Written by Kelly Murray
I will admit, sometimes I need some extra motivation to get moving and exercise. Recently, a lot of my friends have been talking about a new game that they have been playing on their smartphones called Pokémon Go. I decided to download it and see what it was all about, even though I don’t normally play video games. Pokémon Go is an interactive game where you chase Pokémon around your neighborhood and catch them! The game literally tricks you into exercising. Once I downloaded the game I could see that there were leaves rustling across the street from my house, which means that there was a Pokémon nearby. I put my tennis shoes on and went outside to see if I could catch it. After I caught my first Pidgey, I decided to keep walking and see how many more I could find. Normally when I go take a walk around my neighborhood, I will see about 3 or 4 other people out walking. This time, I saw more than 10 people out walking! Of course you can tell which people are out walking and playing the game because they have their cell phone in their hand or they are posted up by a land mark to stock up on gear from pokestop. After catching a few pokemon, I took a look at my watch and realized I had already been walking for a half hour! I didn’t even realize I had been out walking for that long.
Many people may think that the game is a waste of time, but I think its fun. It makes the time go by quickly, and it gives you the opportunity to explore other areas around your town that you wouldn’t typically visit. If you need help finding a little extra motivation, turn it in to a game! You can use games and apps to keep you motivated and on track. Below are a few of the HPA staffs favorite fitness apps for your smartphone.
Pokemon Go –When you go for a walk around your neighborhood or through town, you can use your smartphone to catch and collect Pokémon. Unlike other videogames, you actually have to be outside walking to play the game!
MyFitnessPal – This is a great app to track your daily nutrition and exercise. It has a large food database with over 6,000,000 foods listed. You can also connect your fitness tracker to sync directly with the app.
7 Minute Workout – Crunched for time? The 7 Minute workout walks you through 13 exercises in 7 minutes. The only equipment you need is yourself, a wall, and a chair or step.
WalkForADog – This app donates money to local shelters when you track your walking! Whether you are taking your own dogs out for walks, or just enjoy going for walks and donate money to a good cause, this app makes it really easy for you.
FitStar Personal Trainer – Workout on your own schedule, with the help of a personal trainer, videos, and handcrafted routines such as “10 Minute Abs” and “7 Minute Workout”. You can also link this app with your FitBit and MyFitnessPal.
Calm – If you need a little more calm in your life, this app can help you meditate, sleep, and relax using guided meditation on music.
Healthy Out – It can be really hard to choose healthy options when you are going out to eat at a restaurant. The Healthy Out app helps you find healthy restaurants and meals to match your diet and nutrition preferences. You can search for meals with filters such as less than 500 calories, low carb, gluten free, vegetarian, or even their most popular “not a salad”.
Daily Yoga – This yoga app has over 100 yoga and meditation exercise that you can do at home. Perfect for beginners, intermediate, and advanced yoga lovers. Some programs are free, or you can upgrade if you are interested in additional programs.
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