8 Motivations to Start Up Health & Fitness

18 March 2020

The holiday season is officially over, which means it’s time to start working off some of the extra pounds you picked up at mom’s house. While people generally love the idea of looking like the dudes who do commercials for home-exercise equipment, most of us still hate working out and dieting. If you are one of them, don’t worry. There are a ton of startups offering the kind of motivation you need in the form of mobile apps. Such apps use activity tracking as well as fitness and health risk assessment apps.

Today we’ll be exercising our startup muscles by taking a look at some of these young companies and what makes them tick.

8 Motivations to Start Up Health & Fitness:

Fitness gamification is huge right now, which makes sense given that it adds a much-needed dimension of play to the arduous task of getting fit. A great example of fitness gamification is Tep, which is basically a cross between a fitness tracker and a Tamagotchi; though, in the case of Tep, the star is a niftily-designed giraffe rather than a globular cluster of black pixels.

The more a user exercises, the better the giraffe does (users can buy their long-necked pets treats with rewards points they earn from walking, running and cycling). If users slack off, though, it’s curtains for the poor creature.

According to the app’s creators, a group of five super-talented self-starters from Szeged, Hungary, «Tep’s competitive edge relies on emotional connection and the mental „threat“ that the beloved pet might suffer from the lack of proper physical activity and thus offers a solution for curve fatigue effect.»

Does that sound a little dark? Sure. But it’s for a good cause. The founding team’s goal is to help users lose eight million pounds of fat in the next three years; there’s also talk of buying a giraffe.

The founding team built Tep on their own time and dime, but are currently funded by Traction Tribe and prizes from Microsoft’s Imagine Cup.

Tep is available in beta for Android and Windows phones, with an iOS version coming soon.

Wokamon

If you like the idea of a digital workout buddy helping you toe the line, but giraffes aren’t really your thing, then you might dig Wokamon, which comes to us from Mars Zhu and Hazim Abdul Hamid of Noodum.

Wokamon features dozens of animated monsters that get bigger and stronger as you do. Since it comes with a pedometer and syncs with wearables like Jawbone, Fitbit, and Up, you can be sure that every calorie burned gets counted and fed to your growing army of critters.

Connecting with friends on social media through Wokamon earns you reward points, which you can burn on unlocking new creatures.

Noodum and Wokamon are currently being funded by an $18,000 seed investment from Manchester Metropolitan University’s Innospace Incubator.

Gamified fitness apps like Wokamon and Tep have a lot of options when it comes to future monetization. They can either take the Zombies, Run! The approach of charging for downloads (which works if you’re as niche and well-made as that app) or offer in-app purchases for things like new backgrounds, characters, or crystals and boosters for your pet monsters.

For now, though, we can take advantage of both Tep and Wokamon for free.

Teamster

Teamster is an iOS app that, contrary to its name, has absolutely nothing to do with trucking. What teamster does do, though, is help you connect with other people in your area who are interested in the same sorts of athletic activities as you.

Conveniently, users are able to identify which sports they like and their level of skill in each on a scale of 1 to 5, which means you won’t be totally outmatched when you meet up for a game with other users.

When you find another user who shares your interests and skill set, swipe right in the app to add them to your team. Sounds like Tinder is ubiquitous, doesn’t it? Users can then create activities for other users or teams to join.

Teamster comes to us from the Melbourne based duo of Henry Chan and 22-year old Sam McCallum, who has a background in competitive running, cycling, and skiing.

Actually, 2015 is shaping up to be an awesome year for apps that bring social networking logic to the gym. Take Boston-based Perspyre, for example, which is coming out soon with a beta version for Android and iOS.

The whole point of Perspyre is connecting people who love to sweat and giving them access to workouts, advice, and motivation. Users can log into the app via Facebook and take post-workout selfies, record workouts, and brag about new personal records.

Though it’s admittedly a little intense for beginners, Persypre is perfect for those who are already «motivated and dedicated» enough to willingly visit Crossfit and P90x classes.

Perspyre is the brainchild of Jason Chisholm and Jeremy Mays and has received $25,000 in seed funding from John Piret of the investment firm Newbury Piret & Co.

If Perspyre sounds like it’s right up your alley, keep an eye out for the soon-to-be-launched SternFit iOS app which also gives workout buffs a great platform for sharing pics, tips, and workouts.

Rocket Journey

If your meteoric rise to peak physical perfection is still in the launch phase, you’ll find a helpful companion in RocketJourney, which bills itself as the «smartest and friendliest way to a fitness lifestyle.»

The app’s founding trio of Carlos Ayala, Pablo Artee, and Ernesto Cambuston has received funding from 500 Startups, the seed fund and startup accelerator comprised of Google and PayPal alums.

RocketJourney tracks all of your fitness activities from cycling to yoga to lifting to competitive eating — just kidding about that last one — and verifies that you’ve actually worked out through GPS and wearables integration.

