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Best Apps to Fire Up Your Fitness Motivation

Everywhere you go, fitness is as trendy as the girl in front of you at the coffee shop with her multi-color yoga pants on. But while we know we need to get fit and healthy, sometimes even the cutest yoga pants, or the greatest of intentions when trying to eat better, don’t always cut it.

But rather than drown in your lack of motivation, pull yourself up out of that Debbie Downer mood and download one (or more), of our top five favorite fitness motivation apps! When you have information that pertains to you and your goals specifically, and is  as close to you as your phone, you can’t go anywhere but into shape!

1) MyFitnessPal

Likely one of the oldest apps out there, MyFitnessPal has fought the newcomer apps tooth and nail. It reigns above the rest when it comes to motivating people to workout, to making sure what you eat is calorie-friendly, and in giving you a community of people to keep you going.

Why we love it:

Sometimes the least motivational thing is knowing you have to look up how many calories are in each ingredient you use when cooking. It can also be hard to know if that workout you’ve started is burning enough calories. Enter in your desired meal along with an approximate serving size, and your workout type and duration, and MyFitnessPal will do the work for you. No excuses when they’ve got the information you need to know how and when you need to step it up a notch!

Drawbacks:

According to some of the reviews, a drawback to this app is that it doesn’t know how to appropriately count calories for strength, yoga, and swimming-especially when it comes to workout classes. Your best bet is to type in a guestimate, or look to other calorie expenditure apps like healthstatus.com for the number. Then you can enter it back into MyFitnessPal.

The only other downside is that this app costs between $9.99 and $49.99 depending on what you’re looking for.

2) Fit Radio

Music is one of the best motivators to getting you up and moving-especially if the beat is something you can vibe with. But putting together your own fitness playlist can sometimes get boring real fast. Fit Radio sends you new mixes of music based of the type of music genre, your workout type, BPM, and others options you choose.

Why we love it:

Enter in stair climbing, CrossFit, or lifting, and they will come up with a mix that will give you energy to keep at it and keep doing it at your best. Plus, the music can be as fast as your workout requires.

Drawbacks:

Unfortunately, this app’s costs can add up. Depending on your subscription plan, it can cost as little as $2.99 or as much as $79.99. So, depending on your budget and your needs, you may need to pay out a little.

3) Instagram

If you can think of it, there’s an Instagram account for it. Fitness professionals often post before and after pics of their clients who’ve really worked to reach their goals. Not mention, people post quick workout videos with excellent exercise ideas.

Why we love it:

One of the biggest reasons we love Instagram is because of its wide variety and for its seemingly endless list of visual ideas. There is absolutely something for everything at any given moment that you need something. It was created for inspiration for all things in a “real world” way. Between Nikki Warren, Jillian Michaels, or your next-door neighbor, it’s a way to see that real people are getting fit and how they are getting there. Just search and you’ll see!

Drawbacks:

Probably the main reason to not using Instagram as your motivational coach, is that it doesn’t send you notifications to nudge you into that next workout, or to alert you to how active you’ve been that day. You have to be online searching. It’s primary source is to be there for you when you need it, not to tap you on the shoulder.

4) PlateJoy

If you’ve ever gotten home from a long day and had no idea what to eat, or had zero ingredients in the fridge, you need an app that can do the planning for you! Take Plate Joy’s simple quiz to help them identify what kinds of foods you like, any constraints you have, and what your specific health goals are. They will put together an entire meal plan just for you and even offer grocery delivery!

Why we love it:

We love it not only because it’s free, but because it gives us a road map to eating right.  It also leaves out any possibility of eating bad just because it was the “only” convenient option. Plus, it makes sure anyone who has special dietary restrictions like a preference to go vegan, without red meat, or are low FODMAP have everything they need.

Drawbacks:

According to some of the reviews, this app sometimes has technical difficulty in syncing with other apps like Jawbone UP. Other than that, most say it’s great to have!

5) Nike + Training App

Nike is about as synonymous with fitness as fitness is to fitness. But this brand just keeps raising the bar and finding new ways to satisfy that inner athlete. The Nike +Training app is your go-to personal trainer and coach with over 100 workouts, (even handy 15-minute ones), guidance and form cues, personalized plans, and an activity counter.

Why we love it:

We love it because the workouts are challenging and versatile, and you feel like you’re making progress with every single one. Plus, there are more ways than one to use the app. It can be your own personal trainer, teach you how to best amp up your personal fitness level, the Nike + Run Club app helps your running form and PR, and using the Nike+SNKRS app literally keeps track of you every step you take.

Drawbacks:

Sometimes there are so many versions of the Nike + Training app, it can be hard to manage all of them. We suggest sticking to the original for progressive workouts that work!

Take advantage of the ever-changing fitness tide with these new fitness apps! Accountability is something we all need to get a little better with, and technology can help us be both that and fit!

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WHAT’S INCLUDED:

This is a self paced reset, so you can start when you are ready but we recommend to continue with the reset each day once you begin to see the maximum results.

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Kaia Tri is a ten-week triathlon training program with workouts three times a week, which is an optional extra during our spring and summer CORE sessions. We swim, bike, and run, with some cross-training classes too. By being able to set a personal pace, our triathlon training program is suited to beginners tackling their first race and intermediate athletes looking to improve their finish time.

Our mock triathlons run several times to familiarize women with the course route. We finish the season with a Triathlon Training Camp which includes paddle boarding and power workouts. The next day is our exhilarating and fun Triathlon race day for all Kaia Tri women to enjoy working out in a beautiful location. Friends are welcome too!

