Every year, millions of people make health and fitness-focused New Year's resolutions. Whether those goals include losing weight, hitting the gym consistently, training for an upcoming event, or just eating healthier, so many people start off the year strong only to have their resolutions disband into nothing by the time April has arrived.
But fear not, because with these six apps you can still lose weight, train for your upcoming event, and eat healthier without having to sign yet another gym contract. With these apps, you'll be able to track your fitness, nutrition, and everything else without having to break the bank. Say goodbye to the hassle of having to find a gym, nutritionist, and personal trainer. And say hello to the fitter and healthier you. This year, with the help of some of the best fitness apps in the game, your New Year's resolutions to be fit and healthy will be as easy as hitting a button.
Best Fitness Apps 2019
Best Fitness Apps For Tracking Fitness:
Home Workout - No Equipment Needed (Fitness Level: Beginners and Up)
Overall Free for Users: Android, IOS
The Home Workout app provides daily workout routines for all your main muscle groups. With just a few minutes a day, you can build muscles and keep fit without ever having to step into the gym.
The app has workouts for your abs, chest, legs, arms, and butt, as well as full body workouts. Even though it just takes a few minutes a day, it can effectively tone your muscles and help you get six pack abs at home.
All the workouts are designed by experts. With animations and video guidance for each exercise, you can make sure you use the right form during your sets. In addition, the warm-up and stretching routines are designed to make sure you exercise in a scientific way.
Subscription Benefits: Ads are removed for $5.98. The rest of the app is free for all beginner, intermediate, and advanced users.
PEAR: Personal Fitness Coach (Fitness Level: Intermediate and Advanced)
Overall Free for Users: Android, IOS
The PEAR Personal Fitness Coach app provides users with an array of guided workouts for all fitness levels and intensities that adapt based on your performance. The app plays well with a variety of fitness trackers and devices, allowing you to keep track of your performance and share metrics with other fitness apps. And the best part? The PEAR mobile training intelligence system puts personal coaches right in your ear that are available inside the app.
Subscription Benefits: The premium subscription, $5.99/month, gives you unlimited access to the workout library and extra features.
Best Fitness Apps For Tracking Nutrition:
Lose It! (Nutrition Knowledge Level: Beginner and Up)
Overall Free for Users: Android, IOS
The Lose It! app is a great tool to have on your journey because of its simplicity. Best known for its meal tracking, Lost It! uses its huge food database to break down meals by breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. In this app, users are capable of logging food, scanning barcodes, and photographing their meals.
Subscription Benefits: With a premium subscription, $29.99/year, users can get access to more nutritional stats and dietary trends.
Lifesum (Nutrition Knowledge Level: Intermediate and Advanced)
Overall Free for Users: Android, IOS
Lifesum makes gauging your overall nutrition and health easy peasy, giving you comprehensible lifestyle tips and adjustments based on your eating habits. After downloading the app, you'll be required to take an assessment — this includes questions about your cravings, weight loss goals, diet roadblocks, general preferences — to find out which diet plan best suits your goals, schedule, and lifestyle. Then, the app will start providing recommendations to help you start making healthy changes and dietary decisions. The app can also act as a lifestyle coach by reminding you to eat and drink water regularly throughout your busy day.
Subscription Benefits: A premium subscription, $44.99/year, will get you even more detailed nutritional analysis and let you sync with other fitness apps.
Best Fitness Apps For All-Around Tracking:
8fit (Fitness Level: Beginner and Up)
Overall Free for Users of: Android, IOS
For an all-around comprehensive fitness planning and tracking, 8fit has it all. 8fit creates custom exercises and meal plans based on your goals, your current stats, and, more importantly, your preferences. The app goes more into detail with preferences, asking your goals, the number of workouts you'd like to do each week, how many meals you'd like to eat each day, how much variety you need in a nutrition program, and how you prefer to prep your food.
During the meal plan, you can even select the days you'd like to grocery shop for ahead of time and the app automatically generates a shopping list based on the recipes that you'll prepare on those days. And when it comes to logging workouts, there's a variety of endless options so that you can track accurately. In addition, there is an array of preset workouts, which is fantastic for the beginner users.
Subscription Benefits: The Pro edition, which is $59.99/year, includes even more custom workouts and more personalized plans.
