Pilates in the Pines

As smart phones facilitate many facets of our lives, it is only reasonable that the all-mighty app creators would come up with apps to help us navigate our fitness world. There are apps to track how far you’ve run, what you’ve had to eat, and even your sleep cycles. So how can apps help your Pilates practice?

A couple great Pilates apps are new to the market. 5 Minute Pilates introduces exercises for you to try every day.

When it comes down to it, doing Pilates exercises via app on your phone simply can’t compete with attending an actual class. There is something about working out in a group that helps take the workout to the next level. Additionally, having an instructor present to make sure you have the proper technique will significantly lower the risk of injury. And an app provides a fun way to keep your Pilates practice up if you’re traveling on business.

That said, there is definitely a place where apps on your phone can help take your Pilates, fitness, and health to the next level.

MyFitnessPal is an app that helps you track the food you eat. Now, you may be thinking, “Ugh, another food diary? I am seriously over counting calories.” And we can’t blame you. That’s the beauty in MyFitnessPal. It has a database of more than 2 million foods – listed by both name brand as well as food types. It tracks your calorie intake as well as the vitamins and minerals you are consuming. If your aim is to lose weight, then MyFitnessPal can be a great tool to help you on your way. Thryve is a similar app that breaks down food by nutritional content rather than calories. Instead of trying to add up the numbers, it gives you visual charts that reduce the foods you eat into their actual nutritional values.

As food is only part of the equation, there are other apps out there to help you get moving. Some help you track your steps or your mileage. You can get a simple pedometer, like Moves, or you can get a full on GPS tracker, like Map My Run. Both of these apps track your movement without incorporating additional equipment beyond your phone.

Part of being healthy is thinking healthy. It’s so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day rush that we forget to take a moment to breathe and smile. The Gratitude Journal reminds you every day to jot down five things that you are grateful for. You can add pictures and even include the weather. By focusing your mind on the positive, you make sure that the little annoyances stay little rather than becoming monstrous mountains to climb.

Finally, you can’t be healthy without sound sleep. Sleep Cycle is an app that tracks your sleep patterns. It works in tandem with your sleep cycle to make sure that you wake up during your lightest sleep period, and gives you the actual sleep cycle data from the night before.

There are a lot of apps out there that can help you take your Pilates practice to the next level, but when it comes down to it – the best thing you can do is put your phone down and come in to a class.

See our schedule of classes at www.pilatesinthepines.com.