Getting and staying in shape is much easier these days. There is a lot of information, programs and classes that are geared towards helping an individual become healthy. A large number of individuals are also utilizing the plethora of smartphone apps that are available – apps that track and record exercise minutes, number of steps taken, food intake. There are even apps that remind people when to drink water or when is the best time to go to sleep.

The best thing about these fitness apps is that the user sets his or her goals and pace. A well-chosen app does wonders in keeping one motivated and on the right track.

Here are some apps worth checking out:

Endomondo

This app keeps track of runs, hikes, bike rides and other outdoor activities accurately via a very simple interface. It has users take a fitness test that the app assesses and uses to come up with a fitness plan based on the user's favorite form of exercise. And since the app keeps track of your progress, it sends messages in the middle of your workout that tells you whether or not you are doing well or should push harder. The app is available on the Android, iOS and Windows Phone OS. It has a free mode and a Premium one that can be downloaded for only $30 a year. Premium accounts boasts of training plans and coaching features which makes the app more useful and the experience more inspiring.

MapMyFitness

MapMyFitness is one of the earliest and best fitness apps around. The app has tracked activities and logged food intake since 2007. Its interface is simple and easy to navigate, plus its tracking capabilities are extremely accurate. The app lets you choose and set challenges, both for yourself and your friends. Aside from tracking your fitness goals, it can even track your fitness gear and remind you when you have to change your running shoes or other fitness equipment. The app is free on Android and iOS systems.

MyFitnessPal

Keeping track of calories is a challenge that most people face. But tracking calories has become easier through this app. A user can log their meals by simply searching the app's wide range of brand name foods and dishes. Users who prefer to cook can still use this app. One can upload the recipe on the database and MyFitnessPal will determine the nutritional information. A list of the user's favorite food, or those she or he eats on a regular basis, is saved so it can be easily added to one's daily intake by just the tap of a button. The app is available for free on the Android and iOS OS.

Sleep Cycle

Getting the right amount of sleep is one important key to staying healthy, but most people get out of bed every day feeling listless or groggy. Sleep Cycle can change that. The user chooses the time he or she wants or needs to wake up and the phone is then placed face down on the bed. The app will track and wake the user sometime in the half-hour window when the user is in their lightest sleep. Contrary to what some people think, the app does not utilize magic. Instead, it uses the phone's accelerometer to check movement and to pinpoint REM cycles, so it can avoid waking the user during a deep sleep cycle. It can be downloaded on iOS and Android devices for less than a dollar.

Calm

Meditation is one way of distressing and maintaining one's health. But for a lot of people, meditation is so challenging because they find it difficult to tune out all the little things that go around them. The app provides guided meditations that will have the user breathing easier and concentrating better. The meditation exercises in the app can help the user release their anxiety or feel more confident. Calm is available on the Android and iOS for only $10 a month.