BHUBANESWAR: The value of fitness couldn’t be stressed enough in the times we live in. Be it pollution, junk food or an unhealthy lifestyle, there are far too many impediments to maintain a well-balanced physique in the 21st century.
This is where fitness apps come in. Due to busy schedules, most of the millennials and adults prefer keeping track of their fitness activities through smart phone apps as opposed to those arduous appointments with professionals.
There are more than 3,20,000 health and fitness apps which claim to assist in losing weight, provide effective diet plans and keep tabs on fitness activities. A recent survey by health journal NPJDigital Medicine states that there is no substantive evidence to suggest that these apps are effective.
“We believe that any app that claims to affect your health should be backed by evidence,” said lead study author Oyungerel Byambasuren of the faculty of health sciences and medicine at Bond University in Australia.
Abhinab Das, a techno expert, said, “Technology helps us in many ways and fitness is no exception. These apps have lots of special features like sync up with other devices (scales, heart rate monitors, etc.) that are used to automatically track progress, versus having to manually enter in data. Some of the other added benefits to using a fitness app includes the ability to set and track progress toward goals.”
Actress Sindura Rout said, “Fitness apps are helpful to some extent but it all depends on your workout routine, diet and work schedule. I am an actor. I have to take care of my fitness no matter what. This is why I can’t rely solely on apps. I have to engage in physical workouts and focus on healthy diets.”
Actor Amrit Kashyap said, “Every person is driven by his choices. I never believed in fitness apps personally. If fitness is your thing, you have to work out hard, eat well and calculate your calories. It’s all science. You start to understand your body over a period of time. You have to fine-tune your lifestyle so as to suit your physique.”
A Zumba instructor Debanjan Bose said, “At the end of the day, fitness apps will only be helpful if one devotes ample time in gym or exercises. There are some apps which helps you in maintaining the routine. Some suggest exercises to be done at home. Many of the apps which claim to give total fitness plans of 30 days are total shams.”
Bibhu Shankar Dash, a gym owner, said, “For every exercise, there is a proper way to do it. If not done properly, it can be dangerous. Workout apps can be dangerous as you cannot know if you are doing the movement correctly. There is no one to check personally. If you practice a movement incorrectly, it could cause injury because you are putting stress on the wrong muscles at the wrong angle.”
Fitness expert Gargy Nayak said, ““Fitness apps are the next big thing in the market. I haven’t used one personally but have seen friends and family using and somehow it helps. Users can set a fitness goal, gather workout ideas, track calories intake and burn among others. You can also share your progress on social media which provides motivation.”
Arindam Ganguly, OP