22 Free Apps You Need to Download Now to Reach Your Goals

By , Melissa Rudy, Health & Fitness Journalist
While we know our members love using SparkPeople's free mobile apps to track food, fitness and trends on the go, there are lots of other quality apps that make it easy to embrace a healthy lifestyle. To help you narrow down the thousands of nutrition and fitness apps on the market, we asked SparkPeople's resident experts and members to hand-pick their favorites. Each app is free to download (although some offer paid upgrades to advanced features).
 

Fitness Apps
 

Whether you need to build muscle, lose weight or just look and feel your best, the right exercise app can put your goals at your fingertips.

1. JETFIT

Are you just going through the motions of your workouts? Ever wish you had a personal coach alongside you, designing challenging custom routines tailored to your goals? With JETFIT, you'll have access to a database of over 1,300 exercises, making it fun and easy to create your own personalized workouts. You can also manage your stats and track your progress as you go. Free to download on iOS and Android.
 
2. Couch to 5K
 
Ready to transition from the sofa to the sidewalk? Couch to 5K is a popular program that helps people of all fitness levels prepare to run or walk a 5K race. The training plans start out slow and provide a gradual transition to your goals, so you're never overwhelmed. When you are ready to train each day, simply gear up, launch the app and click “start.” The app will guide you through the workout, complete with a timer and voice cues. Free to download on Android and iOS.

3. MindBody Connect

Interested in trying a fitness class, but not sure where to go? This handy app provides a list of all classes near you, from yoga and Pilates to spinning and boot camp. You can even book and pay right from your home. Free to download on Android and iOS.
 
4. 100 Pushups
 
There's a reason people have been doing push-ups for so long: The rewards are well worth the effort. Push-ups strengthen the core, arms, shoulders and chest. If doing 100 in a row seems like a Herculean feat, you need this free app. The premise is simple: Follow the program and in six weeks, you'll be able to hit that three-digit mark. Just set aside three days a week, open the app when you have 10 minutes to spare and follow the quick program. You can even set a schedule and get reminders. Free to download on Android and iOS.
 
5. Nike+ Training Club
 
There's no shortage of "virtual personal trainer" apps on the market, but Nike+ Training Club is one of our favorites. Enter your fitness level, goals and workout preferences and the app will provide a customized four-week program. Photos and videos show how to safely and effectively perform each exercise. Choose from more than 100 workouts from Nike master trainers. Free to download on Android and iOS.
 
6. RockMyRun
 
We all know the right playlist can make a workout fast and fun. The RockMyRun app is packed with playlists designed by deejays specifically for exercise, featuring songs from every genre. We love how you can select different beats per minute to make the music match your workout. Free to download on Android and iOS.
 
7. Runkeeper
 
Most of our running members have tried an app that tracks their runs or walks using the phone’s GPS. We’ve tested nearly all of them, and Runkeeper is one of our favorites. It's free, simple to use and works every time. There's no complicated setup: Just open the app and start pounding the pavement. After your run, you can see and share detailed reports. Best of all, you can connect Runkeeper to your SparkPeople account to track your workouts with us. Free to download on Android and iOS.
 
8. Charity Miles
 
This free app also uses your phone’s GPS to track your runs and walks. Although it doesn’t have the robust features of Runkeeper, it gets the job done. The cool thing about Charity Miles is that they make a donation to the charity of your choice based on how far you go. A number of SparkPeople members have reported that this gives them extra motivation to go for a run and make every mile matter. Free to download on Android and iOS.
 

Nutrition Apps
 

Healthy eating habits can be hard to maintain, but these easy, effective nutrition apps help you make smart choices at every meal.

9. Waterlogged

You think you're getting enough water, but can you be certain? This free app calculates your water intake to ensure that you're staying hydrated. Simply upload pictures of your drinking vessels and Waterlogged does the rest. It even has built-in reminders to prevent accidental droughts. Free to download on iOS.
 
10. HealthyOut
 
Although cooking healthy recipes is usually the best way to eat well, most of us indulge in an occasional restaurant meal. With the average American restaurant dish packing more than 1,100 calories, making the right menu choice is essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Using your phone's GPS, the HealthyOut app serves up a massive database of restaurants and foods to find diet-friendly choices in your area. Our editors love all the ways you can filter restaurants: Choose your diet preferences, select favorite types of foods and decide whether to include or exclude fast food. Free to download on Android and iOS.
 
