Technology has become ubiquitous in society. It continues to accelerate and enhance the experiences of our daily lives, and now it’s playing a crucial role in our efforts to lose weight and stay fit. Canary Wharf Personal Trainers at Delta Fitness discuss top fitness apps.
New developments in fitness software technologies (commonly referred to as fitness apps) are proceeding at a frenetic pace, and their widespread adoption is helping more people live happier, healthier lives.
“Suddenly, people are discovering that they can access a wide array of exercise programs just by having a smartphone,” said one personal trainer (PT) who works at a popular fitness center in the Canary Wharf, the new mecca of London’s health and wellness movement.
Already, more than 80% of the recreational athletes in the United Kingdom (UK) rely on some form of fitness technology to track their fitness efforts. In America, almost two-thirds of the country’s adult population report that they’ve downloaded and used a fitness app over the course of the last 12 months. This burgeoning interest in technology-driven fitness is creating enormous opportunities for fitness start-ups and tech companies to serve unmet needs. These activities have put the fitness apps market on a trajectory to reach almost $80 billion by 2026.
However, this rapid pace of development is flooding the market with new options which can be confusing for someone who has never used a fitness app before and hopes to choose the right one. Fortunately, we’ve done an analysis of the market’s most advanced fitness technologies and, along with the help of experienced PTs and fitness professionals, we’ve assembled the following list of the top fitness apps and technology for you to consider:
What is Fitness Technology?
Most fitness technologies are offered as downloadable apps for your tablet or smartphone. Essentially, these apps offer us a range of tools that empower us to take greater control over our own health and fitness. That can be as simple as losing weight, but there are even apps that help us get the proper nutrition we need. Many are downloadable for free, while others offer access to premium features for a small fee.
The one thing that all fitness apps seem to have in common is that they’re designed to provide users with the guidance, motivation, and accountability they need to achieve their fitness goals.
Wearable Fitness Technology
In a world of interconnectivity, many personal trainers are integrating wearable technology into their routines. Devices like smartwatches and the oh-so-popular Fitbit allow us to accurately track biometric information in real time via the use of sensors that can monitor our blood pressure and help us keep track of the number of steps we walk. Fitbit is probably the most well-known version of wearable tech and has a solid reputation for effectiveness. However, the Apple Watch is another wearable option that’s heavily favored by PTs because of the broad range of built-in fitness and health features that are included.
Nutrition | Dieting Apps
“We’re astonished by the number of clients we work with that don’t realize what they’re putting into their bodies,” shrieked another personal trainer from the Canary Wharf area when we visited.
Fortunately, nutrition apps are a terrific way to track the contents of your diet and help you develop healthier eating habits. In fact, some of these apps can be useful in helping you locate restaurants that align with your dietary goals. When selecting the right nutrition app for your goals, PTs stress the importance of getting the right balance of protein, carbs, and fat. These are called macronutrients. Before choosing, be sure to research an app’s “macro tracking” capabilities.
One of the top nutrition apps that PTs recommend to their clients is Lose It! – an app that includes an expansive catalog of over 32 million foods. Other nutrition apps like MyFitnessPal and Cronometer are also gaining popularity as more people take control of their dietary habits.
Weight Loss Apps
Losing weight boils down to a simple fact: create a caloric deficit. And that means burning more calories than you’re consuming. Using a weight loss app that allows you to track the number of calories you’re taking in can help you better understand the dynamics of your diet. Once we understand our diets, PTs tell us that these apps can help us make meaningful changes to our diet. In other words, weight loss apps help us “cut out” certain foods to create a calorie deficit, but we do so without compromising on nutrition.
Certain fitness apps like MyNetDiary come highly recommended by PTs because of its tools allow users to build a personalized weight loss programs that works with their busy lifestyle.
Apps for Cardio Exercises
It doesn’t matter if your goal is to lose weight, build up endurance, or just build muscle mass, many PTs and fitness experts stress the importance of including some form of moderate cardio (jogging, walking, etc.) in your workout regimens.
Fortunately, certain fitness apps offer us tools that can help us make the most of our cardio activities. Fitness apps like iCardio let you track your progress on an exercise bike or treadmill, and the effectiveness of your jogging activities can be recorded as well. Other fitness apps recommended by PTs that offer terrific cardio tracking options include Tone It Up and FITON.
Strength Training Apps
For strength training to be effective, PTs suggest adopting a fitness app that motivates you to stick to a workout schedule. Many strength training apps can help people develop a workout plan that works for them as well as provide them with instructions to ensure they’re performing the exercises with proper form.
Strength training apps like Caliber have risen in popularity because of the app’s ability to help people build a personalized exercise regimen based on their specific fitness goals. These apps can achieve this by asking a series of questions about a person’s experience and goals, and then recommending a plan that’s tailored to the person’s unique lifestyle.
We also found that many PTs were fond of the Sworkit fitness app. An app that offers an array of strength training exercises that don’t rely on equipment; an especially useful app for busy professionals or people that don’t have much space or equipment to use.
Conclusion.
Just about every PT that we spoke with agreed that fitness apps will continue to play a huge role in modern health and wellness. However, these fitness professionals also suggest setting realist goals when adopting these apps for the first time. If you end up setting goals that aren’t achievable, your app experience won’t be a positive one and you will end up disappointed.
Finally, fitness apps are playing a key role in the modern personal trainer / client relationship proving that the two can work very well together. The more information and support that a client can get, the happier they’ll be with their results.
The key is to get online and start learning about these apps.