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Aug 21

7 Great Smartphone Fitness Apps for People 50+ – Next Avenue

Fitness Comments Off on 7 Great Smartphone Fitness Apps for People 50+ – Next Avenue

Kathy Rocchetti, 58, knew she needed to get in shape. It wasnt her doctor who told her; it was her jeans.

It was getting tough to pull them up over my hips, the Philadelphia woman recalls, and it was almost impossible to button them. Now, 20 pounds lighter, those jeans glide right on and look like a million bucks.

What was the secret to her success? Lots of things, Rocchetti admits, including a wellness program at work. But a big part of it were the fitness apps on my smartphone. It was like having a coach sitting on my desk all day, telling me to take a quick walk, do some stretches,or drink some more water. And when Id go out with friends after work, a quick glance at my phone helped me decide what to order and what to stay away from. Apps like My Fitness Pal were great tools to help me reach my goal. Plus, they made it so much fun, she says.

Rocchetti is part of a growing trend. In a recent AARP survey, 77 percent of participants aged 50-plus reported that fitness apps were useful. And smartphone fitness is definitely not just for twentysomethings after all, 74 percent of people between 50 and 64 own a smartphone. Maybe you do, too. If so, like Rocchetti, you can put it to work to help you get stronger, slimmer and more energetic.

The beauty of using smartphones for fitness is that theyre already embedded in our lives you dont have to go out and buy another device, says Ted Vickey, professor of kinesiology at Point Loma University and senior adviser on fitness technology for the American Council on Exercise. As long as your phone is with you, it can track everything from your daily steps to your pulse rate and even the quality of your sleep. Plus, it can provide a powerful sense of social support when you share your accomplishments and challenges with family and friends.

No matter your fitness level right now, theres an app for you.

Just getting off the couch? Try the built-in fitness app thats already on your phone. An iPhone has the Apple Health app, which counts your daily steps, tracks the number of flights you climb and analyzes your sleep; Android phones have similar built-in fitness features, like Samsung Health and Google Fit.

Start out with one simple app and get comfortable playing with it, advises Fabio Comana, faculty instructor with the National Academy of Sports Medicine in San Diego. Use it to be more self-aware and build healthy habits. And when youve conquered that app, move on to the next level. Decide what your fitness goals are and find a new app to try.

Thats easy there are untold numbers of apps to choose from. Based on recommendations from experts, heres a list of sevenof the best. Most are free, though there may be charges for premium versions.

Nancy Fitzgerald is an award-winning journalist whose work has appeared in Better Homes & Gardens, National Geographic for Kids, Scholastic, Brides, The New York Times and The Christian Science Monitor.

Twin Cities Public Television - 2017. All rights reserved.

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7 Great Smartphone Fitness Apps for People 50+ - Next Avenue

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