Smartphone Apps Fit For Ballwin Fitness

I've been accused more than once of being glued to my smartphone, and for the most part I'm working on curbing that habit. However, in one arena, I won't be stepping away from the screen: when working on my fitness goals.

Throughout the past few years I've had my iPhone, I've sorted through plenty of buggy or useless apps. But I've also found some gems through review lists like this one at CNet.com, word-of-mouth, or simple exploration.

No. 1 on CNet's list is Lose It!, which I found to be the best free calorie-counting app. However, I later started using the FitBit, a small piece of hardware that tracks vital signs. It probably tops my list of helpful fitness apps. Even if you aren't trying to lose weight but trying to maintain or gain muscle, there are settings in Fitbit that make sure you fall within the correct range for your goals.

You also are clearly told how many calories over/under you are for the day, and you can add custom foods and activities. I also like the charting of progress for longer-term motivation. Not to mention, FitBit is free.

I've also tested several workout trackers, as I lift weights and know that making progress is key to my fitness goals. The problem with a lot of them? Most are way too complicated for real-time use.

After some trial-and-error, however, I found Fitness Log, which is the perfect bare-bones information tracking I was looking for. Fitness Log claims to require almost 50 percent less touches than similar interfaces, and my experience lines up with that claim. And again, like most of my favorites, it's free.

For last-minute exercise inspiration, I like the free Bodybuilding.com application. It also offers their social interface, BodySpace and forums where questions can be answered. You don't need to be a bodybuilder to appreciate their easy to follow exercise instructions.

Larry McCarthy, 38, of Ballwin uses Lose It! and another called Daily Ab Workout to switch up his routine.

"I use the app on my iPhone because I'm already using it for my music, so it's with me, and I don't have to carry any paper and pen," McCarthy said.

I'm not a social runner, and my Fitbit tracks my activity, but there are all sorts of goodies for social runners. One app I've heard lots about from my runner friends is RunKeeper, which tracks your route through your phone's GPS while also tracking your pace. You can share routes with friends and boast about achievements online.

If you have a few bucks to spend, you can purchase Nike+ shoes and download the corresponding application to a iPhone 3GS or 4, or iPod Touch.

Sarah Schwartz, 27, lives in Ballwin and loves style and music. Schwartz said she liked being able to combine those with working out using the Nike+ system, which gives the user audio feedback during the workout about their progress toward reaching pre-programmed goals.

"Its great because I take my iPhone everywhere, and I'm able to listen to music while I choose whether I want my distance, time or calorie goals met," Schwartz said.

This list is a very small taste of what is available to the workout fiends/technology buffs. Here are 100 more apps for you to check out, ranging from calorie counters to white noise generators.