Applications that bring
together fitness freaks
Over and over again, research has shown that one
of the best ways to help you want to stick to your workout plan or new diet is
involving other people in your plans. Social media fitness apps may be one of
the best ways to do this, but you need to find the app that works best for you!
There are many healthy living apps, but apps that are rooted in social
connections are best suited to filling in the gap between expert recommendations
and the realities of your lifestyle.
Summarising all of the fitness apps would be
impossible, but it's easy to break the available apps down into three basic
categories. As with most things that influence your lifestyle, there isn't
going to be a perfect healthy living app that will work for everyone.
1 APPS THAT CONNECT YOU WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY
There is no replacing the relationships that you
have with your friends and family. For this reason, these individuals can be
some of your best supports throughout any significant lifestyle changes that
you make. Social media apps that focus on using these relationships to improve
success can be some of the most powerful in changing your habits, and can also
be a lot of fun! However, these apps can also be intimidating to use if you are
not surrounded by supportive relationships, or if those around you are
uninterested in moving towards a healthy lifestyle.
FITBIT
Fitbit is one of the most widely used app that
iOS Android connects wirelessly to an electronic pedometer (now available in
multiple styles with a wide range of functions!) and compares your stats
(including steps taken, stairs climbed, calories eaten, andor weight lost) to
those of your Fitbit friends.
Fitbit is a great way to improve your fitness
while competing against friends and family some large companies have even
begun implementing the use of Fitbit as a health initiative for their staff!
You can wait for the weekly leaderboard to come out every Sunday night to see
who has become champion, or engage your friends and family in a set challenge
like the “Workweek Hustle“ for additional motivation.
Apps that are intended to connect you with
people in your “real“ life may be the best choice for you if you enjoy
competing against people you know, want a way to keep your supportive friends
and family in the loop about your training through a platform dedicated to
fitness, or find that your best motivation comes from engaging people close to
you in your lifestyle changes.
2 APPS THAT CONNECT TO YOUR EXISTING SOCIAL
MEDIA ACCOUNTS
While apps dedicated to fitness and healthy
living are able to provide a number of great features, if no one else you know
is using them they can fall short of their original purpose. If you want to
stay engaged with your real-life friends, but they are not interested in using
healthy living apps themselves, then choosing to connect an app with your
existing social media accounts is a great way to still involve them in your
goal setting, progress, and successes.
NIKE+
Nike+ is one of the most ubiq uitous apps for
iOS Android fitness, especially since it began partnering with Apple.
There are many features of Nike+ that are
helpful for your training. It tracks stats from your runs, allows you to
complete challenges, and also has a coaching feature that leads you through a
targeted program for specific race distances and running levels.
The social aspect of the Nike+ app is integral
to its design. It allows you to share the completion of your runs through
Facebook, Twitter or Path.
An in-app camera allows you to add a photo to
your share without leaving the app. As well, you can choose to “Get Cheers“
from your Facebook and Path friends a cheering noise will sound over your
music in real time as your friends like your post.
Apps that are intended to connect you to your
friends through an existing social media network are a great way to have all of
the benefits of the support you want from your close social circle without the
potential effort involved with making them download an extra app they may not
be interested in.
3 APPS THAT CONNECT YOU TO A COMMUNITY OF
STRANGERS
As wonderful as it can be to have support from
your existing friends and family, there are a lot of situations in which being
able to work out with a community of individuals that you do not know is a
better fit.
These apps are great for people who are exercis
ing at a level different than those around them you may want to have more
technical discussions about weight training, or have someone else to talk to
who is also start ing to exercise with zero experience.
These apps do take more individual dedication
than those that involve your off-line friends. After all, the motivation of an
online community is only effective if you choose to stay engaged.Similarly, the
level of interaction and investment that you put into an online community
generally dictates the benefits you will receive from the app.
PUMPUP
Apps such as PumpUp are designed speiOS Android
cifically for those who love talking about their workouts on social media and
who also enjoy being inspired by the accomplishments of others. The interface
of PumpUp looks as it resembles Instagram in both its appearance and
functionality, but it features three different feeds. A “New“ feed allows you
to view the newest photos posted, a “Popular“ feed lets you see the posts that
have been interacted with most, and a “Following“ feed allows you to view
photos only from those users that you choose. You can track your exercise with
the app, and post photos with your followers.
Apps that are intended to create a community
amongst like-minded people who may never meet are a fantastic resource for
those looking to make lifestyles changes. They are a great choice if you love
using social media, and are interested in sharing your fitness activities with
others who will understand.
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Briallyn
Smith
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Mm14may15
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