Getting started with fitness can be exciting but also scary. On the one hand, there’s this feeling of newness and opportunity, and you can’t help but daydream of the great results you can achieve.
But, on the other hand, it also feels a bit overwhelming because where do you start, what do you do, and how do you know if things are working? So many questions come up, and the worst part is that you can’t answer any of them.
The good news is that you can use technology to make fitness more accessible, enjoyable, and effective than ever. Let’s see how.
1. Use Fitness Apps
There are countless fitness apps you can use to track your nutrition, eat better, build better habits, move more during the day, track your workouts, or get into a new activity––for example, running or cycling.
Here are some that stand out:
- Nike Training Club – it provides free guided workouts designed by professional trainers. The workouts cater to trainees of all levels and range from yoga to HIIT and everything in between.
- MacroFactor – an intelligent app that provides calorie recommendations and gradually adjusts them based on your goals, how quickly you want to reach them, and how your body weight changes over time. You can also explore a rich food database, store recipes, and scan the barcode of foods for nutritional information.
- NHS Couch to 5K – a fantastic app that provides easy-to-follow progression to go from the couch to running a 5K in one go. It’s the perfect place for a beginner who wants to get into running but is unsure what to do.
2. Track Progress For Motivation
Tracking fitness progress is valuable for a couple of reasons. First, it helps you see improvements, which confirms that what you’re doing is working. Second, it’s a great way to stay motivated and remind yourself how far you’ve come when you’re feeling down.
Fitness apps often come with built-in progress tracking capabilities, but you can also use dedicated trackers like a Fitbit, Garmin, or Apple Watch to track things like daily steps taken, distance covered during a workout (such as running or cycling), and heart rate at different intensities.
Most devices sync with smartphone apps and display your progress on a neat graph, making it easy to see where you stand.
For example, if you see that you’re consistently lifting more weight, doing more reps, covering a longer distance, or doing more work in less time, that could serve as inspiration to get you over a temporary slump.
3. Give AI (artificial inteligence) a Try
The all-in-one ChatGPT tool can be useful for many things, including providing guidance, answering questions, and even serving as a motivational presence to keep you on track.
Here are a couple of ways in which you can use ChatGPT:
- Personalized workouts – describe your short and long-term fitness goals (or even ask the tool to help you set some), lifestyle (e.g., sleep, diet, stress levels, schedule, etc.), workout preferences, and roadblocks. The tool can provide a decent workout plan that suits your needs better than cookie-cutter solutions.
- Nutritional tips – tell the tool what you need help with, what stops you from reaching your goals, and what you can do to start eating better. ChatGPT can provide actionable tips, explain things in detail, and even help calculate your nutritional needs based on gender, age, size, and activity level.
- Motivation – ask the tool for inspirational quotes or support if you’re feeling down. ChatGPT can also provide actionable tips to regain motivation and get back on track.
That said, remember that this is a tool and, as such, is prone to mistakes. So, provide as many relevant details as possible when asking it to do something, and double-check the information if you’re unsure.
4. Invest in Smart Fitness Devices For Home Training
With the increasing popularity of smart fitness devices and online fitness classes, at-home workouts are more connected and engaging than ever. This is particularly valuable during the fall and winter when the weather doesn’t always allow for outdoor activity.
For example, a platform like Peloton offers a variety of workout classes, including live ones, as well as on-demand video sessions you can follow along. Back in the day, the only way to access those was to purchase an expensive Peloton bike.
However, now you can use any stationary bike or opt for other types of workouts, including strength training, running, yoga, stretching, and even outdoor training.
Beachbody On Demand and Daily Burn also offer online classes.
5. Get Smart in the Kitchen
Healthy eating is crucial for optimal fitness results, but changing habits and learning what to focus on can be challenging. Fortunately, technology can also help with that aspect of fitness.
First, there are kitchen scales to weigh your food. You can use a basic one to weigh everything down to the gram or opt for a smart one, which connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth. That way, it immediately shows the nutritional information for that specific amount of food, making it easier to log your intake and track your calories.
Second, cooking devices like slow cookers simplify the cooking process and allow you to make some healthy and delicious meals. You can make:
- Beef stew
- Ratatouille
- Roast chicken
- Pasta
- Chili
- Pulled pork
- Veggie dishes
Fancy devices even come with multiple cooking options, a Bluetooth connection, and a smartphone app, making cooking effortless.
On that note, apps like Yummly and Mealime can provide healthy and delicious recipe recommendations based on your preferences, available ingredients, and goals.
Conclusion
Technology is evolving rapidly and making fitness and health simpler, more accessible, and more enjoyable, especially for beginners who don’t know where to start.
By taking advantage of fitness apps, tracking devices, ChatGPT, smart kitchen devices, and the right home fitness equipment, you can enjoy more engaging workouts, eat healthier but still delicious meals, and stay consistent in the long run.
In short, technology makes it easier to stick to fitness, so long as you’re willing to explore what’s available and use it to your advantage.