Trifecta (Fitness Level: Intermediate-Advanced)
Overall Free for Users of: Android, IOS
Trifecta is an ultra-comprehensive app that specializes in functional fitness training, meaning it provides beneficial workouts whether you're at home or on the go. It's unique among fitness apps because it caters to the workouts and diet of CrossFitters. The free version provides you with daily WODs, a nutrition tracker, and useful tools like a kilos-to-pounds converter and CrossFit box finder. However, make sure you're careful while using this app. Although beginner-friendly, it is recommended that you start regular workouts before jumping into this app.
Subscription Benefits: With the premium version, $49.99/year, you get a comprehensive workout log, movement log, and in-depth diet tracking.
The Best Fitness App Honorable Mention:
If you want to get more bang for your buck, for $8.33-14.99/month, consider the following app:
Aaptiv provides trainer-led audio workouts for a variety of workout styles and goals, complete with accompanying music playlists.
Users can select from more than 2500 workouts in hundreds of fitness classes, whether for running, cycling, high intensity interval training, 5k, or marathon training, this app makes it easy to stream training routines or download to your phone for offline use.
Workouts can be configured for distance, duration, intensity, and calories burned. In other words, if you're willing to spend the money, this app is worth every penny.
Featured image by Getty Images.
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We've commissioned these ladies, who are pillars in their respective industries, for tidbits of advice to get you through the best and worst days of mothering. Here, they share their "secret sauce" and advice for other moms trying to find their rhythm.
Emmelie De La Cruz, Chief Strategist at One Day CMO
"My mom friends and I all laugh and agree: Motherhood is the ghettoest thing you will ever do. It's beautiful and hard all at the same time, but one day you will wake up and feel like 'I got this' and you will get the hang of it. After 4 months, I finally felt like I found my footing to keep my kid and myself alive, but it took vulnerability to take off the cape and be honest about the areas that I didn't have it all together. The healing (physically and emotionally) truly does happen in community - whatever and whoever that looks like for you."
Alizè V. Garcia, Director Of Social & Community Impact at Nike
"I would tell a new mom or a prospective mother that they must give themselves grace, understand and remember there is no right way to do this thing and have fun! When I had my daughter three and a half years ago, I was petrified! I truly had no clue about what to do and how I was going to do it. But with time, my confidence grew and I realized quickly that I have all the tools I need to be the mother I want to be."
Nikki Osei-Barrett, Publicist + Co-Founder of The Momference
"There's no balance. I'm dropping sh*t everywhere! However, my secret sauce is pursuing interests and hobbies outside of what's required of me and finding time to workout. Stronger body equals = stronger mind."
Lauren Grove, Chief Experience Architect, The Grant Access, LLC
"I try to give myself grace. That’s my mantra for this phase of motherhood…grace. I won’t be able to get everything done. To have a spotless house. To not lose my cool after an exhausting day. Those things can’t happen all of the time. But I can take a deep breath and know tomorrow is another day and my blessings are more plentiful than my pitfalls."
Rachel Nicks, Founder & CEO of Birth Queen
"You have the answers within you. Don’t compare yourself to others. Curate your life to work for you. Ask for help."
Tanisha Colon-Bibb, Founder + CEO Rebelle Agency + Rebelle Management
"I know love doesn't pay bills but when I am overwhelmed with work or client demands I take a moment to play with my baby and be reminded of the love, energy, science, and Godliness that went into his birth. I am brightened by his smile and laugh. I remember I am someone's parent and not just a work horse. That at the end of the day everything will work out for the good of my sanity and the love within my life."
Christina Brown, Founder of LoveBrownSugar & BabyBrownSugar
"Learning your rhythm as a mom takes time and can be uncomfortable when you’re in a season of overwhelm. Constantly check in with yourself and assess what’s working and what’s not. Get the help you need without feeling guilty or ashamed of needing it."
Mecca Tartt, Executive Director of Startup Runway Foundation
"I want to be the best for myself, my husband, children and company. However, the reality is you can have it all but not at the same time. My secret sauce is outsourcing and realizing that it’s okay to have help in order for me to perform at the highest level."
Jen Hayes Lee, Head Of Marketing at The Bump (The Knot Worldwide)
"My secret sauce is being direct and honest with everyone around me about what I need to be successful in all of my various "jobs". Setting boundaries is one thing, but if you're the only one who knows they exist, your partners at home and on the job can't help you maintain them. I also talk to my kids like adults and let them know why mommy needs to go to this conference or get this massage...they need to build an appreciation for my needs too!"
