6 Fitness Apps That Actually Don’t Suck
You need more than a set of weights and sheer force of will—the key to a healthier summer is right in your pocket.
We all have that friend. He’s the guy who can eat and drink a seemingly endless supply of beer and burgers and never has to worry. If you’re reading this, you’re probably not that guy. Good, because everyone hates that fucking guy.
As for the rest of us, we have to put pain, effort, and sacrifice into looking and feeling phenomenal — but that’s a good thing. A solid workout routine should take discipline, the result of hard work and perseverance. At the end, you should feel like you’ve accomplished something.
But it shouldn’t be impossible. Here are 6 fitness apps to help get that grind going.
1. FitStar – Free, Premium for $4.99/month or $49.99/year
Custom curated workout routines delivered straight to your phone, based on your personal goals, objectives, and current fitness level. FitStar gives you a baseline “fitness test” to gauge starting health levels, then sends you custom daily workout routines that intensify and get more complex as you get more fit. The app actively solicits feedback and either increases or reduces intensity based on how you feel. It’ll also give you workouts for specific time parameters, perfect for squeezing in some exercise on busy days.
2. WOD Deck of Cards – Free
The first rule of working out is to keep things interesting. Doing the same workout at the same intensity every day will cause what’s called a fitness plateau—aka mind-numbing boredom coupled with a lack of results. The trick is to switch up interval and intensity in order to keep your body “guessing” and working harder.
That’s the goal of WOD Deck of Cards. This routine-generating app selects random workouts and compiles them into a custom regimen. Create and log your own workouts, or let the app choose for you.
3. MyFitnessPal – Free
A proper diet is just as important to getting fit as disciplined workout patterns. MyFitnessPal pulls from a huge database of foods to help keep an accurate log of what you’ve eaten. More than that, it’ll take information about your current body weight and fitness goals, and will make food suggestions based on your input. It’ll even gather quantities of hard-to-track foods like fruits and meats and help you guestimate those calories, too.
Best part? It pairs with other fitness gadgets like Fitbit and Jawbone.
4. Fitnet – Free, premium for $19-$50
Fitnet is a personal trainer on your phone. No, not like a trainer, but actual crowd-sourced training advice and input. The app employs a network of personal trainers that will help you develop workout routines, critique your form (via your device’s camera), and give you feedback — all in real time. Download the app, select a trainer, and get to work. Just like that.
Even if you skimp out and use the free version, you’ll get access to over 200 free workouts of varying intensities, complete with “webcam scoring.”
5. Fitn — $149.99/mo
Paying for Fitn is like receiving a key to Fitness City. The app gives its members access to the best gyms and studios in town. From spin classes to yoga studios, high intensity training programs, Pilates, general gym access, and everything in between—Fitn members receive unlimited insider connections. This app is only available in San Diego and Orange County at the moment, but that’s changing soon, so keep your eyes on this up-and-coming game changer.
6. Waterlogged – Free
Paramount to getting in shape is hydration. Even if you’re not in the gym every day, chances are you’re dehydrated and you didn’t even know it. The concept behind Waterlogged is simple: You need to drink more water, period. The app charts your daily water intake, reminds you how much water you need to drink and when you need to drink it, and will even set incremental goals for you to follow.
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