SmartWatch and fitband can also retire. Nowadays, a smartphone is all it takes to calculate the distance travelled on foot or by running. This should not make us think that a mobile phone is enough. Although some tools remain more professional and suitable, the arrival of an incredible amount of apps dedicated to sportsmen and sportswomen and lovers of physical activity remove the excuses that lead people to move, facilitating and bringing closer even those who are more lazy to the sport. We talked about it with Dr. Andrea Carlo Lonati, an assistant in the health direction of Humanitas.

When technology is health friendly

Several studies have shown that tools such as step counters or training apps increase the volume of physical activity done by people, with consequent benefits for health.

According to statistics, the use of dedicated devices allows to increase the daily activity from 2000 to 4000 steps, leading to an increase in weight loss (+450 g every 10 days) compared to non-use. Cardiovascular activities such as cycling, swimming or hiking can play a key role in the prevention of pathological conditions such as hypertension, obesity or type 2 diabetes. The fact that our activities are monitored is also a useful stimulus and motivation to practice more sports activities on a regular basis.

Running or walking? Here are the best pedometer apps

Android or iOs, it makes no difference: the important thing is that the device is technologically advanced enough to mount one of the two most popular operating systems for mobile devices. In this way, the user has access to a variety of apps dedicated to step counting, monitoring walking distances, pedometers and calorie counters. Here is a list of the best apps for Android and iPhone smartphones dedicated to those who walk or run, to count steps, distances, times and calories burned, useful both for those who do sports, and for those who simply want to have a statistic on how much movement they do every day:

Google Fit for Android is the official Google app for monitoring every movement you make with your mobile phone in your pocket. Once activated, the program counts the steps you take while walking and running but also for the distances travelled by bike. In addition, Google Fit integrates with any Android Wear smartwatch and records data that can also be accessed from a PC on the application’s website.

Apple Health is the health monitoring app that is pre-installed on all iPhones from version 5S. By activating the pedometer function, you can record the distances travelled each day, until you get a summary graph. The Apple app also measures staircases climbed or descended and calories burned. This can also be integrated with Apple Watch and other fitness trackers.

Moves by Facebook is another step counter app created by the creators of the popular social network available for both Android and iPhone smartphones. This app automatically recognizes whether you are walking, running or cycling and counts steps, distances covered and times spent on the go. The calorie counter and a log on the map to see all the places where you went to walk or run that bind you to your personal account.

Runtastic is one of the most popular applications for running, walking and cycling in sports, which can be installed on iPhone, Android and Windows Phone. In addition to the classic functions of pedometers, calorie counters, altitude measurements and distance measurements, Runtastic provides an interface for consulting high-level data, with all monitoring measurements aggregated by periods of time, distances, allowing registered users to share sports results with other people so that they can compare.

Runkeeper. Similar to Runtastic and available for Android and iPhone for free, this app also specializes in detecting any distance and route made by running, walking or cycling.

MapMyWALK is the simplest app, always for Android and iPhone, for those who just want to measure distances and count steps while walking.

Pedometer is an app available only for Android. It also measures calories burned as well as steps taken during the day.