As the year winds down, you might be thinking about your New Year’s resolutions, which may include staying healthy and finding new ways to save money. If your schedule is full of holiday dinner parties or social engagements, keeping your waistline—and your wallet—in check could be harder than you think.
Luckily, the solution to adding more health, wealth, and happiness to your life may be as close as your smartphone. Winter is coming, and if you need motivation to plan your cold weather workout routine, there’s an app for that.
FITNESS TRACKER APPS TO HELP YOU ACHIEVE WINTER FITNESS
Not all fitness apps are created equally. Learn which apps are best not only for developing healthy habits this winter, but also potentially saving—or making—you money.
1. MyFitnessPal
MyFitnessPal is a free calorie counter app that lets you plug in your meals, exercise, and water consumption for the day. You set your weight loss goals, and the app offers a guideline for how many calories you should be eating to reach your target. Plus, check out MyFitnessPal’s blog to find tips on meal planning and creating at-home workout routines so you don’t have to shell out money for a gym membership.
2. Achievement
If you need an incentive to get out of bed for your winter workout, this fitness tracker app gives you a great one in the form of cold, hard cash. The Achievement app pays you to be healthy—literally. With this app you earn reward points for recording your steps, logging your food intake, getting enough sleep, and weighing yourself daily. Each 10,000 points is worth a $10 reward, and the app has paid out more than $500,000 to its users so far.
3. Pact
Building health and wealth requires commitment, and the Pact app is designed to make sure you stay on course with your winter fitness goals. You make a weekly Pact to do something specific, like eating healthier or exercising more often, and at the end of the week you get a cash reward for sticking to your plan.
4. Workout Trainer
Hiring a personal trainer could get you in shape faster but it often costs big bucks. Workout Trainer gives you the experience of working with a trainer without the high price tag. The app features thousands of video workouts, covering everything from core training to yoga to weightlifting, so you can customize your winter fitness routine without spending a dime.
5. HealthyWage
HealthyWage is another app that uses cash incentives to get your blood pumping. There are several options: make a personal weight loss bet, organize your friends to participate in a team weight loss challenge, or compete in a corporate wellness program. Depending on the challenge, you could win a few hundred or a few thousand dollars, just for staying in shape.
6. Charity Miles
If you’re focused on health, wealth, and happiness, doing good for others during your winter workout could give you an emotional boost. Charity Miles allows you to earn money for charity just for being active. Earn while walking your dog, taking your daily run, or shoveling snow off your sidewalk. Knowing that you’re improving your health while helping someone else adds some warmth to the winter chill.
As the weather cools off, it’s a good time to turn up the heat on your health and financial resolutions. These six apps can get you on the path to being physically and financially fit by the time spring rolls around.
