Awesome Apps (And Not the Kind You Eat)
Compared to BlackBerry and iPhone users, I’m still living in the dark ages with my non-internet-enabled cell phone. Sure, it takes pictures and allows me to make phone calls, but I lack the ability to look up answers to trivia questions in the middle of a restaurant at any given time. I’m perfectly content being on the low-tech end of the spectrum, but that doesn’t mean I’m not aware of all of the awesome iPhone applications I’m missing out on.
I recently shared tons of cool websites that can help you in your fitness endeavors. Now I’m digging up all of the iPhone applications I’ve come across recently—ones I’d definitely download if I had an iPhone.
iPump
Dubbed the “ultimate personal trainer,” the iPump FitnessBuilder from PumpOne gives you access to a huge exercise image and video library, whether you’re at the gym or in a hotel room. With more than 400 complete workouts, users can customize routines with both visual and audio directions— perfect for those of us who draw a blank when not being told exactly what to do by a class instructor or DVD. Choose workouts based on fitness goals, body parts and available equipment and log and track your progress. Users can also email fitness experts to get live responses. While not free, at $19.99 this app will give you a personal trainer in your pocket.
GymFu
GymFu’s apps are designed to detect the actual movements of certain exercises. You can strap the iPhone or iPod Touch onto the body part you’re working, and the app will give you feedback on the quality of your reps. The company just released a new version of its push-up application, PushupFu, and will soon have versions for squats and crunches as well. With battle modes, a robot trainer and blog widgets, this app can keep you competitive and motivated.
Livestrong
A reader hipped us to the fact that Livestrong has an awesome iPhone app that’s great for tracking food and activities. With a massive nutritional database of more than 525,000 food and restaurant items, this app makes it easy to track intake and output.
GoodFoodNearYou
As we’ve mentioned before, this website helps you find nutritional information for restaurants near where you live. Now you can use it when you’re on the go, foraging for your next meal. With free mobile applications for the iPhone, iPod Touch and various BlackBerry models, you can find delicious and nutritious meals in your neck of the woods or wherever you may roam.
Interval Helpers
Apps such as Interval Timer and HIIT Timer help you out during interval training.If you’re like me and forget whether you’ve got one or two minutes left to go in your interval, these types of apps are for you. Just search for their names in iTunes to track them down.
RunKeeper
For the iPhone 3G, this free app uses GPS to track your run’s distance, duration, pace, speed—all the key stats you want to know from your run. You can also see a map of your activities to prove to friends and family that you went the distance. This alone makes Jenn want to buy an iPhone.
I spent a good hour looking around on iTunes at the many applications available, and these don’t even scratch the surface. Not only are there numerous free apps, but the ones you have to pay for are pretty darn cheap. With apps on everything from losing weight to yoga training to helping you sleep better to finding your happy weight, it’s a guarantee that there will be numerous choices to help you in your fitness endeavors. Even the odd-ball ones (sheep counting, anyone?) are entertaining to look at. This makes it all the more tempting for me to make the big phone purchase. It would be for my health, right? —Erin
Want more lists of awesome apps? Check out Woman’s Day recommendations and NursingDegree.net.