Maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle is so important, but proves to be especially difficult in our busy day to day lives. Thanks to our handy dandy smartphones though, we have the ability to access and track our fitness goals wherever we are, whenever. These 5 apps will help to track your activities, keep you motivated, and push you to meet your goals:

RunKeeper

One of the most popular fitness apps available, RunKeeper does it all. It tracks your entire workout from start to finish; including distance, calories burned and average pace. It saves a record of each activity as well, so that you can track your progress over time and easily share the results with others over social media. It will automatically set reminders for your workouts, and you can also earn rewards (small discounts on certain health products) by keeping on track with your activities. You can even personalize the app by setting your own specific goal, schedules and motivational photos. There is also the option to invite friends and family to join so that you can compare stats, help motivate each other and even engage in some friendly competition. RunKeeper also supports Android wearable devices.

Available on iOS and Android.

Couch 25k

The Couch-to-5k mobile app is meant for beginners looking to start running, using 5k as their initial goal. Committing to 3 workouts a week, 30-40 minutes each, the app promises to have you running 5k in 2 months. The workouts change weekly and involve a mix of running and walking. They are specially designed to help your body build strength and gradually help you get used to running. Your music is fully integrated within the app and automatic reminders will alert you to let you know when to change it up. The only downside is that the app doesn't track many statistics. So if you're looking for a more all-in-one activity tracking app, you might want to try out another app mentioned.

Available on iOS.

HOT5

HOT5 is an app that offers quick mobile workout videos with specialized personal trainers, that are easy to do anywhere at any time. With a simple to use and attractive user interface, you can partake in a range of exercises from beginner to advanced levels. The app tracks your workouts and monitors your weekly progress. Invite your friends to join and you can enjoy some friendly competition, motivate each other and earn points every time you perform a workout!

Available on iOS.

Fitocracy

Fitocracy is an all-in-one fitness and health app that covers everything you could possibly want. With emphasis on the community aspect, you can join groups that connect you with others who have similar fitness interests/goals, personal trainers and nutritionists. Turn your workouts into games while earning points and badges, or partake in Quests with helpful motivation and "props" from the other members in the community. Build your own custom workouts, or scroll the list of recommendations the app makes based on your interest and goals. Each workout offers some advice and tips on how to perform exercise properly, and you can rate the workout once you're finished. One downside is that with so many options available, the app can get fairly confusing at times. I suggest following the tutorial that is offered when first downloaded.

Available on iOS and Android.

MapMyFitness

Another one stop fitness and health app, MapMyFitness is a tracking app that uses the built-in GPS of your mobile device to track your activities. It measures all of the statistics you need including distance, speed, pace, duration and calories burned, and even provides you with predetermined running routes based on your location! Everything is tracked and organized into one profile/dashboard page, which makes it super easy to see your workouts and track your progress. One unique feature is the Gear Tracker, which allows you to add any workout gear (running shoes etc.) to your profile and based on your workout habits, distance and time, will suggest to you when it's time to invest in a new pair! You can also join challenges with other people, live track your friends and log your nutrition habits!

Available on iOS, Android and Windows Phone.

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