Whitney Gayle-Benta, Chief Music Officer JKBX
"What helps me push through each day is the motivation to continue by thinking about my son. All my efforts, though exhausting, are to create a wonderful life for him."
Ezinne Okoro, Global Chief Inclusion, Equity, & Diversity Officer at Wunderman Thompson,
"The advice I received that I’ll pass on is, you will continue to figure it out and find your rhythm as your child grows into new stages. Trust your nurturing intuition, parent on your terms, and listen to your child."
Jovian Zayne, CEO of The OnPurpose Movement
"I live by the personal mantra: 'You can’t be your best self by yourself.' My life feels more balanced when I offer the help I can give and ask for the help I need. This might mean outsourcing housecleaning for my home, or hiring additional project management support for my business."
Simona Noce Wright, Co-Founder of District Motherhued and The Momference
"Each season of motherhood (depending on age, grade, workload) requires a different rhythm. With that said, be open to learning, to change, and understand that what worked for one season may not work the other...and that's okay."
Janaye Ingram, Director of Community Partner Programs and Engagement at Airbnb
"My daughter's smile and sweet spirit help me to feel gratitude when I'm overwhelmed. I want her to see a woman who doesn't quit when things get hard."
Codie Elaine Oliver, CEO & Founder of Black Love
"I try to listen to my body and simply take a break. With 3 kids and a business with 10+ team members, I often feel overwhelmed. I remind myself that I deserve grace for everything I'm juggling, I take a walk or have a snack or even head home to see my kids, and then I get back to whatever I need to get done."
Jewel Burks Solomon, Managing Partner at Collab Capital
"Get comfortable with the word ‘no’. Be very clear about your non-negotiables and communicate them to those around you."
Julee Wilson, Executive Director at BeautyUnited and Beauty Editor-at-Large at Cosmopolitan
"Understand you can’t do it alone — and that’s ok. Relinquish the need to control everything. Create a village and lean on them."
Salwa Benyaich, Director Of Pricing and Planning at Premion
"Most days I really try to shut my computer off by 6 pm; there are always exceptions of course when it comes to big deals or larger projects but having this as a baseline allows me to be much more present with my kids. I love the fact that I can either help with homework or be the designated driver to at least one afterschool activity. Work can be draining but there is nothing more emotionally draining than when you feel as though you are missing out on moments with your kids."
Brooke Ellis, Head of Global Marketing & Product Launches at Amazon Music
My calendar, prayer, pilates class at Forma, a good playlist, and oatmilk lattes all help get me through any day.
Courtney Beauzile, Global Director of Client and Business Development at Shearman & Sterling
My husband is a partner who steps in when I just can’t. My mom and my MIL come through whenever and however I need. My kids have many uncles and aunts and they will lend an ear, go over homework, teach life lessons, be a presence or a prayer warrior depending on the day.
Robin Snipes, Chief of Staff at Meta
"Enjoy the time you have to yourself because once kids come those times will be few and far between."
Monique Bivens, CEO & Founder at Brazilian Babes LLC.
"For new moms, it is very important that you get back into a habit or routine of something you use to do before you were pregnant. Consider the actives and things that give you the most joy and make the time to do them."
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Featured image by Westend61/Getty Images
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The bright under-eye can be difficult to achieve. These are some of the common mistakes that are holding you back from sculpted bright under eyes that are giving!
1. You are not using the correct concealer shade.
Using two concealers makes a huge difference. Start with a shade 1-2 shades lighter than your skin tone. Followed by a shade that is 3-4 times lighter and placed closer to the inner eye to do the heavy lifting and give the bright effect.
Two shades diffuse well into each other and give a cohesive result.
Jorine Dorcelus/xoNecole
Jorine Dorcelus/xoNecole
2. You are not blending enough.
Don't underestimate the power behind a complete blend-out! Blending your concealer fully is a make-or-break step for the bright under-eye look. Fully blending allows for a seamless transition between the areas of the face meant to be highlighted, and the areas meant to create depth and shadows. So take your time and make sure there are no harsh lines.
Jorine Dorcelus/xoNecole
3. You are not properly setting the under-eye area.
Set the under-eye using a loose setting powder or brightening powder. The key here is to choose a powder complementary to your skin's undertone and proper placement to prevent creasing. Focus the majority of the powder on the inner eye and defuse the remaining powder to the rest of the powder under the eye.
Jorine Dorcelus/xoNecole
Jorine Dorcelus/xoNecole
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