5 Apps to Whip You into Shape

The modern smartphone is many things to many people — encyclopedia, entertainment, navigator, lifeline and now add personal trainer to the list of smartphone identities. Who wants to spend money on fitness experts when smartphone apps can help you to eat healthy and get fit? From social platforms that spur friendly fitness competition to coaching websites that depict exercises, these fitness and diet apps turn your Verizon, AT&T or T-Mobile device into a pocket personal trainer. The fitness boost you've been looking for might be resting in your pocket. Unlock your exercise potential with these sophisticated fitness apps.

Fitocracy

Working out is always easier with a friend. Fitocracy provides an entire social network to encourage fitness. Fitocracy plays off of this community spirit by rewarding points for fitness successes. Compare your stats with your friends and others in the Fitocracy community and connect with like-minded athletes. As you accrue points, Fitocracy boosts you to higher levels. As you reach the next level on this social app, your fitness will reach another level too.

Gain Fitness

Personal trainers are most useful for instructing clients on workout routines and proper form. Gain Fitness does both and then some. It's filled from content from top-notch fitness experts and features workout plans that vary based on your goals. As you run through a workout, tap on an exercise to watch a video of it done properly. Gain Fitness will set you on the path toward the body you desire and help you exercise safely along the way. Users can keep track of their progress by entering the amount of reps for a resistance training workout or the time and distance for a cardio workout.

Lose It!

"Better choices in the palm of your hand." That's the tag line behind Lose It, a mobile and web-based application that helps users keep detailed diet and fitness stats. Start by setting your weight goal, fitness plan and calorie budget. Lose it isn't just a weight-loss tool. It also includes wellness tips to sleep better and remain healthy as you diet. Lose it Premium costs $39.99 per year and includes more specific custom goals, Fitbit band connectivity and a social platform to lose weight with friends. Simply put, Lose It has all the tools you need to drop weight. Short of running of the treadmill, Lose It does much of the weight-loss work for you.

Nike+

The "Just Do It" brand is a leader in fitness apparel, and now Nike has branched out into the fitness tech sector. Nike+ is a smart system that tracks your distance, pace, calories and steps as you run. Purchase a sport band or Nike+-optimized shoes to link up with this free mobile app. With this data in hand, you'll be able to track progress and strive after a new personal best.

Fooducate

Exercise all you want, but unless you take a long hard look at the way you eat, that dream body will probably remain just that, a dream. If you have a smartphone, Fooducate wants to be your personal dietitian. Fooducate uses a proprietary algorithm to grade a wide array of products. When you're at the grocery store and want to know a product's nutritional value, scan the barcode and Fooducate will deliver its succinct report with a grade and relevant nutritional information. Image by Flickr user Tobyotter

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