How an Android-powered Phone can help you workout...sorta

a00link

I just got back from a bike ride to the nearby overpass and I wanted to test out the new application on my phone. I have an Evo which is on Sprint but I am almost certain this will work on any Google Android phone. It's a program called My Tracks and as I rode my bike, it logged (at the intervals I set) my location GPS-wise. It tracked me to the overpass, then back through my subdivision and finally back home. It ended up telling me how long I took, my elevation change, my speeds, my distance, and coolest of all, it will upload all that into a spreadsheet in Google Docs as well as make me a Google Map of it for later viewing.

I'm in love with this phone in general but I find that having the ability to easily track this sort of information, for me anyway, is something that will motivate me to keep getting on that bike and even trying to find new paths to take just to see how it stacks against others. My sister lives a good distance away but one of these days, maybe I'll try to bike to her place a few towns over, or there's a state park about 8 miles away, I should try to bike there. It's actually the highest point in the county so that'd be fun to see the elevation change after that trip.

Definitely though, the next sunny day I don't work, I'm gonna bike to my gym, pump some iron, then bike back. Cardio/Weights/Cardio/Stats! Can't wait. I'd recommend anyone with a phone, whether the Evo or similar, give this a shot.

Here's the link if anyone cares. http://mytracks.appspot.com/ But just be sure to turn the GPS tracking back off as it'll drain the battery quicker over time than if you only turn it on when you need it.

shandrew

I have an iPhone and have also found several apps that help motivate me when I run. It is very motivating to see how far I've gone and how many calories I've burned. I also have an app for my fitness pal which helps me track
My calories on the go. Let's me know when I need to go for a run if I haven't eaten the best!

a00link

Hey, a first poster! Welcome to the forums! So you have a MyFitnessPal app for the iPhone? Is it official or some other one that allows you to transfer easily things throughout the day? I haven't used this site in months but I want to get back into it and using an app on my phone would be a great way to keep at it.

I know the Android's app market is truly lacking in comparison to the iPhone's but perhaps you have suggestions anyway? I'll have to do a little research in a bit.

shandrew

It's an official app. It links everything to the website. It does not have the forums but all the calorie information and weight updates. It's awesome to have with me everywhere I go. I used a few other calorie counting apps before I found this one but this has been the one that I find is the easiest to use. Have a look, I'm sure you will find something that will work for you. Love the GPS app, just came back from am 11.5 km run this morning. It's very motivating to see my progress when I run, it pushes me to go faster and further.

ErikaHope203

Oh man, I would love a MFP app for android!!! : )