We’re all guilty of piling on the pounds over Christmas, and we’re all guilty of breaking new year’s resolutions to be healthier. The positive “I’ll never eat carbs again!” mantra soon slips into the familiar “Oh, just ONE more biscuit can’t hurt?”, and so the cycle continues.
Thankfully, there are dozens of apps that can give us the help and inspiration we need to get back on the straight and narrow. Here, we’ve rounded up ten of our favourite fitness and nutrition aids for iPhone and iPad that will help get you fighting fit for 2014.
1. My Fitness Pal
MyFitnessPal helps you keep track of everything that passes your lips and can help you lose weight in the process. Just enter your starting weight and goal weight, along with the amount of weight you want to lose per week, then log everything you eat and drink each day and it’ll tell you whether you’re on track. It’s a good way to keep track of how many calories, fat and carbs you’re consuming and also allows you to keep track of how much exercise you’ve done — even if it’s just walking to the station in the morning.
Perfect for: the cheater
2. Zombies, run!
When the weather is foul and you’re just not in the mood, going for a run can be a pretty tedious task. But with Zombies Run, running can be a turned into something of an enjoyable adventure. Just put on your running shoes, head out and the app will deliver an audio story straight (Shaun of the Dead style) complete with instructions on where and how fast to run direct to your headphonesa. The fear and adrenalin of being chased by virtual zombies will get your heart racing almost as much as the cardio.
Perfect for: The movie buff
3. Fitness Buddy
So you want to get buff? Well this tough-talking, back-slapping gym-buddy might be the app for you. With over 1,700 exercises and over 1,000 HD videos, this app is all about improving your training program. The search bar enables you to find your favourite exercises, and you can also build your own workout routines. The app also allows you to track your body weight, keeping you fit and at the top of your game.
Perfect for: The gym meathead
4. 7 Minute Workout
If you positively loathe the gym and can’t think of anything worse than going for a jog after work, then a 7 minute workout might be more up your street. The app is made up of 12 exercises that are performed for 30 seconds with 10 second intervals. The training is quick but intense, with its makers claiming one seven minute workout is equivalent to working out ‘properly’ for over an hour. The exercises are easy to perform and no equipment or trainers are needed. Sounds almost too good to be true doesn’t it?
Perfect for: The couch potato
5. Pact – Cash for Living
If the thought of getting ripped and toned isn’t a big enough incentive for dieting, then how about gaining some actual pounds? Money, that is. All you have to do is log what you’ve eaten and how much exercise you’ve done every week, and if you meet all your goals, you get rewarded at the end of the week with cash — paid by members who didn’t quite make it that week. At the start, all members have to make a ‘pact’ with the app — how much you’ll be willing to pay if you didn’t meet your goals. Get paid to eat your greens? Sounds good to us.
Perfect for: The poor student
6. My Last Cigarette
Getting healthy isn’t all about eating the right food or exercising more, you should also consider cutting down on the amount of filthy smoke you inhale. My last cigarette asks you to enter your smoking habits and personal details and tracks your expected increase in lifespan, your circulatory and lung function improvements and your savings. Who needs nictoine patches?
Perfect for: The fag hag
7. Food Calculator Pro or My Fitness Calculator
Mixing maths with your fitness regime is a great way to stay on top of your game. Food calculator assigns a value to everything you eat, based on how satisfying it is, the number of calories, fat, proteins etc., and the impact it can have on your fitness regime. It also gives you a recommended daily allowance based on your gender, age, weight, height and lifestyle.
Perfect for: The maths boffin
8. Zumba Dance
This app provides a great way to keep fit and have fun, without needing to pay for a gym membership and extra classes. The Facebook group sets goals and challenges for you or a group of friends, making it more fun to party yourself into shape. You can also customise your classes in 20-60 minute lengths with different routines, depending on how lively you’re feeling.
Perfect for: The party girl
9. Bulk Up! Protein Tracker
This apps is ideal for people who are naturally thin. You absolute b******s. It provides handy tips and advice on the most effective ways to gain weight, makes tracking protein easy and fun, and enables you to create a daily log of all your meals, so you can see for yourself just how much protein, calories, and fat you’re taking on board.
Perfect for: Skinny minnies.
10. Pocket Yoga
It’s easy to succumb to temptation and dive face-first into the biscuit tin. So why not give yoga a go to relieve the stress? Don’t want to get up at the crack of dawn and slog to your nearest gym you say? Then this might be the app for you. Pocket Yoga allows you to practise yoga in the comfort of your PJs at a time that suits you. You can choose between three different practices, three difficulty levels, and 3 durations, and completely and utterly zone out.
Perfect for: The bendy hermit
Main Image: Flickr
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