According to the Global Health & Fitness Association, pre-pandemic health club memberships in the U.S. reached 64.2 million at a total of 41,270 facilities in 2019. But when gyms and fitness centers shut down in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus, those memberships languished. As many as 15% of such facilities had closed for good by the end of last September.
Unfortunately, we got pudgier because we had no place to work out. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association estimated that Americans gained an average of nearly two pounds per month during 2020’s lockdown.
Nevertheless, many Americans took advantage of their time at home and battled the bulge with the help of their smartphones. If they couldn’t make it to the gym, they could at least download weight-loss and exercise apps. Here are the most popular exercise fads every year since 1956.
24/7 Tempo determined the best of these by reviewing all the fitness- and diet-related apps on the Apple Store and Google Play. To appear on our list, an app needed to have had at least 10,000 votes and a rating of 4.9 or higher by mid-June.
The list includes some of the most popular programs available in these areas. Some, like Oh She Glows and Lose Weight Fast at Home, are aimed at women. One, Lose Weight App for Men, which promises weight loss in 30 days, is male-focused. Others can be followed by both sexes.
Although most are geared to exercise programs, there are apps — like Food & Macro Tracker by Fittur and Fasting App – Fasting Tracker & Intermittent Fast — that provide dietary tips and guidelines. For more pound-dropping strategies, see 18 best ways to keep weight off if you’re over 40.
Click here to see the best fitness and weight loss apps
As COVID-19 restrictions ease, gyms and fitness facilities will open and pandemic pounds will be shed. However, for some, the use of at-home exercise and weight-loss apps may be a good habit they won’t break.
20. Pedometer & Step Counter
> Avg rating on App Store: 4.9
> Votes: 10,457
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19. Oh She Glows
> Avg rating on App Store: 4.9
> Votes: 11,303
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18. Workout for Women: Fit at Home
> Avg rating on App Store: 4.9
> Votes: 11,994
17. Lose Weight at Home in 30 Days
> Avg rating on App Store: 4.9
> Votes: 14,997
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16. 30 Day Fitness at Home
> Avg rating on App Store: 4.9
> Votes: 21,583
15. Lose Weight Fast at Home – Workouts for Women
> Avg rating on App Store: 4.9
> Votes: 25,549
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14. Happy Scale
> Avg rating on App Store: 4.9
> Votes: 32,914
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13. HIIT | Down Dog
> Avg rating on App Store: 4.9
> Votes: 33,063
12. Rally Coach
> Avg rating on App Store: 4.9
> Votes: 34,371
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11. Home Workouts – No Equipment
> Avg rating on App Store: 4.9
> Votes: 45,488
10. Yoga for Weight Loss – Yoga Daily Workout
> Avg rating on App Store: 4.9
> Votes: 53,155
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9. StrongLifts Weight Lifting Log
> Avg rating on App Store: 4.9
> Votes: 59,870
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8. Strong Workout Tracker Gym Log
> Avg rating on App Store: 4.9
> Votes: 70,152
7. Workout: Gym Workout Planner
> Avg rating on App Store: 4.9
> Votes: 82,236
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6. Home Workout for Women – Female Fitness
> Avg rating on App Store: 4.9
> Votes: 91,954
5. Pacer Pedometer & Step Tracker
> Avg rating on App Store: 4.9
> Votes: 142,607
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4. Plank Workout at Home – 30 Days Plank Challenge
> Avg rating on App Store: 4.9
> Votes: 186,368
3. Fasting App – Fasting Tracker & Intermittent Fast
> Avg rating on App Store: 4.9
> Votes: 303,565
2. Lose Weight App for Men – Weight Loss in 30 Days
> Avg rating on App Store: 4.9
> Votes: 1,029,716
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1. Food & Macro Tracker by Fittur
> Avg rating on App Store: 5.0
> Votes: 48,062
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