Fitness meets technology

Your phone can track your exercise regimen as well as monitor your diet.

A couple of years ago, when Nike had launched its iPod kit for fitness freaks, it found few takers in the country, even though the company promoted it heavily. Basically, the kit comprised of a shoe with a sensor that tracked the distance covered, time taken, pace and calories burned by a runner.

Now with the iPhone a common sight, a host of applications for fitness enthusiasts are up for grabs.

On the top of the charts is Calorie Tracker, an application which allows you to determine a daily calorie target based on your current weight and weight loss goal. You can further search the extensive database of more than 5,25,000 foods for nutritional information including fat, sugar, carbohydrates, cholesterol and more. PumpOne is another popular application on the iPhone which has more than 20 workout options. This application is designed for specific goals and are sports specific. Another useful application is Smheart Link, which links the iPhone to a heart monitor.

The cycling app iMapMyRide, meanwhile, turns the iPhone into a GPS device and records various aspects like time, distance, speed and estimated calories burned.

It’s not only the iPhone that enables applications such as these, some of them are available on the BlackBerry as well. The Fitdeck application, for example, shows various illustrations of basic exercises like push-ups or the tripod hold.

Total Fitness is an application available to BlackBerry users which has a large database of 10,000 food items containing information on nutrition, carbohydrates and fat. The application allows you to establish a weight loss programme by selecting a diet plan and setting weight loss goals. The programme, then, automatically calculates your daily food budget.

What it also does is track your exercise regimen by selecting an activity from a large exercise database, keeping a daily log of your workouts.

These applications come at a cost, though. Starting from Rs 500, the price goes upto Rs 10,000. So, the next time you are looking to shell out some money on a dietician or a fitness instructor, try these applications instead. You will get a smartphone as well as some great fitness tips.