Ready to get outside this summer and get fit? Your smartphone’s hardware, software, and app store full of programs can help lead the way. Here’s a guide on how to get the most out of your device. Just remember, medical data is sensitive information, so read the privacy policy of any app that’s collecting it or tracking you. Consult your doctor before making significant changes to your dietary or workout routine.
Here’s to Your Health
In 2014, Apple and Google announced dashboard apps to track personal health and wellness, and the companies have been enhancing those apps ever since. The Google Fit app works on the Android and iOS operating systems. (It can also import health data from Wear OS, Apple Watches, and third-party apps.) Google Fit helps users set activity goals to earn “Heart Points” for better cardiovascular health in collaboration with the American Heart Association.
This year, Google announced that the app could also use the phone’s camera to measure heart and respiratory rates for informational purposes (but not as a medical diagnosis); Google’s Pixel phones were the first to get this function. Apple Health and Google Fit include essential tools like a pedometer, which uses the phone’s motion sensor to track your steps, but fitness and food apps can provide more detailed information.
Get a New (Exercise) Routine
You have many options if you’re looking for a workout app for an exercise plan that goes beyond step-counting. Most of the popular programs are available for both Android and iOS. These include the Jefit Workout Planner and Skimble’s Workout Trainer; both offer guides to specific exercises and routines for small subscription fees. The Peloton app ($13 a month) offers video-driven workouts, and Google Fit has a curated list of free exercise videos on YouTube. The Apple Fitness+ service is $10 a month for those planted in the Apple ecosystem and requires an Apple Watch with your iPhone to monitor your vital signs.
Runners and cyclists wanting to measure their progress have a variety of apps to consider. For people on a budget or preferring to exercise at home, apps like Skimble’s Workout Trainer, far left, offer fitness routines and sync data with Apple Health or Google Fit. Google Fit, near left, has a collection of free YouTube workout videos. For beginners, the $3 Couch to 5K app provides a training plan for stationary newbies to work up to a solid running routine. Runkeeper and MapMyRun use the phone’s location services to log and trace routes; both are free with in-app purchases. Cyclemeter and Strava are inexpensive apps tracking running, cycling, and more.
