Do you need apps to walk and lose weight? If you have a sedentary life, a good option to get back in shape and take care of your health is to walk. Obviously, fulfilling your purpose requires you to be constant and persistent.
If you want to know which is the best app for walking, keep reading. We will give you our recommendations and some tips to integrate it with your daily activities. Go for it!
Best Free Walking Apps
To start the year with optimism, there is nothing like acquiring a new habit. You can start with a free walking app to achieve your goals. Next, we will tell you what they are and what functions they include.
1. Strava GPS
Strava for walking? Clear! Considered by many the best running app and a very good bike app, Strava GPS is the perfect companion when going out for a walk. We like it because it is one of those applications that not only records data but also activates the competitive bug. You will be able to measure yourself against your friends and other members of the community through their leaderboard and their challenges to overcome. Will you be able to get into the first position? This helps us demand a little more each day, week and month, improving our body and mind. Motivate others, share photos of your journey on Instagram or explore which areas of your city are the busiest. Its premium version gives us a lot of additional options:
- Filter table positions by age or weight.
- Set goals for kilometres.
- Analyze the rhythm and power of our activity.
- Watch training videos.
- Know which friends are online walking or running at that very moment.
- Discounts in store
- Download for Android
2. Walk with MapMyWalk
Whether you have Android or iOS, MapMyWalk is one of those walking apps that makes it easy for you. If extreme sports are not your thing and you want a gentle workout on your morning or evening walks, you are in the right place.
With this walking app, you can:
- View the route you have taken on a map.
- Know the time it took you and the number of kilometres (distance) you have travelled.
- Determine the average speed of your walk.
- Know the pace you have followed.
- Count calories consumed in real-time.
MapMyWalk is not only suitable for walking but also for exercising in other ways. Discover it:
3. Sportractive
Sportractive is an Android app for walking. It has many features and very good opinions, despite being less known than other sports apps. But that’s why we are here to show you new quality options. We like it because it motivates you, monitors it and ensures that you meet the proposed objectives.
The interface is highly customizable. Shows information about pace, speed, time, levels or heights, calories expended or heart rate. It does this on a map and with different colours so that its visualization is more efficient and pleasant. As a plus, it is compatible with heart rate monitors via Bluetooth, such as the H7 or anyone with Android 4.3 or higher.
It keeps a history of what you’ve done and your results, which you can fill out manually or automatically. Calculate your BMI or ICA and export everything to GPX format. It is an app that adapts to you, your needs and possibilities. Because we are not all Usain Bolt!
4. Pacer: a free walking mileage counting application
If you are looking for a free walking app, try this pedometer. Count your steps, calculate distances travelled and track your activity helping you stay fit. All you have to do is install it on your mobile. You don’t need to create an account or use another additional app.
Some of its functions are the analysis of your performance over time, the creation of guided exercise routines and access to the community to be more motivated. You can also use it with your friends or family and participate in the different challenges that Pacer offers.
5. Google Fit: monitor your activity and health
With just 30 minutes of walking a day, you can avoid cardiovascular diseases. Google started from this idea when creating one of its health apps, in conjunction with the WHO and the American Heart Association. Its objective was to improve the health of its users.
Google Fit detects when you are walking using your device’s sensors. If you want to achieve a goal, you can check your daily progress and earn points that increase your motivation. You can complement it with other physical activities and add them to your Fit diary. Thus each movement will count as an additional point.
It is compatible with a wide variety of devices and additional applications such as Xiaomi Mi bracelets, and Wear OS by Google, among others. In addition, on the app’s official page, you can discover other functions that help you maintain a healthier lifestyle.
6. Sweatcoin: the app that pays you to walk
Do you feel like you lack any incentive to start walking every day? Then download Sweatcoin, an app that pays you to walk as a reward for your efforts. Use a virtual currency with which you can buy goods and services from collaborating companies.
Sweatcoin counts the steps you take outdoors and adds coins. The more you walk, the more points you will earn and the more possibilities to invest in your health. But don’t think it’s that easy: you need to take at least 1,052 steps to earn a coin.
It includes a pedometer that runs in the background when you take your walks. As you progress in your training, you will increase the maximum limit of coins you can earn per day per level.
7. Walking to Lose Weight from Leap Fitness Group
If you are looking for a good training plan to help you lose weight, we recommend using this app designed by fitness professionals. Combine light walks with increasing speed to help burn excess fat accumulated in your body.
For that, you need to start with the Leap Fitness Group training plan. This has three levels: easy, medium and difficult. Each includes an audio guide that will help you maintain the pace and increase the intensity as time goes by.
The application works for both outdoor walks and indoor treadmill walks. And, if you like to listen to music while, you can integrate it with your usual MP3 player and give rhythm to your training.
8. RunKeeper
Finally, there is RunKeeper, an application to count walking kilometres. Provides statistics of your performance through audio and a detailed record of pace, distance and time. It also saves a history of your activities and thus sees your trajectory.
If you have a group of friends who are also training, you can share your progress with them on social networks. Also, measure your progress by setting goals and objectives. And to know if you have achieved them, you have notifications when you have achieved a new mark or milestone.
FAQS about Walking Applications
These walking apps are very specific for this activity and offer many more functions than offline map applications, for example. Here we solve all your doubts:
What is the best app for walking?
Several applications can count the kilometres you walk. The best is Strava GPS because it encourages you to compete with others and improve your performance.
How long do you have to walk to lose weight?
The United States Government’s Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion recommends walking at least 150 minutes a week, about two and a half hours. You can distribute them however you want, although it would be best to dedicate about 20 or 30 minutes a day if you are not used to physical activity.
However, walking a few steps a day is not enough to lose weight. You have to pay attention to your lifestyle, the calories consumed daily and the amount of your intake. Without a doubt, the help of a qualified professional is very important at this point.
The idea is to burn more calories than you consume. But, if you are overweight or lead a sedentary life, it may be good to start with a walk, as it is a calmer and less intense activity.
What are the best apps for weight loss?
You can try My Fitness Pal, the best calorie counter to control your weight. There is also the option of a weight loss app that serves as a complement to walking apps. In any case, it is best to consult a professional so that you can do it without affecting your health.
What is the best app to measure distances?
Walking apps calculate the kilometres travelled per day. But there are also applications to measure distances, such as Easy Mesure, which offers you precise figures of the meters reached on each walk.
With these apps, you can better track your progress. Some people may not consider it a sport, but it is undoubtedly one of the best habits to implement in our routine. Replace the subway with a walk and the stairs with the elevator, you’ll see what a difference!
We look forward to your recommendations below!
