4. UP by Jawbone
Up might be the latest Jawbone's latest app designed for the Jawbone Up24 fitness tracker, but you can also to use it with just an iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus or iPhone 5S by itself.
Thanks to the new Health app and the step tracking capabilities of Apple's M8 and M7 co-processor you can use the app to track your steps, sleep and food intake. The later options require a lot manual input there are few apps that look as good as Jawbone's Up, which displays all your metrics in bright colors with line and bar graphs.
Honestly, with Jawbone Up3 coming out soon, this app is a good holdover instead of springing for the last-generation wristband fitness tracker.
Compatibility: Requires iOS 7.0 or later on an iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and iPhone 5S.
5. Sick Weather
Staying healthy isn't just a matter of staying in shape, it's also not getting sick. Labeling itself as a Doppler radar for sickness, Sick Weather provides users with real-time maps of illnesses around the city. The app combs social media for reports of people feeling under the weather and adds makers onto a local map.
Sick Weather covers a long list of known bugs including the Flu, Norovirus, Pink Eye and Whooping Cough, plus 19 other illnesses. In theory, by plotting out exactly where sick people have shown up, you'll be able to avoid getting sick yourself. Users will also be able to turn on an alert feature notifying them before they enter a danger zone by surprise.
This is the only app on this list that does not sync up with Apple's Health app, but we feel it's still important enough to note. Just keep in mind Sick Weather adds a big drain on your battery life by accessing the iPhone's GPS, so be sure to quit out when you're staying put for a while.
Compatibility: Requires iOS 7.0 or later on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
6. Carrot Fit
Personal trainers can be awfully scary sometimes. Electronic fitness apps are too nice allowing you to slack off too often. Carrot Fit places itself somewhere between (or outside) these two extremes by comically berating you into exercising more.
Upon opening up the app, Carrot Fit proclaims itself as your new fitness overlord before proceeding to demand thanks for getting your flabby self into shape. Just like to the 7 Minute Workout Carrot Fit will prompt you with an exercise routine and count everything down.
Rather than embedding instructional videos from YouTube like 7 Minute Workout, Carrot Fit animates and explains exercises to great comedic effect. This is all helped by a monotone, but generally insulting, GLaDOS-like voice. The app also makes constant pop culture references including calling wall squats the Invisible Iron Throne as a nod to a Game of Thrones. Later the app asked me if I feel the burn before remarking that it was the feeling of "winter coming to your knees."
The comedy schtick adds a bit of levity to what are generally boring and grueling exercises. But underneath all the extra polish and jokes, Carrot Fit is a just very well put together app with great production value.
Like Jawbone's UP app, Carrot Fit will benefit from iPhones equipped with Apple's M7 or M8 co-processor. The app is entirely usable with the iPhone 5 and iPod Touch 5 running iOS 8 with the caveat that you won't be able to add your steps to the total of calories burned in your 7 minutes in hell workouts.
Compatibility: Requires iOS 8.0 or later on an iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
7. WebMD
WebMD is slightly different from all the other apps we've previously discussed as its more focused on keeping track of your overall health and not just during exercise. In this sense, WebMD focused on developing your Healthy Target working in tandem with the Apple Health app and devices made by devices made by Entra, Fitbit, Jawbone, Telcare and Withings.
In the app you'll spend a lot of time developing and sticking to healthy habits such as competing 10 jumping jacks, five squats and five pushups before turning on your TV each evening. The end goal is to lose weight, eat healthier, sleep more and just generally living healthier.
There are also two other parts of the app; the first being Health Tools, which provides medical explanations for illnesses and their likely symptoms. Similar to the WebMD site you can also access medical listings for local doctors pharmacies and hospitals. Healthy Living, meanwhile, is a daily lifestyle magazine that offers tips on exercise, beauty, food and relationships.
Compatibility: Requires iOS 7.0 or later on an iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
- Get the lowdown on the Apple Watch
