How many times have you heard people declare their New Year's resolution and it involves getting more exercise? How many advertisements for gyms have you seen today?
This video does a great job demonstrating how important exercise is to our health. Even just 30 minutes of walking per day reduces our risk of many chronic diseases, improves our mood and energy, as well as reduces pain.
Starting an exercise routine can be tough, but it doesn't have to be. You don't need a gym membership or tons of fancy expensive gym equipment to get active. I've listed some of my favourite apps to help you live a more active life this year.
1. 7 minute Workout
Who doesn't have 7 minutes they can spare? This app is a great option for when you have minimal time and limited equipment. There is a 7 minute circuit that incorporates 13 exercises for different muscle groups, requiring only a chair and a wall. You do each exercise for 30 seconds with a 10 second rest between exercises. Since you are doing the exercises at a fast pace, this incorporates an element of cardio to your workout. You can repeat the set 2-3 times for a more thorough workout or explore the other workouts the app has to offer.
2. Nike Training Club
This app includes a huge variety of workouts. You can search by muscle group or workout type (endurance, mobility, strength, yoga), as well as limit your search by length of time and whether equipment is required or not.
3. Map My Run
There are versions of this app for walking, biking, and running. You can use this app to track a route you use or to plan new routes. The app will show you routes near your location, based on your cell phone's GPS services. It will also tell you the length of a particular route and the elevation changes along the route. Some users log how long the route has taken them to complete to give you an idea of how long it may take you.
4. AllTrails
This app is great for those who want to get outside, as well as be active. It uses your cell phone's GPS services to display trails near your for hiking, biking, walking, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, etc. The trails are rated based on difficulty and can be filtered based on whether they are friendly for pets or kids, as well as the types of sites you can see (beach, caves, forest, city walk, etc). You can also download the trail map for easy navigation.
Do you have apps, videos, or websites that help keep you in shape? I would love to hear about them! Leave your suggestions in the comments section below.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these applications or their related images.
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