite instructor at the gym, right? Every video includes a participant modeling beginner moves as well as advanced. No matter where you are, a calorie-torching workout is in the palm of your hand, and it’s free for the first month.
Cruise Control
This $4.99 clever app analyzes the music on your phone and pulls the best running songs into the app based on their beats per minute. From there, you can choose the pace you desire to run, and Cruise Control becomes your DJ. Each song will display your pace and how far you’ll go listening to a song as long as you match your step with the rhythm! There are also options to choose songs for a certain heart rate or feel free to run, and CC will find a song to match your pace.
Performance Stretching
I feel one of my missions in life is to help people jump aboard the stretching train because after all, we have one body to last us a lifetime, and we must take care of it. For only $2.99 Performance Stretching takes the guess work out of stretching by providing and explaining dynamic, static and foam rolling stretches for muscles and explains the best time to do each exercise. There are even specific warm up and cool down stretches for sports and running. Each stretch is held for a maximum of 30 seconds, so there is no excuse, you do have time for that!
Fooducate
I’ll say it once, and I’ll say it again, being healthy and fit is more about what you eat than what you do. Fooducate is a FREE app that takes the guesswork out of what you are eating. Simply scan an item from your pantry or the grocery store shelf and this app will give it a grade based on its nutritional value or lack thereof. And let’s say your favorite snack doesn’t make the grade, Fooducate will supply a similar alternative that will hit the spot.
Do you have a favorite fitness app?
Great! I needed this! Thanks ML!