Health at Home – 8 Apps that can help you stay fit at home
Text & images by Prakriti Panwar, (Intern) Staff Writer
The spread of Covid -19 has not only confined us to our houses with limited resources but has also given us the perfect opportunity to improve our health and get back in shape. Apart from staying fit, exercise and physical activity of any sort also release endorphins or happy hormones, which positively impacts our mental health which is something we need to take care of especially during this time.
As we’re aware that ‘A healthy body leads to a healthy mind’, physical activity and a proper diet take care of both, the body and the brain, which is needed to cope in such melancholic times. To make up for all the processed junk you have consumed or the time you have spent as a couch potato, we have come up with a list of top eight health apps that can be like your personal fitness and health partner! Take a look…
1. FitOn
Fiton is one of those rare apps which are almost free to use. Though a paid version has recently been added to the app, the normal version is sufficient enough and quite engaging. Moreover, the ‘pro’ version costs only Rs 1,700/- per year or Rs 141/- per month, which is way less than fee charges of a normal gym. This app also has a wide variety of exercises to choose from, ranging from cardio to dance to Pilates and even Yoga! With a high rating of 4.8 and 4.7 on Playstore and Appstore respectively, most of the reviews of the app are always positive and appreciative in nature. The only area in which users are experiencing issues is the glitches in the paid version. The free version of the app seems more favourable to users as the paid one seems to have certain issues with the downloading of videos and the additional music feature as well. Other than that, the app seems perfect for all- beginners or advanced.
2. Curefit
Curefit is an all in one sort of app. From recipes to online therapy and live classes, this app is just what one would use for a holistic improvement in lifestyle. It’s ratings of 4.7 to 4.8 on various platforms prove the same. In addition to wholesome meal recipes and a daily sleep tracker, the app also offers unique features such as Nutrition consultation and meditation from home. Siddharth, a government official and a user of the app says, “I have been using this app since the lockdown began. I downloaded it because I found the Dance Fitness and Yoga feature on the app very engaging and interesting. The app keeps me thoroughly involved and has caused a dynamic update on my physical regime.” The best part is that there seem to be no serious issues or glitches the users are upset about. The rate of response from the app is quite fast and all problems (if any) are sorted almost immediately.
3. Daily Yoga- Yoga Fitness plans
The Daily Yoga app is extremely goal-oriented, helping users to achieve their goal with target-specific asanas and routines. The targets on the app include-toning up, beginner essentials, health enhancer, skills improvement, flexibility improvement, and stress relief. It contains two paid versions- silver and gold. While the silver version would suffice, the gold version offers Personal Plans and a ‘Mirror Mode’ for adequate postures, in addition to an ad-free experience and much more. The yearly plan of the silver and gold version costs Rs 115/ – per month and Rs 508/- month, respectively. Along with a high rating of 4.6 to 4.7, the user reviews too are quite positive. The only issue which seems to annoy users is the popping up of commercial advertisements in the free version.
4. HealthifyMe
This app offers a fantastic method to track one’s progress. Along with a calorie counter, which contains a list of all Indian foods possible, the app also contains various fitness regimes. The rate of its paid version depends upon the time period, the minimum being for six months. The most basic programme of half a year costs just, Rs 1,000/- a year or Rs 166 /- per month. Some of the paid versions of the app also include a dietician and a yoga coach. Priya Philipose (47), a former user, says, “I used HealthifyMe for around seven months. I went for the paid version. I was keen to head start my weight loss journey when I read about the app. I liked that there would be help with both diet and exercise and that it could be more than just a calorie counter. I did lose around four to five kilos in seven months but when I got back to the app, I realised that the prices had shot up a bit.”The app is extremely effective and most users do not really seem to have any major complaints about the app.
5. Let’s Meditate
This sleep and a guided meditation app are exactly what one would need to relax. Apart from the fact that is extremely easy to use, the app does not have a paid version. It is completely free! Moreover, the app has various meditations focused on areas such as -Letting go, Gratitude, Empowerment, Confidence and even A Covid 19 Meditation. The app has an almost perfect rating of 4.8 on the Playstore and most of the user reviews are nothing less than four stars. Rangoli Dhingra (48), and Academic Consultant and a former user says, “The app gave me much needed peace and calm when I most needed it. Meditation is a practice that most people hesitate, including in their daily routine. Some think that it is impossible to do and that one needs to be very evolved to practise it. But the truth is that meditation is a simple tool of self-healing and rejuvenating. Guided meditation makes this very simple. I am glad I use this app.” Whether it is improving focus or overcoming depression, this app has been designed to help anyone and everyone!
6. Walk at Home
The Walk at Home programme by Leslie Sansone, a US celebrity Fitness and aerobics instructor has been much in vogue. Though there are videos available on Youtube, the paid app for the same is more intense and effective. The rates are quite affordable with a paid trial for a week at $1 and $5 for a month. The payment can be made in rupees as well but may vary with the current exchange rate. Being an active user of the app myself, I would definitely recommend it to all. It combines cardio along with the benefits of walking, strength training, and sculpting, thus giving us a total body workout without much strain. Moreover, it creates a monthly plan for routines to follow and also contains a separate library of workouts in case one wants to do more or less. Not to mention, the results seen are quite rapid and potent.
7. MyFitnessPal
This app is probably one of the most popular and most used calorie counters. Though its free version is good enough, there is a premium version available at the cost of $10 per month. Because of its fee is a bit on the expensive side, users seem quite satisfied with the unpaid version. The app allows people to scan the barcode on the packet of whatever they are munching on and calculates an accurate amount of calories in it. The MyFitnessPal blog contains various articles of health, food, exercise, and lifestyle, available to free users as well. Chinha Raheja (37), an Image Consultant, has been using the app for the last six years. She says, “I’ve been using the free version of the app to track my health for a really long time now. It has given me everything that I wanted-tracking diets and workout, as well as getting tips and articles on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It has also helped me track where I go wrong with my help and how to make it right. I am very happy with it.”
8. Health from Apple
This app is common to all iPhones and is more than just a pedometer. It recommends several other health apps on its page and even records data of activities such as Swimming Strokes and Downhill Snow Sports Distance. Apart from active tracking, the app also allows users to set up a medical ID and register to be an organ donor from their profile. Sleep tracking is another useful feature of the same. Prashant Pradhan (49), an Architect, has been using the app for around two and a half years now. He says, “Earlier I had the paid version of the app, but now I use the one native to iPhone. I chose this app to get healthy. It has made me quite aware of my health and how my diet and exercise impact it. I’m generally quite happy with it.”
These may be just a few of the many apps available online, they will definitely head start your journey towards a stronger and healthier way of life. Feel free to choose and alter your workouts however you like according to your capability and will. Maybe even push yourself at times (but not too much!). Try not to obsess over the calorie counting or the inch loss and just focus on doing the best you can, stress-free. Wisely using the Yoga and Meditation apps along with the Health and Fitness apps will definitely balance things out. Try and test various kinds of workouts and maybe even switch them up at times. With continuous effort and perseverance, you will definitely be fighting fit.
About our Intern:
Prakriti Panwar is a Grade X student of The Navy Children School, Mumbai. She is a wordsmith and a bookworm. At the age of 14, her short story was selected to be published as part of an ebook after she won a countrywide contest. She loves to weave stories, paint, play the guitar and piano and sing. She plans to pursue her interest in writing by becoming a journalist.
Join our Internship Program:
If you’re just out of school/ college and are looking for some professional hand at writing, we may be the place for you. Send us your CV along with a sample of your work to contact@tanyamunshi.com and if we like it, you could be our next Intern at The Lifestyle Portal.
References:
