Having apps to pair with (or use during) your workouts can be useful for organization, motivation, and convenience. Some apps may enhance your workout experience through music or special effects.
I have tried many different apps throughout my health and fitness journey, but only a few have remained downloaded on my phone. Why? Because there are a special few that I know I can rely on!
Listed below are my favorites, in detail:
Charity Miles
The app that gives back, really! Charity Miles allows you to choose a non-profit to give back to with each of your runs. 
For every mile, you are providing to a charity in need of your support. There is a range of non-profits on both local and national levels. You can choose a different charity every time OR continue to support the same organization with each run.
There is no limit to the support you can provide for your favorite charities. You will get in a workout, give back to a non-profit, and have a true feeling of accomplishment.
FitBit
For those with a FitBit, you will appreciate the benefits this app provides. Depending on the model of your FitBit, you will be displayed a variety of options. 
Everyone is shown their steps, distance, and number of flights. The Charge HR and several other models will show your heart rate. Most of the updated bands will show hours of sleep, number of times restless throughout the night, and times of active activity (workouts, long periods of time walking, etc.)
Checking out the changes in my sleep patterns, calorie intake, and overall steps can be very rewarding and encouraging!
MyFitnessPal
The MyFitnessPal app is perfect for logging meals. It keeps track of your macros per meal and calories divided throughout the day. There are options available online to create your own meal categories and names, dependent on your diet. 
The FitBit and MyFitnessPal apps work in sync with one another which makes it easy for those who use both. You can plan a week of meals in advance, so you don’t have to worry about it on the day-to-day.
In addition to tracking meals, it allows you to track exercise. It tells you how many calories you’ve burned throughout the day to make room for any meal or snack additions. I suggest using a separate water app (as shown below) to REALLY keep track of the liquids you’re drinking.
My Water
Are you drinking enough water? Studies show that you should drink about half of your body weight in ounces each day. It can be difficult to track how much you are drinking and that is where the My Water app comes into play. 
This app allows you to track how much of every beverage you drink throughout each day and to see it over a longer time span. I didn’t realize how little water I drank until I started keeping track with the app. I also keep track of my coffee and tea.
You earn awards for unlocking challenges as you use the app and continue to track. For those who drink liquor or LOTS of caffeine (me), it gives you a sense of how much water should be consumed to balance the other liquids out.
Nike+ Training Club
Interested in trying out some HIIT workouts? Finding the right routines can be tough and executing them on your own can be even harder! This is a problem I was experiencing for a long time. If I wasn’t in the classroom, I couldn’t find the right routines to complete in the gym or at home.
Finding an app that provides the motivation, encouragement, and reward of a successful HIIT workout was complicated until now. I use the Nike Training Club app for everything HOT… I mean HIIT. I absolutely love these workouts. They are in a variety of categories and are separated by Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced.
You can choose the workout based on length of time or type of exercise. Some of my favorites include:
- Mean Machine (45 Min)
- Dynamic Yoga (15 Min)
- Core Strength Workout (7 Min)
- Wipeout (30 Min)
- Fighter Fit (30 Min)
Try some of these ones out and let me know what you think! I love those incorporating weights, but can also appreciate a good stretch.
These are some of my favorites, but there are many more to explore! I suggest trying out several different apps to find the one perfect for you.