Filed under: iPhone, iPod touch
iPhone and Exercise: What apps do you like?
For the most part, I've been disappointed with iPhone fitness applications. I'm not talking about Nike+ but rather the third party apps found in the Health & Fitness section of the App Store. Apps that track your routes tend to be battery-killers (not really their fault, more due to the way the SDK insists they work). The ones that create exercise playlists depend on time-exhausting Mac-based solutions that have to analyze your iTunes tracks for their beats-per-minutes, creating a heavy investment with a minimal payoff. Genius on the iPhone does a decent job, without that time commitment.
I don't quite get the food and exercise logging apps -- I find that it's simpler to do all that on my primary Mac, using a physical notebook (you know: paper, pen, old tech) when I'm on the go. As for the stretching and exercise guides, I find them awkward. I'd rather use a DVD or a Wii-based game (I adore Gold Gym's Cardio Boxing, for example) where I don't have to keep referring to a 4-inch screen all the time and the sound is clear, and the instructions are easier to follow.
So what am I missing here? What are the really good iPhone-based fitness apps? I feel like all the ones I've tried just keep missing the point: to make exercise better or funner(™ Apple). Yes, they make exercise more portable, but do they provide a better win over Nike+, a bike computer or a garmin?
Please do chime in in the comments. Let me know what iPhone Apps I have been missing, and which ones will improve my exercise experience, whether in the home or on the jogging path. Surely, there have to be some winners out there, and I'd love to hear about which apps are working for you, and why.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
J McLain said 3:09PM on 10-08-2009
I use Lose It! It lets you enter calories, and offset the calories consumed by entering your exercise calories also. Once you enter something, it is there for the next time you need to enter it, and there is a way to look up calories for when you don't know. I have never liked or been good at calorie counting, but this app makes all the difference in the world. I lost, without the app, 17 pounds, and just could not get below that. Then, with the app, I have lost 15 more and still going (only 5 more to go).
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Jordan said 6:35PM on 10-08-2009
This isn't pointed directly at you, but why don't people just put the phone down and get their fat as.ses either out the door running or to the gym. It's not all about what and how much you eat, but also but how much you move.
People were able to be healthy and in great shape before the iphone. It's not needed to exercise nor does it really make it that much better. Only easier for the lazy person.
Mystic said 6:57PM on 10-08-2009
I've lost 25lbs in about 3 months by tracking calories and exercise with Lose It!
Mike said 8:41PM on 10-08-2009
I also use Lose It too and find it simple and effective. I've lost 22 lbs in about 11 weeks since I began using it.
rilindo said 11:24PM on 10-08-2009
Jordan,
Huh, semi-hostile much?
http://www.tuaw.com/profile/2995722/
If it takes an iPhone to get "lazy" people motivated to exercise, then I am all for it. Heck, I got one app on the iPhone that motivated me to get back to my running (and I already was exercising 3-4 times a week) Now I can do up to 50+ km per week, thanks to Runkeeper pro.
At any event, I agree that you don't need a iPhone to keep healthy and fit. However, staying healthy and fit takes conscious work. You can do it in anyway (paper/pad,spreadsheets, etc) - the iPhone, however, makes it much easier to put it all together. :)
iMatt said 4:15PM on 10-09-2009
Here's another vote for Lose It! I had gained about 30 pounds over the past five years, and counting calories w/ Lose It! alone--no added exercise--has helped me shed 20 pounds in 5 months.
To me, it's far more convenient to enter these on the iPhone, which I always have with me, than on two devices (Mac + paper notebook, especially since the latter does not automatically calculate calories and requires later entry into the former).
andrew said 5:42PM on 10-09-2009
I can't find lose it! on the app store - help!
Cadence said 3:11PM on 10-08-2009
Check out Cadence app. Matches songs from your iTunes library to a Beat per minute so you can find the speed you work out to , then exercise to all music that matches that speed. Its also useful when you are trying to stay awake and need fast music.. or fall asleep and need slow music.. that kind of stuff.
http://www.cadenceapp.com
youtube at ;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Had5j0cd2A
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David said 3:59PM on 10-08-2009
I have purchased Cadence. It's a great app.
gordonasper said 4:04PM on 10-08-2009
me too, love playing with this one. fun for exercise , fun for messing around with
jftreko said 4:11PM on 10-08-2009
Thanks for the kinds words. Yes there is some setup. We are working on a fix for that now . In a future release there will be no Desktop software needed to use Cadence Device. The desktop software is useful outside of Cadence App for those using nanos, shuffles or classic ipods to get BPM playlists setup. Thanks again.
pantsparty said 5:35PM on 10-08-2009
Just bought cadence, tried it out. Way fun
allen said 6:15PM on 10-08-2009
In the review the writer mentions genius doing a good enough job compared to a beat analyzer , but I can't find that feature in genius. I think beat analyzers do a better job than genius function because I can actually see the BPM of the song and plan my playlist. For running to music its important to know the BPM so I can ramp up my run at the end with songs of greater BPM and warm down at the end with songs having a slow BPM.
Cadence said 6:29PM on 10-08-2009
Yeah I agree, Genius is great for some things but an BPM analyzer can service a runner by giving more control. Like I mentioned before we will have a version of Cadence app out in the future that will work without a desktop analyzer, which will service those wanting a quicker route to using the app immediately.
Kristin Kuiper said 8:47PM on 10-08-2009
Not sure about the setup for Cadence, but one thing I know is that Genius takes some setup too the first time. Cadence is intriguing. Thanks for the tip.
Robert Marcus said 9:25PM on 10-08-2009
The Cadence App is a great way to get into BPM paced running. And I'm grateful to Cadence for mentioning my website, http://jogtunes.com, as a resource for BPM rated music. No question that we're a great match.
pantsparty said 9:02AM on 10-09-2009
When I'm running its more about finding something to motivate me , music is perfect for that. I normally plan my route and know the distance before hand. Looking forward to more Cadence releases!
Pandaplace said 8:28AM on 10-14-2009
I use Cadence too. Helps me concentrate on my pace and the best part is I'm using music from iTunes. Looking forward to feature releases and updates from these guys
Chris said 3:17PM on 10-08-2009
I've started testing out various food tracking options. With the recent release of the barcode scanner for DailyBurn, I am now using that. The DailyBurn app along with the scanner app and the online site integrate and sync well for what I need.
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DistortedLoop said 6:09PM on 10-08-2009
I haven't used the barcode scanning food app, but it seems to me that if you're worried enough about what you eat to be logging it, you probably shouldn't be eating food that comes in a package with a UPC barcode...