SANDBAG

Kaia Sandbag combines traditional fitness with unconventional training methods. With sandbags, the weight shifts and moves in an unpredictable fashion. This piece of equipment is integrated into our conditioning & strength building workouts to simultaneously develop strength, power, endurance, mobility, and balance – with an additional emphasis on developing overall core strength and stability.

New to sandbag training? No problem! Beginners are always welcome.

TRX SUSPENSION 

TRX® Suspension Training® body-weight exercise simultaneously develops strength, power, endurance, mobility, durability, balance, flexibility, and core stability. Whether you’re younger or older, out of shape or a pro athlete, injured or at the top of your game, TRX Suspension Training meets you where you are and takes you where you want to go. TRX Suspension Training leverages gravity and the user’s body weight to enable hundreds of exercises that can be instantly scaled for any user to reach any fitness or training goal. The easily-scalable nature of TRX Suspension Training makes it a practical solution wherever you are on the fitness continuum.

Need a little extra boost to keep your body guessing? Our TRX/Cardio class is an excellent complement to any Kaia FIT session. TRX workouts, which can be used by anyone at any level, builds true functional strength and improves flexibility, balance and core stability all at once. Mixed with cardio, the classes give every member the perfect balance of challenge and success.

*TRX classes not available in all areas. Please contact us your local studio.

CROSS-TRAINING

Our trademark Kaia Cross-Training™ classes are a unique mix of cardio, functional movement, and both weighted and non-weighted exercises.

Cross-Training benefits:

Each day brings a new workout. We have an elite group of advanced coaches who infuse each workout with their own flair and focus, meaning you’re never going to repeat a workout, avoid burn-out, and fitness plateaus.

Keeping the body guessing is key to sculpting lean muscle mass. We also have a 3-part modification foundation: Balance (non-impact); Strength (mid-impact) and Kaia (high impact). Each exercise has its own progression so that everyone can feel successful.

As a part of our program, we also offer nutritional guidance to help you make healthy food choices and keep your fitness on track.

What are you waiting for? Join us today!

BARRE

Our barre-based class is a unique combination of postures inspired by ballet, yoga, Pilates and Kaia. Using the barre as a prop to balance, you’ll complete a series of isometric holds combined with high reps of small range movements to elongate and tone your major muscle groups.

In addition to the barre, classes incorporate pilates balls, yoga blocks, and/or resistance bands for increased endurance, challenge and focus. Following each set of holds, you’ll rest and recovery with a short series of stretches and poses to increase flexibility prior to advancing.
Kaia Barre is a low-impact class that perfectly complements our program offerings. Meet us at the barre and try your first class for free!

Participating locations may vary. See the schedule page for more details.

DANCE 

Our dance fitness class is rooted in traditional dance. We use those foundational moves and offer a class that is easy enough for beginners yet challenging enough for the more seasoned dancer. The simplicity of the routines allows you to keep moving with ease. Although this is a workout, it feels more like a dance party with your girlfriends.

RUNNING 

Improve your speed, skill, endurance, stamina, and strength with our Kaia running program. The program works on developing running skills that can increase speed, endurance, and overall fitness. The program is designed for you to run at your pace and and help you see improvements every step of the way.

The Kaia training is a simple, progressive program designed for women of all ages and all fitness levels. Whether you are a walker, jogger, or runner, you will be able to join this program and move at your own pace. Research has shown that even 20 to 30 minutes of running (two to three times per week) is enough to help you lose or maintain weight and improve many other important health markers, i.e. your cholesterol, blood pressure and insulin response.

Don’t be intimidated by the Kaia Run program name, each class will have walkers, joggers and runners. Keep in mind that the first mile is the hardest mile you will ever run. Once you get off the starting block, things only get easier. All you have to do is be patient and disciplined in your training, and that is where Kaia

POWER YOGA

Kaia Yoga combines mind and body with a power yoga and core-strengthening weekly workout with Pilates-style techniques. We focus on balance, strength, and cardiovascular fitness through stretching, strength training and dynamic movement to improve overall fitness levels.

By creating long, lean muscles, Yoga promotes improved coordination, greater flexibility and a fuller range of motion, with a strong body that’s less prone to injury. Yoga keeps the mind centered and reduces stress through positive thoughts and a sense of mindfulness, which also inspires mental strength and confidence.

Yin Yoga, or restorative yoga, is a quiet contemplative practice. It targets the deepest tissues of the body, our connective tissues – ligaments, joints, bones, and the deep fascia networks of the body. Poses are held for 1 minute or more and transitions between poses are gentle and slow. This class is an excellent compliment to our other classes, provides dedicated stretching, and is known to reduce stress and anxiety.

6-WEEK BRIK BOOTCAMP

Our BRIK Bootcamp sessions are offered three times a year and are designed to help you reach your health and fitness potential, and you’re welcome to start anytime!

Our BRIK Bootcamps are six weeks long and feature classes daily.* This programming fits in seamlessly with our regularly scheduled classes, and it’s as easy as 1-2-3:

  1. Register for BRIK Bootcamp HERE (included for Platinum & Gold Memberships)
  2. Book your classes through our branded app and Show Up
  3. Let our expert coaches do the rest!

These sessions offer great results in weight and body fat loss and an increase in strength and cardiovascular endurance. Our nutritional support will boost energy, help you de-bloat, increase sleep quality, and enhance your overall glow.

BRIK Bootcamp includes:

In between BRIK Bootcamp, we offer a variety of classes to meet you at your level! We also have nutrition and fitness challenges, in addition to fun opportunities to spice up your routine. What are you waiting for? Join us today!

CYCLE

Cardio based, calorie torching workout with certified spin instructors. It’s a party on a bike!

Try a Week Free

WHAT IS KAIA FIT?