Take Your Health And Fitness Goals To The Next Level With These Android Apps

Changing your habits can be tedious work, but fitness apps are here to make the task a little less herculean. Google Play has a good selection of such apps, both free and paid, and they cover a wide range of health-related topics. These apps can help you start doing cardio, get into yoga, count your calories, or turn yourself into a Thor-lookalike with Chris Hemsworth's help.

Working out and getting in shape have always been hot topics, long before the introduction of smartphones. These days, you don't need to buy yourself an expensive workout bike or a cheaper alternative; you don't need a gym membership; you don't even need an appointment with a nutritionist. That is not to say that those things are not helpful — they are, but there are cheaper ways to get started and break into some new healthy habits.

Of course, not all of the best Android apps are free, and some can be pretty pricey (but the expense can be worth it). We'll show you a selection that covers a good range of budgets and uses. Let's dig in and pick the five apps that will help you make a lifestyle change.

If you've ever seen "The Avengers" or another recent Marvel production, you may have been impressed by Thor's physique in most of the movies. Chris Hemsworth, the actor portraying the god of thunder, certainly knows how to stay fit. No one can promise to turn you into Thor without any effort, but Hemsworth has his own app that can guide you on your path toward getting in perfect shape — it's called Centr.

Getting fit like Thor might sound intimidating, but Centr has something in it for everyone, regardless of your fitness level, age, and goals. The app is said to feature guidance from Hemsworth's fitness team, and it gives you access to various workouts, from strength training to pilates and yoga. One of the key programs on the app is called Centr Unleashed, which is a bodyweight plan that doesn't require any additional equipment.

Centr gives you a weekly planner, complete with workouts and meals. You can swap the workouts as you see fit, get new recipes prepared by Hemsworth's chefs, and follow any program that you want. There are also calming mindfulness exercises to help you tend to your mental health. Centr connects to WatchOS, so if you have an Apple Watch, you can use it to track your heart rate and energy expenditure.

Given that Hemsworth itself markets it, it's no wonder that Centr is fairly expensive. Following a 7-day trial, you'll need to start paying. The yearly plan costs $119.99, the quarterly plan costs $59.99, but the monthly plan costs a whopping $29.99.

Whether you want to bulk up or lose some extra weight, MyFitnessPal is one of the best Android apps to help you achieve that. Counting calories is tedious, and if all you have is a pen and a notepad, you're more likely to grow weary about it. Having to look up the calorie count of each product can take up a lot of time. This is why MyFitnessPal can be a solid aid in macro counting — it has a robust database of products from various brands, a barcode scanner, and a handy search tool. Here's how it works.

When you get started with MyFitnessPal, you'll be asked to fill in some information about your current weight, height, and daily exercise. You'll also be asked to choose whether you want to lose, maintain, or gain weight. Based on that, the app will help you calculate your recommended daily caloric intake, complete with macros that will tell you how many carbohydrates, proteins, and fats you should be eating each day. From there, it will help you stay accountable by letting you log everything you eat and you workout sessions.

MyFitnessPal's greatest strength comes from the fact that there are so many food items in its database. Most of the time, all you need is the name of what you ate and the serving size — the app should have the calorie count, saving you the boring task of inspecting each packaging. You can scan barcodes directly into the app to make it even simpler. The base MFP is free, but if you want to unlock more features, you'll have to pay $9.99 per month or $49.99 per year.

Yoga can have a wonderful impact, and this includes both body and mind. It will help you stay more flexible, stretch out your muscles, and even quiet down your thoughts. It can be a pretty intense workout, too, so if you're on a calorie-burning track, yoga can help you on your way toward your goals. As far as Android apps go, Down Dog is probably your best option for a yoga-centric program.

The app is suited to beginners and experts, so you can start at level one and work your way up as you grow more accustomed to various poses. Down Dog guides you through many different forms of yoga and similar exercises, with modes such as Vinyasa, Hatha, Yin, Ashtanga, Cardio Flow, Yoga Nidra, Hot 26, and Chair. If you're looking to get started with yoga because of back pain, Down Dog has a special feature that specifically targets back-strengthening exercises.

Down Dog syncs to Google Fit and can be used even when offline, so doing some yoga out in nature is totally possible. The app also comes with a number of curated playlists to help you reach that state of zen as you go through the poses. Aside from a free tier, Down Dog costs $9.99 per month or $59.99 per year.

If you're into intense workouts, including those at the gym, but you have a certain goal for your physique, you may be told to get a personal trainer. That's certainly helpful, but if you want to try doing it all on your own, the Shred app can be a good workout buddy. This is a tool that will help you take your workouts to the next level, plan them out, and stay consistent as you push yourself to do more and more.

You don't need to go to the gym to use Shred, as the app has workouts you can do at home too. It'll help you make the most of the equipment you have on hand. It can be a useful tool if you're trying to bulk up, as it lets you log your weight and heart rate as well as all of your workouts. This includes how many reps of each workout you've done. While strength training plays a big part in Shred, there are plenty of cardio options too, and the app itself will suggest workouts based on your goals and your previous activity.

Shred is a bit more on the serious workout side than some of the other apps on this list. You'll find it worth your time especially if you also invest in some matching gym equipment, such as dumbbells and kettlebells, and work your way through the exercises the app suggests. Logging all your activity is a good way to stay consistent, and this too will help Shred make more accurate suggestions. Unfortunately, the app is a bit on the expensive side — you can only use it for free for a limited time, and after that, it costs $99.99 per year.

Strength training is one thing, but cardio builds a strong foundation for a healthy life. No matter your fitness level, even walking is often a good way to build up some stamina and get some fresh air. It can progress to jogging and running, or you can branch out into different forms of cardio. Regardless of your favorite workout, Adidas Running (formerly Runtastic) is a fantastic companion for your walks, jogs, runs, hikes, and more.

Adidas Running helps you track and plan your exercise routines, and it covers many different things, such as cycling, running, or swimming. In total, there are over 90 different activities you can track, plus plenty of exercises like push-ups and pull-ups. For the times when you're out walking or running, it has a pedometer, and you can sync it with your smartwatch — but you don't have to, the step counter works on your phone. There's also built-in GPS tracking so that you can plan your route or simply view it when you're done.

The app has a lot of nifty features that can especially be helpful for weight loss and overall wellness. It tracks the duration of your cardio, tells you how many calories you've burned, the distance you've covered, and even monitors your heart rate (not on every device, though. You'll need to check whether it's compatible with yours on the official page).

The base app is free to use, but there are certain features that are locked behind a paywall. You can choose to subscribe to the app for $9.99 per month or $49.99 per year.