Using your smartphone while training can be a huge distraction. Luckily, it can also be a valuable tool that makes it easy to track your workouts and reach your fitness goals. What matters is how you use it.
To that end, I’ve put together a list of some fantastic skinny fat workout apps designed to make it easy for you to track progress, eat better, and train productively. We’ll also go over some alternative methods at the bottom.
Let’s dive in.
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4 Of The Best Skinny Fat Workout Apps
1. MyFitnessPal
I’m a big fan of MyFitnessPal because the app offers versatility and makes nutrition tracking a breeze. With its rich food library, barcode scanning function, and other features, MyFitnessPal provides nutritional recommendations, tracks your nutrition, and calculates daily intakes.
What sets MyFitnessPal apart from other apps is the ease of use. You start by creating a profile and answering a few questions about yourself. The app then calculates your nutritional needs and provides you with actionable steps to track your nutrition. Even complete beginners with no experience in macronutrient tracking can get started, educate themselves, and start working to reach goals.
Highlights:
- Logs your nutrition and physical activity
- Provides practical suggestions for nutritional needs
- The library has over 11 million foods and beverages
- It has a barcode scanning feature
- It syncs with other apps and devices
- You can log meals at restaurants
Potential drawbacks:
- Access to all features requires paying for a subscription
2. StretchIt
The average lifter doesn’t need incredible mobility or flexibility to train effectively or stay safe in the gym. But, that doesn’t mean you should never stretch or pay attention to either of the two.
StretchIt is an app that makes stretching and mobility work accessible and, more importantly, simple to understand. The app is simple, offers numerous stretches, and comes with a wide range of videos that instruct you how to perform each activity. Regardless of how bendy you are now, StretchIt will help you develop mobility and flexibility for safe and effective gym sessions.
Like many other maps on the market, StretchIt provides a true sense of community because you can interact with others, join classes, and share your progress. Accountability is essential for sticking with your plan, which is why using the app makes you more likely to be consistent.
Highlights:
- Beautiful and easy-to-use interface
- A sense of community
- Classes you can join and follow along
- Fantastic instructional videos for almost all stretches
- Clear directions for all activities
Potential drawback:
- The app costs $19.99 monthly or $159.99 for the annual plan
3. Strava
Strava is an app designed for people who enjoy cardio activities like cycling, swimming, and running. The app has features that make the training experience fun and engaging.
A notable advantage of Strava is that you can create and join friendly competitions designed to bring out the best in you. Instead of doing yet another dull treadmill session, you can interact with users, push yourself, and share your progress.
Strava also tracks performance metrics, such as distance passed, duration, elevation gained, average speed, calories burned, and more. The paid version of the app also allows you to set goals, follow custom training plans, and receive instant feedback on your performance.
While I don’t consider cardio the best primary way of training, doing some aerobic activity is beneficial, and Strava makes the experience more enjoyable.
Highlights:
- Beautiful design and user-friendly interface
- Helpful feedback in real time
- Progress tracking functionalities
- A sense of community of everyone interested in interacting, training, and competing with others
Potential drawbacks:
- You need an active subscription to enjoy all the app’s features
- The app is only suitable for cardiovascular activities
4. Fitbod
Putting together an effective training plan can be a considerable challenge, so many people pay good money to work with trainers online and in person. Luckily, apps present a new way to train effectively and educate ourselves without spending as much money.
Fitbod is a great skinny fat workout app you can set up in minutes. Once you’ve answered some basic questions about yourself, the app will generate a training plan. Unlike other solutions that spit out a cookie-cutter solution, Fitbod considers your fitness level, available equipment, and goals. The app also asks how long you can train, and it even offers an option for what split you’d like to follow (e.g., push/pull/legs).
You then receive a customized plan you can start following immediately. The app features a beautiful interface that received a massive update a few months back, making the entire experience much more pleasant.
Fitbod also estimates how recovered your muscles are after training. For instance, if you do a demanding push workout, the app allows you to track the recovery of muscles you’ve trained. It isn’t 100 percent accurate, but it does give you an idea of your level of recovery, making it easier to program your training in the future.
Highlights:
- Custom programs
- Beautiful design
- Muscle recovery insight
- Simplicity of logging workouts
Potential drawback:
- You must pay a subscription - $12.99 monthly or $79.99 per year
How to Use The Above Skinny Fat Workout Apps
It’s best to start with a single app to see how it feels and if it offers benefits. The only app I consider somewhat mandatory is MyFitnessPal because it makes it easy to track your nutrition. As I’ve stated numerous times, tracking calories and macronutrients is beneficial for ensuring you’re eating the right amount of food for your goals.
Aside from MyFitnessPal, you can pick an app based on your struggles. For instance, StretchIt is beneficial for your mobility. If you struggle with stretching and need help, try it and see how it goes. Alternatively, you can download Strava to make your cardio training more engaging.
Fitbod is also an excellent choice for people who need an effective training plan. Rather than doing tons of research or paying a trainer, you can use the app to get tailor-made routines to reach your goals. The app also offers a free trial, so there is no risk in trying.
Alternative Methods For Logging Your Training, Nutrition, and Overall Progress
If you’re interested in old-school methods or simply don’t like using skinny fat workout apps, there are two good ways to track your progress and planning:
1. Training Log
A few years ago, I used Evernote – a simple note-taking app for logging my workouts. I would then copy everything into a large notebook and keep it in a desk drawer at home. As time passed, I realized how inefficient the process was, so I got myself a simple training log and recorded my workouts there.
Sure, you don’t get some of the benefits you can enjoy from an app like Fitbod, but you have a physical object that feels rewarding. Whatever you decide to use, log your workouts because producing overload is essential for long-term muscle and strength gains.
This is just an example of workout logging I did using Evernote a few years ago.
2. Notebook
A notebook works well for tracking what you eat and calculating your calories and macronutrients. The downside is that you have to do everything manually, whereas MyFitnessPal makes all the calculations for you and all you have to do is log the foods and amounts.
But, as with the training log, writing it down in a physical object can feel rewarding. Plus, calculating gets easier after a while because you memorize the nutritional information of the foods you eat more often.
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