Best Fitness Apps Of 2012

The Fitness Apps We Loved The Most In 2012
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Among the 19 percent of smartphone users who use health-based apps, nearly 40 percent use at least one fitness-based application in an effort to kickstart a health goal, according to Pew Center data. Apps can be useful for any goal, whether it's small -- say, dropping five pounds, specific -- like increasing flexibility and strength, or as life-changing as deciding to run a marathon.

While some research suggests that many fitness apps aren't useful for effecting the kind of behavioral change necessary to stick to a fitness goal, those who use them know there's a clear benefit to including the right kind of app in an overall healthy lifestyle. That's why we picked out our top choices from the previous year. We chose apps that truly help you stick to your goals and exert your willpower, apps that help track complicated data and even apps that get you to push yourself and try new things.

So here you have it -- what's new, what's updated and what really works:

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Before You Go

Fitness Apps For 2012
Nike Training Club(01 of12)
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Professional athletes and Nike's top trainers have created hundreds of workouts for women, all in a well-designed database. Plug in your current fitness level info and get moving. Meanwhile, Nike's male fan-base is begging for their own version. Updated: November 2012 (credit:iTunes)
Couch To 5K(02 of12)
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Winner of the 2012 Appy Award, Couch To 5K pledges to help even the most devoted potato get moving with enough consistency to run a 5K race in just nine weeks. For those who are already 5K'ing on the regular? Bump up your racing to 10K in the same time frame. The app features virtual coaches, recorded mantras, a native music player and graphs to not only record workouts, but track progress. Updated: December 2012 (credit:iTunes)
Pocket Yoga(03 of12)
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Is that 27 yoga practices in your pocket? CNN and Mac Life can't be wrong -- this yoga guide is one of the best apps of 2012, thanks to its extensive dictionary of yoga poses and terms and exceptional yoga instructors that lead through three different variations of yoga, three difficulty levels and three durations.Updated: December, 2012 (credit:iTunes)
RunKeeper(04 of12)
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For those who just can't stand the gym, tracking your workouts in the wild blue yonder can be a bit more of a challenge. That's where RunKeeper comes in: it uses your phone's GPS system to help track anything you can do outside -- walk, run, bike or hike. And for lifehackers and self-monitoring types, the app will alert you to your stats and progress via their audio system as you work out. Save routes, compare performances and use the app to sync up your health data with data sets from many other fitness apps -- making RunKeeper one of the most integrated systems out there. Updated: November 2012 (credit:iTunes)
Cardiio(05 of12)
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Want to know your heart beat, but don't want to wire up? Cardiio uses new research from MIT's Media Center to interpret your heart rate simply from the way light is refracted on your face in photos taken on your iPhone 4S camera.Keep track of that rate as you move throughout different activities, and compare it to the general population or more tongue-in-cheek opponents, like a Cougar or Lance Armstrong. Released: August 2012 (credit:iTunes)
FitID(06 of12)
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FitID is the virtual version of your Crossfit gym or Zumba class -- you can cull wisdom from these and other popular fitness programs. That's because FitID doesn't just track your progress in a vacuum -- it compares your workouts to what you should be doing, according to the workout system you've selected. What's more, the community of FitID users share their discoveries and knowledge of particular fitness and diet systems. Go deep into one system or dabble in them all. Personal trainers are known to frequent the site and you can select one or more trainers to follow in your journey. It's basically like having your own, small-scale gym. Updated: November 2012 (credit:iTunes)
Vitogo(07 of12)
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Want to start strength training and conditioning, but don't know where to start? Input your fitness level and goals and Vitogo will generate an effective series for you to try. Keep track of your goals on their native program, or sync it up with another app, like RunKeeper. Updated: October 2012 (credit:iTunes)
Gym Ball Workouts(08 of12)
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Most gym-goers know how to do a basic crunch on a Swiss ball. But what else can you do? This specific app gives you whole workout plans -- using yoga, pilates, sports conditioning and more -- centered entirely around those giant, destabilizing balls you see rolling around the weight room. Download and hop on!Released: January 2012 (credit:iTunes)
Simply Being Guided Meditation(09 of12)
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Meditation is an important component of many fitness programs -- it can have the benefit of lowering blood pressure and lessening stress. And Simply Being's guided meditations can help those with wandering minds get centered. Yoga Journal and Self magazine call this app a top pick, thanks to guides with and without music, step-by-step instruction and differently timed sessions -- from as little as five to as many as 20 minutes. Updated: November 2012 (credit:iTunes)
Remix Workouts(10 of12)
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Feeling "blah" about your weight training circuits? Don't even know what that means? This app teaches new moves and mixes up your old ones with new circuits and videos to help you master the proper form and technique. At $9.99, it's a bit on the pricey side, but it's cheaper than a trainer!Released: January 2012 (credit:iTunes)
Fleetly(11 of12)
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If your solo workouts have you longing for the days when you competed with friends or played on a team, Fleetly might be a way to bring a little friendly competition back into your active lifestyle. Earn points, join virtual teams and compete in challenges, all while tracking your progress. Now in its fourth version, Fleetly isn't exactly new, but it remains one of the best apps for social workouts and now features better data trackers. Updated: November 2012 (credit:iTunes)
Sportaneous(12 of12)
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If you don't live in New York City, you are out of luck with Sportaneous -- at least for the time being. But the app is a boon for the more disorganized or, erm, "sportaneous" athlete. Simply put in your time, location and desired activity and the app will locate a nearby class or group that you can join. Learn about a new yoga place or rock climbing meetup -- or, for you team sports enthusiasts out there, get in on a game of basketball, soccer or touch football. Updated: December 2012 (credit:iTunes)

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