Reviews

Kevin, Roving reporter

Essential Health & Fitness Apps

Editor's note: While health and fitness apps can be convenient and helpful, the best place to get health and fitness advice is still your doctor, your local gym or an official health organisation like the Victorian Government's Better Health Channel (new window).

Finding nutritional tips is almost too easy with your smartphone. Weight gain/loss programs, daily fitness calendars - they're all easily assessable in the app store. So here's an app guide for the smartphone user who wants to commit to staying healthy.

Beep Test Solo 

Free (upgrade $0.99)

Remember back in high school when you were forced to run the beep test? The beep test involves running back and forth over a 20-metre distance. Make it over the line before the beep and you advance to the next level. Only catch is the beeps get faster with each new level. Whether you want to practice or just get fit, Beep Test Solo gives you that chance.

The app is very easy to use. You can choose whether you want the voice to narrate the level or if you want the phone to vibrate. Then press "start test" and the beep test begins. There's an animation on the screen that illustrates the level you're on. It's recommended that you sit the phone down and instead of running with it in your hand. The audio is quite low on the iPhone, so plug it into a speaker if you want to hear the narration and beeps properly.

The free version includes the full beep test mode. If you upgrade you can save your results. That's pretty much it. There are other versions that are used for multiple people and which come with different drills.

If you want to get fit, you should definitely get Beep Test Solo. It's free and needs zero preparation.

3/5

Fitness Buddy

$1.99

Ever wanted an all-in-one workout planner on your iPhone? Fitness Buddy provides you with a dedicated database of exercises and routines to keep you on track. The wide range of workouts for each muscle or a specific group of muscles is astounding.

A calendar tracks any important dates you assign for yourself. The exercise tab lets you select which part of your body you want to work on and it'll show you examples of exercises. You can even download a small clip to see how it's properly done. The workout section gives you a choice of preset workout routines, or you can always create your own. The music player lets you choose the music you want to listen to while you work out. You can also track your weight and blood pressure.

The full price for Fitness Buddy is $1.99, but it regularly goes on sale for $0.99. It's definitely worth the money, as opposed to paying for a personal trainer. Fitness Buddy gives you the knowledge for only a couple of dollars.

5/5

Easy Weight Loss Tips

Free

Editor's note: Weight loss should not be a goal in and of itself - you are not automatically more healthy the more weight you lose. Check out our Body Image - Get the Facts page for more advice about body image and weight loss.

Ever wanted simple weight loss tips on the go? Easy Weight Loss Tips has logical tips that you may have never thought about, from dietary advice to what not to eat when you're at a restaurant.

Easy Weight Loss Tips presents one tip per page and randomly selects the next one. The changing background colour does become a bit annoying, but it's nothing to really complain about. If you find a really useful tip you can email it or message it to someone.

With over 200 different tips, Easy Weight Loss Tips is simple and increases your knowledge about ways to improve your healthy living. Another great free app for you to consider.

4/5

My Fitness Pal

Free

Editor's note: Weight loss should not be a goal in and of itself - you are not automatically more healthy the more weight you lose. Check out our Body Image - Get the Facts page for more advice about body image and weight loss.

Want your own personal calorie tracker? My Fitness Pal provides you with an in-depth track record of your calorie consumption. Guided by your desired weight goal, it tells you how much calories you should be consuming a day.

When you open the app you must create an account and provide information including your gender, weight, and weight goal. Once you're signed up, you get graphs showing you how many calories you have left for the day. It also presents your daily and weekly nutrient details. There's a progress bar to track your weight and a diary that you can use to add what food and drinks you've consumed. The calories from that item get subtracted from your daily total.

The calorie count for most of the foods isn't exact, but My Fitness Pal is a great addition to your app library. The only problem is you have to be consistent or else your results won't be accurate.

3/5

Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock

$0.99

Are you always too tired to get up from your bed in the morning? Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock wakes you up at a specific time to minimise tiredness. Does that sound confusing? It's actually quite easy. Put your iPhone on the corner of your bed and this app tracks your sleeping pattern. 30 minutes before your alarm it will start gently emitting the alarm in order to wake you up when you're sleeping most lightly.

Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock is a very easy app to use. The instructions are clear and concise. The placement test is extremely fun. You put it on your bed, and when the iPhone detects movement or vibration it will emit a sound. The bigger the movement, the bigger the sound. When you set the alarm at night, you put in your desired alarm time and lie the phone face down. You don't need to lock the screen, because the app automatically goes into sleep mode. Make sure you keep the charger plugged in the entire time, though!.

At only a dollar, if you're curious about the app, you should download it. It really isn't as impressive as it sounds. The noises barely woke me up and I ended up going back to sleep anyway. You're better off setting your alarm really early and continuing to smack the snooze the button.

2/5

Some General App Advice

Finally, here are some things to consider and watch out for when buying health & fitness apps:

• While health and fitness apps can be convenient and may seem cool, the best place to get health and fitness advice is still your doctor, your local gym or an official health organisation like Victorian Government's Better Health Channel (new window).
• Weight loss should not be a goal in and of itself - you are not automatically more healthy the more weight you lose. Check out Youth Central's Body Image - Get the Facts page for more advice about body image and weight loss.
• Some free health & fitness apps require you to upgrade for either ad-free or to the full version.
• Download the free version whenever you can and try that out first. Only upgrade if you want the upgraded features.
• If you can wait, a lot of the apps priced over $1.99 go on sale regularly.
• Read the reviews and star ratings carefully if you're unsure about an unfamiliar app.

For more app & game reviews, check out our Reviews Archive. For more Health advice, check out our Health & Relationships section.

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