Apps, Apps, Apps!

Fitness apps are my equivalent to Andrea's YouTube videos! I LOVE them. While I too love working out to videos, I'd have to say that I probably utilize apps more. They are so easy and while some cost a couple dollars, there are plenty of free ones that you can download. I turn to my apps when don't have much time on a specific day or I'll add it to the end of my workout. Another thing I love about apps is that they introduce me to new exercises! I've been dedicated to fitness for years, and for a while I felt like I knew every exercise in the book. Wow, I've never been more wrong or more excited to be wrong! Every once in a while I'll just be cruising through my apps and I'll come across a new exercise that I really enjoy. Anyways, here are some of the apps I've downloaded that really help me squeeze in a workout no matter how busy I am:

30 Day Squat Challenge: This app was free to download, requires no weights, and is extremely simple but still yields great results. The app is easy to navigate and you simply click on the day that you're on, it tells you how many squats to do, and you check the completed box when you're done each day in order to unlock the next! It's exactly what it sounds like, 30 days worth of squats. If you stick with it, you will notice a
significant difference in the strength and tone in your lower half by the end of the 30 days. If you can't download apps on your phone, click here for a challenge that has small differences in the daily amount of squats, but is fundamentally the same and will give you the same results.

Hot5: Hot5 is the latest addition to my fitness app collection! This app has tons of pages of 5-minute workout videos that are simple and easy to follow. 5 minutes. That's what sold me on it and I think that's something that a lot of us are drawn to. How can we say that we "don't have enough time" to workout when there's an app that offers 5-minute workouts!? I use Hot5 in addition to my workouts as something fun and different, however these videos can certainly be used as workouts on their own. Hot5 offers workouts for your abs and core, butt and legs, cardio and agility, muscle and strength, and yoga and flexibility. Between all the options for workouts and varying difficulty levels, it has something for for everyone. And if you aren't cramped for time on a certain day, you can mix and match workouts and come up with some pretty good routines! This app is also free.

RunKeeper: I downloaded RunKeeper this last summer and I love it. With RunKeeper, you can track your walks, runs and bike rides using a GPS system that's on your phone and track your progress. What I love about this app is that I never have to question how far I've ran and it also offers an audio cue option. If you opt for the audio cues, the app give updates through your headphones or your phone speaker on distance, time, pace and other customized updates like intervals and target pace according to what you set up in your personalized training plan. Another helpful and free app that you should try out!

GymPact: This app might be good for those of you who really struggle with staying motivated! It's free to download, however, there's a catch. When I first saw app it said, "Earn cash for living healthy, paid by members who don't" and that's what caught my eye. And it's no joke! Once you download the app you have to set a weekly goal of how many times you'll workout during that week and pick the amount of money that you're willing to risk if you don't reach your goal! If you don't reach your goal, your credit card gets charged. However, if you do reach your goal, you get paid!

Okay! I could go on all day about the apps that I find helpful, but these are the first four that came to my mind. I just wanted to share with you guys something that makes it a little easier to squeeze in workouts. There are also hundreds of apps out there to help with diet and nutrition including apps that will count calories, give you tips and information about nutrition, and much more. Things like workout videos, YouTube channels dedicated to fitness and health, and apps are here for a reason. Utilize your resources everyone! Trust me, I know what it's like to struggle to find motivation but we all just need to do our best to prioritize and invest our time into health and life!