The app motivates you to stick to your fitness regime by giving you points for completed workouts and taking away points for missed ones. The same logic holds true for user-created «teams» which add the pinch of peer-pressure that it just might take to keep you on track.

You can register for updates on RocketJourney’s release on the website.

OneSet

OneSet — «Vine for Fitness» — is another promising app to stay tuned for in the months to come. Users can create 15-second videos demonstrating an exercise or «stack» other users’ videos into workouts.

Since videos are organized by muscle group or goal, it’s easy to find the right moves for you.

OneSet’s founding team is based in Waterloo, Canada, and consists of brothers Amad and Shameel Abdullah, as well as full-stack developer George Xu.

GYM radio

Sometimes all it takes to reach the athlete within is finding the right music to sweat to, or the right gym to do it in.

Though GYM radio’s online music streaming service has been around since 2013, its new iOS, Android, and Windows phone releases have made it easier than ever to get amped up and pumped up at the same time.

The app features three music settings — cardio, gym, and hardcore-tailored to give your workout the right feel. Here’s the best part: GYM radio is completely ad-free, which means your runners high won’t get interrupted by voice-actors pitching toothpaste or discount car insurance.

GYM radio also offers a premium upgrade which, for a monthly or yearly subscription, will let you listen offline, skip songs, and get access to material unavailable on the standard version.

Gymhopper

Gymhopper — «Uber for gyms»- is a Swiss startup that aims to help you find the right gym by offering its users discounted individual training passes. Gyms benefit from the app by getting a little extra exposure as well as a shot at their target market, people who are actively searching for a new place to get sweaty.

Gymhopper is currently in series A fundraising but expects an iOS release later this year.

What can fitness startups learn from RunKeeper?

Figuring out how to actually make money with your app is a problem that can plague even the biggest of startup fish. Each of the aforementioned apps will have to figure out the right monetization strategy for their product and user-base. One good model employed by the leading fitness tracker RunKeeper is to partner with other businesses to provide sponsored advertising to users.

That means Teamster’s users could theoretically get discounts on Nike products for showing up at local softball games, and Perspyre users could get 25% off gym memberships for visiting p90x classes 3 times a week.

There are a lot of good ways to get back in shape, and a lot of good startups out there creating more every day.

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Get Help With Your Addiction In Boulder

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It’s the first step you take when you want to regain control over your life. See the signs within yourself If you suspect you have a problem with addiction, there are lots of resources to look at that will give you insights into the signs of substance abuse. You can’t admit that you have a problem if you aren’t aware of all the signs of alcohol or drug addiction. Some of the signs are You’re choosing drugs or alcohol over activities you used to love to do. These can include hobbies, social gatherings, or work events. You’re not taking care of yourself because you’re too high or drunk to You’re missing work due to substance abuse Your friends and family members have expressed concern over your symptoms You’re hiding things from those you love so they don’t see you using. You can’t stop using Talk to your friends or family about your addiction Opening up to those you trust most will help you air your concerns. 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If you don’t have a plan in place before you enter one, you might find that you can’t even afford to continue. You need to know what options are available to you when it comes to paying for treatment. Most rehab centers, including the ones in Boulder, will take insurance to pay for treatment and most insurance companies provide plans that cover some or all of the cost of addiction treatment. If you don’t have insurance, government health has plans that cover some of the cost of treatment as well. In the event that you’re still finding it hard to come up with the pay, then don’t lose hope. Many rehab centers are flexible and will work with you to find a payment plan that works for your budget. There are also private and government-funded charities that will help cover the cost. There’s a lot you can do before you give up. Don’t give up! Addiction can be difficult to manage and everyone will have some sort of setback in the process. Just don’t give up! No matter the circumstances, you still deserve to be treated for your drug addiction and you still deserve to have a normal life. Research, talk to friends and family, and seek help. You’re not alone on this journey and there are thousands of people out there who have had success beating their addiction. Read Also: How To Live Stress-Free Planning a Family Vacation as the Kids Grow Up Make Your Vacation Less Stressful With the Following Tricks

