Our ambassadors are not only inspiring people to make healthier choices, but they also (obviously!)take care of their own health. We wanted to know what apps they use — tracking nutrition, calculating runs, measuring sleep cycles, and more — to help make health and fitness easier in their day-to-day life. Here are their suggestions for some awesome health apps to download now, so check out what they have to say. Next stop? The app store, of course.
1. MapMyRun
When it’s time to run, I don’t leave the house without MapMyRun. It keeps track of all the vitals — distance, pace, calories and roads traveled. And it’s on my phone, which means I only have to juggle one piece of equipment. It’s so easy to use, and to use with other apps. And I love that it syncs with Facebook and Twitter if I want it to.
2. Sleep Cycle
The one I use every day is Sleep Cycle. The best thing about it is that it wakes me up at the right time, just as I’m coming out of a sleep cycle. It’s also fun to look back at my sleep graphs to see how much I was tossing and turning and how things like caffeine, alcohol, and exercise affect my sleep.
3. Jawbone Up
Jawbone Up. I love the whole mind, body, and soul approach that Up provides the user. From sleep analysis to movement tracking, Jawbone UP gives the user insight into their body, mood, and overall wellbeing. You can check to see what could be affecting your mood. Could you be eating too many carbs, not enough protein? Who knows! You track the information and you can get more information.
4. Fooducate
I love Fooducate!I use it when I go grocery shopping and am curious about health claims on a food product. I also use it when talking to clients (as a personal trainer) to check out their favorite snacks. I use it so much that my close friends know that when we are talking about food I’m going to pull open the app to get the nutrition information right away! (It just got better with a new vegan and vegetarian setting too!)
5. Water Balance
Water Balance.It keeps me hydrated throughout the day, tracking how much coffee and tea I drink in comparison to water. It takes your height, weight, and activity level, as well as the time when you typically work out. It sends push notifications throughout the day to fill up. Fun and interactive!
6. Instagram
It has to be Instagram for me. I’m a visual person so I love to see inspiration and motivation — my feed is full of amazing people who make awesome food and do inspiring things with their bodies! There is so much positivity in the Instagram fitness family and people are always willing to give tips and suggestions and watch you progress in what you do!
7. Fitocracy
My favorite fitness app is Fitocracy. I can’t wait to log my workouts in the app and see the points I’ve earned, to level up, unlock achievements, and take on quests. It’s amazing to get motivating comments and “props” (instead of a thumbs up on Facebook, you get a fistbump on Fitocracy). Warning! It can cause serious addiction.
Have a favorite app? We want to hear your opinion! Tell us in the comments below or tweet directly @greatist.