11. Burpee Garden Time Planner
 
SparkPeople’s editors are big fans of backyard gardening. It's a great way to harvest healthy foods all summer, while reaping the benefits of getting outside and burning calories. If you don't have a green thumb, you'll find Burpee’s app to be a great resource. Find out when to sow, transplant and harvest herbs and veggies, based on your location and climate. Free to download on Android and iOS.
 
12. Ibotta
 
How would you like to get cash back just for buying the products you love? Ibotta offers a different take on traditional grocery store coupons: Before or during your shopping trip, pull up the products in the app. For products you want to buy, watch a short video, read some facts or take a poll. After making the purchase, you can go back to the app to get your cash back by scanning and sending your receipt. Ibotta works at most major stores, including regional and national grocers and big retailers like Target and Walmart. Free to download on Android and iOS.
 
13. Plant Nanny
 
A number of our members raved about this app, and we're a big proponent of drinking more water, so we gave it a try. Plant Nanny turns drinking and trackinyour daily water into a fun, interactive game. With each cup tracked, your plant grows, and you get fun notes and updates along the way. Simple and engaging, it's also great for kids. Free to download on Android, iOS and Windows Phone.
 
14. Fooducate
 
No time to read labels? Fooducate lets you scan any barcode to get its nutrition grade (from A+ to F) and also offers healthier alternatives in the same category. It’s like shopping with your own personal dietitian who has an in-depth knowledge of every existing food and beverage product. Free to download on Android and iOS.

15. Fitocracy Macros

You track your calories every day, but do you know if you're getting enough macronutrients? This free app tracks how much of your diet consists of the "big three": carbs, proteins and fat. Armed with this knowledge, you'll be better able to reach your fitness goals. Free to download on iOS.
 

Motivation, Health & Weight Loss Apps
 

For optimal wellness, your mind and body both need to be in shape. Luckily, there are many innovative apps available in this space.
 
16. Happify
 
At SparkPeople, we love studying the psychology behind people's actions. Happify is one of the best behavioral research apps on the market. Its smart tools and detailed assessments are designed to help improve your emotional well-being. After completing a quick-but-powerful evaluation, you’ll get a customized program to work toward your specific goals. Every day, a list of tasks ranging from interactive games to motivational images and messages to in-depth exercises will be waiting for you in the app. Free to download on Android and iOS; additional paid subscription plans available.

17. iTriage

Instead of Googling your symptoms when you're not feeling well, turn to this well-organized healthcare app. Research medical conditions, get doctor-approved answers and even find care options in your area. Free to download on iOS and Android.

18. Ideal Weight

The first step of reaching your fitness goals is setting the right ones. This free app calculates your body mass index (BMI) to determine how close you are to your ideal weight. Free to download on Android. 


19. Headspace
 
If you have a hard time slowing down and living in the moment, meditation can be a great de-stressing tool. If you're new to the practice, Headspace provides daily guidance, starting with 10 days of 10-minute sessions. Just open the app, put on your headphones and listen to the soothing instructions. Free to download on Android and iOS; additional paid subscription plans available.
 
20. Runtastic Heart Rate Monitor
 
Runtastic has a great portfolio of apps, but one of its more unique offerings turns your phone's camera into an instant heart rate monitor. While it may not be as accurate as the doctor's office, it's a handy way to measure your heart rate throughout the day, both at rest as well as before, during and after workouts. We found that a well-lit area provided a better camera reading for more accurate heart rate measurements. Free to download on Android and iOS.

21. Lumosity

Feeling mentally burned out after a long day? Lumosity helps keep your brain in peak working order with more than 50 fun, stimulating games designed by scientists. Free to download on iOS and Android.
 
22. Sleep Cycle
 
Described as an "intelligent alarm clock," Sleep Cycle is a simple and effective tool for regulating sleep patterns. Set your alarm for morning, bring your phone to bed with you, and the app will monitor your sleep during the 30 minutes before your wake-up time. Your alarm will go off when the app detects a light state of sleep, which will help you wake up feeling more rested. For example, if you set your alarm for 7 a.m. and the app detects you moving at 6:52, it will wake you up then instead of waiting for you to go back into a deeper sleep. Choose from two monitoring modes, audio or motion. Free to download on iOS and 99 cents on Android.
 
Have you tried any of these apps? What other apps have you found helpful in living a healthy, active lifestyle?