Favorite Fitness Apps

As most of you mamas know, I am on a fitness journey. I have my good days, and my not so good days. But I haven’t given up and I am still plugging away. Tweaking things as I go and finding what works for me.

One thing I have learned, and it’s the age old saying…. Fail to Plan, Plan to fail. #thestruggleisreal

Seriously everything from meal prep, to scheduling workouts, to logging it all. It’s all crucial. The nice thing though? Pretty much anything you want to plan for…..there’s an app for that.

Isn’t modern technology glorious?

Here are some of my favorite fitness apps I think are worth checking out…..

Nike + Training Club {Free} – No Gym? No problem. This app offers more than 100 workouts created by Nike trainers for all fitness levels. Each individual workout comes with video tutorials, so even beginners never feel left in the dust. I do go to the gym, and I have some Beach Body videos that I love, but sometimes it’s nice to mix things up and this is a GREAT option for that.

C25K {Free} – Don’t know where to start? Just get off the couch.The eight-week training plan starts slow by alternating between walking and running until you build up strength. This app can work with even the busiest schedules with just three half-hour workouts every week with rest days in between. There is even an audio coach to support you throughout your journey.

Pump Up {Free} – Not everyone cares about your multiple #fitfam selfies post workout. That’s where Pump Up comes to the rescue. Because for those of us trying to get healthy we like posting 1) for the accountability and 2) to see others journey for motivation. Pump Up is Instagram meets Facebook, where nobody is being unfollowed for their third #beastmode pic that week. 

My Fitness Pal {Free} – This app is my best friend, and my worst enemy. The ultimate calorie counter.  You can log most meals using the apps extensive database of brand name foods. If you made something from scratch, you can input the recipe, and the app will estimate it’s nutritional information too. It will save your favorite foods making it eventually easier to log. This is where I struggle though. I get lazy. There are like 800 options for grilled chicken breast all with vastly different nutritional value and while it helps keep me accountable, it’s probably the step I like the least. 

Healthy Out {Free} – This app is a life saver for the days you either 1) didn’t meal plan or 2) find yourself out to eat with friends, family, colleagues. Just plug in your address and answer a few questions about dietary restrictions, cuisine, ingredients, or even the type of dish you’re looking for. Then the app will offer dozens of restaurants to choose from and even note the healthiest food on the menu.

Shop Well {Free} -One thing I have learned on this journey is that just because it says organic or has fruit or veggies in it, doesn’t always make it healthy. ShopWell allows you to create a personal profile with your age, gender, health goals, things you want to avoid in your diet, and any allergies you may have. Then next time you are at the grocery store, you can start scanning barcodes. The app will give each item a score—and show you which foods to avoid, and which foods get the green light.

Sleep Cycle {$0.99} – Getting healthy isn’t all about diet and exercise. A good nights sleep is crucial in your overall health. Sleep Cycle is an awesome app to help you track your night. Select the time you want to wake up, place your phone facedown on your bed, and then the app will wake you up sometime in the half-hour window before your alarm when you are in your lightest sleep. Sleep Cycle uses your phone to measure movement in bed and pinpoint REM cycles. 

Twilight {Free} – Speaking of good sleep, let’s talk about the one thing that isn’t helping your quest for a better nights rest. By now we should all know that staring at our phones before bed seriously throws off our sleep cycles. Your phone’s blue light signals to your body that it’s daytime even when it’s pitch black outside. Now of course the quick fix is to not take your phone to bed with you, but pshhh let’s be realistic. That is where Twilight comes to the rescue by slowly removing the blue light from your phone when the sun starts to set outside preparing your mind and body for a good nights rest.

Spotify {Free version available or Premium account for $9.99 a month} – This one may not seem like a health and fitness app, and technically it isn’t. However I always feel that your workout is only as good as your playlist. This mama likes to jam O-U-T while getting my sweat on. Spotify is a great way to do that. Now I don’t pay the monthly fee so there are ads on the free version, but that doesn’t stop me. Some of my favorites for working out are Fifth Harmony, Walk The Moon, DJ Khaled and Karmin. 

So there you have it. These are the apps that have been helping me along this road to take back my life, and get myself back to the place I want to be. What are some of your go to fitness apps? Any I am missing out on and need to download? Also, what are some of your favorite work out songs at the moment..mama needs some new jams?!