10 Foods for Vibrant, Glowing and Younger Skin

Do you face a lot of questions about maintaining your skin? Did you know that the most delicate thing in the human body is our skin and we have a great role in keeping our skin refreshed, moisturized, and glowing? There are tons of agents out there that keep polluting them and extra care is needed to keep them protected. But luckily, there are so many great natural foods that are born and grown in nature’s fields that help us maintain rocking and glowing skin. Check out these 10 foods that are selectively chosen and believed to work as a super-agent in keeping our skin rejuvenated, young, healthy, and glowing. 10 Superfoods for Glowing Skin: After a lot of research and elucidation of the scientific properties of the food, we have a conclusive list of these superfoods to keep yourself young and be skin healthy without having to go to other artificial methods that harm us rather than good. Turmeric Leafy and dark green vegetables. Avocado Papaya Aloe vera Carrot Fish derivatives Green tea Yogurt Bitter guard Now, let's see the properties of the above superfoods that make them so nutritious and healthy resulting in our glowing and younger-looking skin. 1. TURMERIC: The most effective medicine that works for skincare is turmeric and we believe that its roots are so powerful that ingestion of this power foot root can also prevent various deadly diseases. The main properties of turmeric that helps you save your delicate skin are its antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory property that prevents germs build up in the skin. It also fights against oil accumulation in the face and hence preventing open pores, blemishes, and acne. Usage: add a pinch of turmeric to your face pack on a daily basis and also you can grind their roots and use them to see noticeable results. By adding the turmeric with olive oil to soups, salads, and other dressings you also add additional nutrition value to your food. 2. Leafy and dark green vegetables: Green vegetables like spinach, kale, broccoli, and many other greens are the powerhouse of nutrients and serve a major role in enriching nutrients into our diet. Not just that, they are also a great source of antioxidants with a bumper pack of vitamins and minerals. They remove dullness from the skin and make it shine. Usage: Add portions of these dark and leafy green vegetables to your diet every day for at least two times a day on a regular basis and you will be seeing a notable difference in your skin health and glow. 3. Avocado: This buttery fruit comes with loads of nutrition and adding this to your daily diet will prove to be a savior for the nutrition-deprived cells in your skin. They are enriched with vitamin E and also act as an antioxidant. The avocadoes are also termed butter fruit due to their buttery appearance and nature. They act majorly in slowing down the aging of skin cells, repairing inner skin cell damage, vanishing the acne in the skin, stopping face wrinkles, and many other wonders that you may have never thought of. Usage: The avocado is similar to butter and is also termed as healthy butter and can be added to your morning toast like butter, it can also be made in the form of a dip called guacamole and can be combined with chapati dough and make it healthier. Other than that, it can also be added to salads, soups, and other dressings. 4. Papaya: The ever-healthy golden fruit that is giving out abundant nutrition for the human body in many ways. They are a rich source of beta-carotene, antioxidants which are visibly proven to enhance the skin cells and remove the impurities locked in your skin. It is also considered the best superfood for the whole body mechanism as they also prevent and destroy harmful tumor cells. Usage: Take the pieces of papaya and grind them to a paste. Add them to your face pack or apply as it is with rose water and make a facial mask. Keep it on for at least 15 minutes and the face will glow no less than a star. 5. Aloe vera: Nature's gift to us that grows generously in any place and climate is the aloe vera. They are loaded with auxin and gibberellin hormones that have anti-inflammatory properties. The gel also helps in relieving many dermatology-related problems and can be applied to burns, cuts, etc. This also helps in keeping acne, dark skin, blemishes, blackheads under control. Usage: Scape out the aloe vera gel from the plant with a spoon and add them to the face pack or apply directly. 6. Carrot: The wonder vegetable that is loaded with Vitamin A is a savior as it enriches our skin glow with the carotene. They help by flushing out the toxins accumulated in our skin. Usage: Eat carrot raw as a vegetable once a day and also include them in salads or juices. 7. Fish derivatives: The world-known fact about fish is the presence of omega 3 fatty acids. This brings nutrition to our skin by helping them glow and repairing all the dead cells. They help in maintaining the overall skin and body health when consumed in small amounts. Usage: We can add them as grilled or baked fish to our diet. It can also be added as readymade supplements. 8. Green tea: The most recently found study reveals amazing properties. It contains flavonoids, phytonutrients, and primely a nutrient called epigallocatechin gallate which removes harmful toxins and keeps you rejuvenated. They also have antioxidants that fight against skin oil build-up, acne, and more. Usage: Consume them as a tea by boiling them in hot water and adding honey for taste. Consume this tea on a regular basis after your workout and you will notice the changes in your skin. 9. Yogurt: The yogurt which is a traditional derivative of milk comes loaded with good bacteria lactobacillus that improves blood circulation, removes skin's dead cells, and keeps you replenished with body glucose that keeps your skin glowing and fresh all day. Usage: The yogurt can be consumed as a part of your meals every day. It can also be added to your face pack to add an additional glow to your face. 10. Bitter gourd: The wonder green veggie which is loaded with good nutrition also has the capacity to add a superb glow and shine to your skin. This particular veggie comes with the bitter taste that is essential to your diet as it kills all the bacteria in the body and also removes scars, giving a great resistance towards skin allergies. Usage: This vegetable can be added to your diet in numerous ways. The most efficient way is to boil them in hot water and consume their juice. They can also be added to dal and curries with less amount of frying involved. Conclusion: After looking at these superfoods you may definitely rethink your idea of involving harsh chemical treatments for your skin that brings more side effects than cure. You can avail of these at the growers offers anytime. These foods when consumed on a regular basis help you get rid of all your problems in one shot and result in younger-looking and glowing skin. Read Also: Effects Of Sleep Deprivation On Your Skin & Good Sleeping Habits 7 Tips For People With Hypersensitive Skin Top 7 Superfoods For Healthy Skin And Hair

8 Motivations to Start Up Health & Fitness