SHAPE UP
Hit Your Goals Faster: How AI is Your New Fitness All
Fitness trackers
You’ve got a fitness programme, you’re sticking to it and you’re having fun. Great! Now, how do you know if it’s working as well as it should? After all, fitness is not all about how far you can jog or what the scales tell you – so why not ask a fitness app to keep track of your progress? An example is Fitbod, which looks at what you’re doing, analyses your activities and performance and, using machine learning to consult the huge amount of data on this subject, gives you regular reports on your progress. It’ll also advise you how to polish up your routine for quicker, better results.
Heart rate monitors
You can keep track of your heart rate and aspects of your general cardiovascular health with wearable tech, whether it’s a simple wristwatch-style gizmo or a more sophisticated chest-strap device. In all cases, the AI behind the hardware will use its machine learning to analyse your heart’s beats and rate and check that everything is running as it should. If it is, it’ll advise you how to keep it that way, and if it senses that there may be any issues – such as an irregular heartbeat, for example – it will advise you to see your doctor. As always, take advice from a medical expert if you have any concerns, and invest in trustworthy devices for this important job.
Strength training
If you’re lifting weights rather than focusing on cardio today, an app such as Jefit can help you elevate those pesky chunks of steel safely and sufficiently, a boon for anyone who worries that they’re lifting too little or too much. It will advise you about rest times between sessions, warn you if your form isn’t safe and crucially, do the difficult maths: how many reps per set, how many sets per workout, how many workouts per week? This is where generative AI’s ability to mine previous data comes in most handy. After all, the science of bulking up is widely documented.
Personalised workout plans and coaching
Freeletics is just one example of many apps that will take your personal data and, through machine learning, formulate the best workout plan for your statistics and objectives. It’s flexible, so it will customise its planning as your needs evolve, and it’s able to track your progress and react accordingly – just as a personal trainer would. Some of these, such as Gymfitty or Planfit, offer a form of coaching as well: while the AI is obviously well-informed, it won’t have as much empathy as a human being would (or the ability to switch on the tough love!).
Therapy chatbots
It’s good to talk, and essential if you have issues you need to work through, as every single one of us does at times. Real-life therapists are unlikely to be replaced by an AI because so much of the job of therapy is empathy, a very human trait, but that doesn’t diminish the role of therapy-focused chatbots such as Wysa and Youper. What these apps can do is act as a complement to a human therapist or counsellor, and encourage you to take up healthy practices such as self-reflection and emotional literacy. Simply being asked “How are you feeling today?” can transform your day, after all.
Smart scales
You may be content to step on your bathroom scales simply to see how much you weigh, but if your needs are more complex than that, look at a smart option. Vitafit, Garmin and Withings are just three manufacturers of smart scales, which offer a range of sophisticated services and thus require AI to function. These include bone density and visceral fat analysis, sometimes achieved with a handheld accessory that connects wired or wirelessly to the main unit; heart rate measurements; cardiovascular health analysis; and your overall body age. Some models will synch to your wearable device for extra functionality, too.
Sleep trackers and analysis
SleepScore, SleepTracker, Sleep Cycle: as you might imagine, these AI-powered apps all monitor the amount and quality of your nightly sleep, a surprisingly complex and important activity that we all need to get right for a happy life. The simplest of these apps usually gather data by listening to you breathe while you snooze, noting if and when you snore, turn over, sleep-talk or get up for a bathroom visit. More advanced solutions include the mattress covers and actual beds made by companies such as Eight Sleep, which heats or cools you as you doze and can even elevate or lower your sleeping position.
Personalised mindfulness
Your mental health is as important as the physical equivalent, and as so much data is available on the subject, it’s no surprise that various AI-based apps exist to help you achieve a balanced state of mind. Examples such as Headspace, Calm and Healthy Minds Program perform at least some of the functions of a human therapist, learning about your life experience and daily challenges and suggesting ways to maintain focus and stability. Be aware that you know your state of mind better than anyone else, of course, and just as you would with your bodily health, consult a real-world practitioner if you have any questions.
Symptom checkers
Consult a healthcare provider before placing your faith in any app, especially one that checks symptoms for you, simply because there is the possibility of misdiagnosis – but with that understood, apps such as Ada Health and Docus can be very useful when it comes to initial ideas about what a given symptom may mean. The best of these are the ones that point out that their analyses are possibly rather than definitively correct, so take your cue from those. It’s a lot easier to type into an app than it is to get up and go and see a doctor, of course, but don’t let that deter you.
Posture monitors and correctors
Strap one of these futuristic-looking harnesses over your chest, switch it on and its built-in AI will tell you if your standing, walking, lifting and running styles will eventually give you a bad back. Sadly, these devices by Lia, Neurabody and Czur won’t transform you into an exoskeleton-powered cyborg, but they will advise you about getting rid of the slouch you’ve picked up since you were at school and teachers yelled “Back straight, shoulders down!” at you. The couch potatoes and desk jockeys among us will thank these devices in years to come, you mark our words.
Running apps
Running and jogging are proven ways to maintain fitness, get some fresh air and see a bit of nature, but you’ll need to know where to go, how fast to run and when to stop for a rest, all tips that Runna, TrainAsOne and HumanGo can supply. Like all decent health AIs, they’ll ask you for your physical stats and fitness levels before you begin, and then tailor-make a route and weekly routine for you on request. Tracking your jogging routes is half the fun, especially as many of these apps include a social feature for you and your fleet-footed buddies.
Cycling apps
Riding a bike is like running but with longer distances, faster speeds, the potential for mechanical breakdown and much more lycra, all of which require AI assistance to maximise their potential (except the lycra). Spoked, 2Peak and Cycling Coach will chat happily to you as you pedal along your chosen route, keeping an eye on your heart rate and checking for obstacles ahead. Sadly, no app is yet able to pump air into a punctured tyre or apply a plaster when you cycle into a hedge, so don’t place all your faith in an AI just yet. Be careful out there.