From applications to help you meditate and sleep, to those that promise to build bulk, there’s something to fit your goals.
Working out at home has become a mainstay in personal fitness. With the pandemic causing areas to shut down, open up, and shut down once again, the certainty of being able to workout in a communal space on a regular basis has become entirely uncertain. For many, the virtual workout now reigns supreme. Social media sources like Youtube, Instagram, and Twitter all offer a plethora of exercise routines. And they can be hard to resist! Free and available in a wide variety of lengths, types, skill levels and intensities, the options are alluring.
But even with such a wide supply of choice at our fingertips, some people like a bit more bang for their buck, (or shall we say, value for their time, perhaps, although the free stuff is really very useful, too). If you are the type of fitness fan who likes to share your personal results on a social platform, or have access to things like heart rate monitors and sleep trackers, a fitness app may be more your thing.
Searching for the best? Here are the top 10 fitness apps downloaded in the US in 2020, according to Apptopia, a company that provides actionable mobile app insights.
Calm
The pandemic has been hard. Among other things, it has stretched our patience, fortitude, and discipline. For some people, lockdown has proven to be the perfect time to lose weight or get fit. For others, however, sticking to a consistent workout regime has proven to be difficult. Of course, any exercise is better than no exercise. Some professionals are saying you shouldn’t focus on hitting your targets too much, though. In fact, you may want to re-evaluate what they are, entirely.
Related: 6 heart health tips from cardiologists
Physical fitness falling to the wayside? Zero in on mental fitness for a change. That’s what millions of Americans decided to do in the first half of 2020. During that time, 8.6 million Americans installed this app that helps you meditate, relax, stretch, and sleep. It comes complete with bedtime stories to help you get the best rest of your life.
Fitbit
Research done last summer showed that most Americans who were working out at home said they would continue doing so even once gyms fully reopened. Fitbit helps make this possible. As the second most popular fitness app of the first half of 2020, this app offers users the chance to tailor your workouts, track your calories and steps, monitor your sleep, weight and heart rate, and much more.
MyFitnessPal
Trying to lose weight? Interested in counting calories? It’s not a habit that’s for everyone, but it can work, and this app helps make the magic happen. MyFitnessPal boasts a database of over 11 million foods. You can search to obtain a calorie count. After this, you can log your daily activity and easily calculate approximately how many calories you’ve burned. Use the data to reach your goals faster.
Headspace
This is another wellness app that is all about fitness of the mind. With meditations tailored to tackle specific problems like financial and relationship stress. The Headspace app helps move you to new horizons. With tips on things like how to deal with loneliness and be less shy, it aims to make you more mindful of yourself, above all else.
Related: 4 Techniques to Help You Sleep Better
Flo
Women, listen up, this one’s exclusively for you. Flo is an app that helps you track your period and when you ovulate, potentially making it easier to become (or not become) pregnant. If you already have a bun or two in the oven, it can also help you track your pregnancy, and provide you with medical advice from experts.
Muscle Booster Workout
Who doesn’t want to look ripped? Muscle Booster Workout helps you do just that- boost your muscles in the specific parts of your body you wish to target.
BetterMe
It’s easy to see why this app is a top seller: just read the tag line. “Get in your best shape with the least effort” the app’s homepage promises. This app advertises simple and effective workouts for women, programs personalized to you, meal plans and virtual support.
Fitness Coach
Fitness Coach offers what you think it does: a virtual coach with workouts, progress tracking, tailoring and more all adapted to your individual needs.
Samsung Health
Available in over 70 languages, Samsung Health is a free wellness app that can help you track what you eat, when and how you sleep, how much you are exercising…you get the picture. Get a customized feed of daily health and fitness news and stay on top of the trends.
Home Workout- No Equipment
When it comes to free workouts, there aren’t many better than those that offer you results without having to own any expensive, bulky equipment. With a rating of 4.9 out of 5 from over a million users on Google Play, this app can lead you towards the results you’re looking for on a simple floor mat.
With so many apps to chose from and free media available online, getting and staying fit is still possible. Time to get off the couch!
photo credits: Kaspars Grinvalds/Shutterstock.com
