• No automatic programming functions (all manual, create your own programs)
• No pictures of exercises or biomechanical guides/explanations

Review:
I honestly cannot do this app enough justice in this short review. Although I listed two drawbacks, these are necessary compromises for the amount of freedom this app allows the user. It’s assumed that you will do your own exercise research (know the right technique etc), so this isn’t really for the beginner unless you use it in conjunction with another app (ie Fitness Buddy). Highly recommended and easily worth the cost.

MyNetDiary

Features:

• Track meals, exercise performed (basic calorie tracking purpose), weight, charts & measurements, vitamins & medications (basic note function here)
• Customise your own ingredients and ‘recipes’ for easy tracking of frequently eaten meals
• Review macronutrients (carbs, fat, protein), micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, calcium, iron etc) eaten in the day, and whether they meet minimum daily requirements
• Set calorie goal for the day, easily review remaining calories and macronutrient breakdown
• Favourites category, easily identify your customised food entries
• Barcode scanner!
• Nutrition and consumption calorie reports

Drawbacks:

• Barcode scanner only in the paid version
• Barcodes are not always linked to products, and sometimes the barcode scanner does not scan properly (depending on lighting etc)
• For most products, the only nutritional information available is that which is printed on the package. This means that a lot of micronutrients and even in some cases caffeine, are not displayed

Review:

I’ve never been a big fan of tracking calories, in fact I’ve been very stubbornly opposed to the entire concept for a long time. What this app does is allow you to remove the focus from calorie counting (though the info is all still right there, if calorie counting is your thing), and places the focus on macro and micronutrient tracking. The amount of nutritional information this app allows you to review is fabulous – you want to track how much iron, calcium or vitamin C you’re consuming? Easy!

Sports Tracker

Cost: Free
Audience: cardiovascular crazed / joggers
Youtube Video

Features:

• Time and measure the distance, speed/pace of your jogs, hikes or walks
• Measure calories burnt
• Inbuilt Google maps function, shows where you are, and where’s you’ve jogged
• Share your routes on Facebook with the click of a button
• Basic functionality so only a small learning curve

Drawbacks:

• No inbuilt heart rate monitor support
• No inbuilt interval timing functions

Review:

Although my favourite jogging app to date, it’s lacking in the two drawbacks mentioned above. Still a great app though and highly recommended, let’s just hope for a future update which includes the two functions above!

Fitness Buddy

Cost: Free
Audience: beginner resistance enthusiasts
Features:

• Preprogrammed exercise routines
• Pictures and description of how to perform exercises

Drawbacks:

•  Unable to modify or enter your own exercises, so you’re constrained to those on offer
• Not a lot of features

Review:

A great program for beginners, provides some nice descriptions with accompanying pictures.

Cost: Free
Audience: RPG’ers (role playing gamers) who are also fitness enthusiasts
Youtube Video

Features:

• Reward system (think badges, or ‘achievements’) for accomplishing strength goals
• Reward system for accomplishing “quests”
• Leveling system to encourage frequent workouts
• Facebook/twitter style interface with tons of very active social groups to meet all tastes. The community is truly amazing, with heaps of support and social interaction

Drawbacks:

• Resistance training focus
• Information for past workouts can only be entered for 5 days prior to the current date
• As you level up, it becomes harder to level up – but that’s what RPG’ing is all about!! (incentive to train harder)

Review:

Although not technically a simple app for the iPhone and more of an interface app for the Fitocracy website (requires sign-in prior to use), I had to include it on my list. Fitocracy has helped motivate me in a way that nothing else has, and given me goals where before I really had none. If you’re an RPG’ing nerd, like me, and also into resistance training – Fitocracy is an absolute must.

What smartphone apps have you found that help to organise, record and plan your workouts?

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