If you’ve been looking to improve your health but don’t know where to start, there are a number of healthy living apps that can help. Whether you want to start a new routine and breathe new life in your current workout, these five apps provide all the direction you need. Take control of your health with the help of your Smartphone.

If you’re still using your smart phone to make phone calls or send text messages, you are one of the few individuals underusing these powerful devices. Your Smartphone can do a lot more, and an increasing number of apps are available that can help you take control of your health. These apps range from programs that help you gain healthy weight and tone your muscles, to those that can improve your eating habits and boost your cardiovascular health. The following are the Top 5 health apps all men should have on their device.

Six Pack Abs

Every time you turn on the TV you are bombarded with half-naked men in underwear commercials sporting well toned abs. Many men want to have six pack abs, but find it very hard to achieve. Six Pack Abs offers 20 exercises that can help you strengthen and tone your core muscles, revealing the chiseled abdominals that all men have below layers of fat in their midsection.

The app offers additional features to help guide you in your quest for a chiseled physique. For each exercise, there is an HD video that has avatars performing each exercise so you learn how to do each routine with proper form. There are also music playlists available in the app that match the intensity of your regimen to help sync your mind and body while working out.
Availability: Free version, $4.99 for upgraded full version. App Store on iOS and Google Play for Android.

CycleNav

Biking is increasingly popular among urban populations, both as a form of transportation and as a form of exercise. Riding a bicycle for long distances helps tone your leg muscles while providing a significant boost to your cardiovascular health. The CycleNav app was unveiled earlier this year at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The app consists of two components. First, there is the navigation device that mounts on the handlebars of your bicycle. Second, there is a Bluetooth-enabled mobile app that allows you to reach a predetermined destination with ease. The app provides you with audio commands and turn-by-turn directions just like a GPS unit for your car. Unlike the unit in your car however, this app tracks your total ride time, speed, and calories burned during your workout.

Availability: App isfree, navigation device sold separately. App Store on iOS and Google Play for Android.

Sportsetter

One of the most difficult aspects of maintaining a healthy lifestyle is finding either a gym you enjoy attending, or other athletic activities that provide the chance to exercise. Whether you’ve moved to a new city or state, or are just getting into this whole fitness thing, Sportsetter is the ideal app to have on your device.

Sportsetter allows you to create a fitness profile on your app and receive free one-month memberships to local fitness centers, gyms, and other activity centers. Whether you want to lift weights or get involved with local team sports (adult rec leagues), Sportsetter gives you the power to build that profile and receive relevant offers to try out new facilities.
Availability: App is free, subscriptions cost extra after one-month trial App store for iOS as of March 1st.

7-Minute Workout App

One of the most common reasons men have for skipping workouts is a lack of time. Between your job, your social life, and your family, there isn’t always time to hit the gym or go for a nun. Johnson &Johnson want to help you live a healthier life with their new 7-minute Workout app. The app comes with a total of 36 exercises, 13 predesigned workout regimens, and a custom routine feature.

Getting started is as simple as selecting the length of your rest intervals, the number of times you’ll run through the circuit, and then choose tunes from the music library on your device, and you’ve got a solid workout routine. Available audio and visual cues help you perform each exercise with proper form, and there is no need for expensive equipment. Every routine can be performed with the floor, wall, or chair for support.

Availability: App is free. App Store for iOS and Google Play for Android.

Gym PocketGuide

This final app is for those guys who hit the gym on a regular basis, but feel like their current routine simply isn’t doing the trick. The app gives you a clear, concise forum for tracking your day-by-day schedule at the gym. When you get started, you’ll select the fitness program you want to follow. You can choose a fat-loss, muscle building or strength program. Each program comes with suggested routines for each day and select exercise to perform on each day.

The app comes loaded with a full library of fitness routines, including detailed descriptions, images, and links to instructional videos, that is a big plus if you don’t have Wi-Fi access at the gym.

Availability: App is free. Only available in Windows App Store.

Life can get very stressful, and that stress can have negative impacts on your health. Whether you are unhappy with your current workout routine or want to get back on the path to a healthier lifestyle, these five apps for healthy living can help you achieve your goals.