I love iPhone apps that chart what I do, and most of the apps on this list are here because they allow me to do just that. Some allow you to share various workout or diet data with friends who use them too, which is great, as I need all the motivation I can get!
If, like me, you dread the obnoxious sound of an alarm each morning, you'll love this app. It uses your iPhone's accelerometer to detect when you're sleeping lightly and wakes you at just the right time. There are four stages of sleep: stage 1 is drowsiness; you're easily awoken at this stage and you haven't nodded off properly yet. Stage 2 is light sleep; your heart rate begins to slow and your body temperature falls. Stages 3 and 4 are when you're in deep sleep (4 being REM: dreaming). Being woken up during stages 3 and 4 leaves you feeling groggy.
Sleep Cycle has never gone off while I'm in stages 3 or 4, so it does what it claims to. Getting up certainly seems easier in the mornings now and, as a fun extra, the app charts how much deep sleep you've had each night.
My Fitness Pal calculates how many calories you should be eating each day - depending on your height, current weight and whether you want to lose, gain or maintain it.
Each day you enter what you've eaten and any exercise you've done. It has a large database of activities and foods from supermarkets and chain restaurants, but you also have the option to add your own meals. You get a running total of how many calories you have left and a chart telling you how balanced your diet is. I was sure my diet was great, but My Fitness Pal showed me that I didn't eat enough foods containing iron or protein. As a result, I've changed what I eat. I don't manage to eat and exercise perfectly every day, but this app means I am no longer in denial about it.
Map My Ride is more than just an app; it's a whole online fitness system. Along with its stablemates Map My Run, Walk, Tri and Hike, it is a GPS-enabled exercise and nutrition tracker that allows you to precisely monitor your workouts and calorie intake. What really sets this suite of apps apart from most other calorie and exercise trackers is how it can help you plan and analyse your exercise, too. Not only does Map My Ride keep a fairly accurate record of the route you've taken and how long it took, but it also records elevation and allows you to share your route on Facebook, Twitter or the Map My Ride website.
You can share your rides with other members, search for suggested routes in certain areas and even plan future routes using its online mapping toolset. You can export a route as a GPX file, compatible with most modern GPS units, for step-by-step instructions. No more stopping by the side of the road to get your map out or check Googlemaps on your smartphone! You can even let your friends track you via the Live update feature which plots your progress on a map, very useful if you're heading off into the middle of nowhere or competing in a long-distance event.
While Nike Training Club can't drag you to the park and make me do sit ups, it is a great app for people who want a free personal trainer!
It has the following sections: get lean, get toned, get strong and get focused. Each has 15 or 30-minute workouts for all levels - beginners, intermediate and advanced - with clear video instructions on how to do the exercises. I like the fact that you can set music to play throughout. You do need medicine balls and dumbbells to do some of the workouts, though.
Ever woken up with a headache and thought: "But I only had one or two glasses of wine"? This app allows you to keep track of how many units you drink and compare that with your recommended amounts. It's a free app and there isn't much to it, but its simple function is effective.
The one big drawback is that you can't enter drinks by name - I couldn't add a Martini, for example. It's a good start, but hopefully an updated version will quickly follow.
