FITNESS ONLINE
It's the age of the smart phone, and with that comes the power to connect in every part of your life. Shopping is done online. Communication is through the internet. And yes, even fitness has been moved to an app.
"Fitness apps empower individuals to control their lives, rather than relying on others."
How Fitness informatics motivate adults to exercise and monitor diet: A qualitative case study - Adam Clinger
Hundreds of options fill application stores, giving consumers tools extending beyond the old school pedometers. Today's app include but are not limited to:
"step counts, but also calories burned, distance traveled, number of minutes active, hours slept, quality of sleep, and nutrition."
How Fitness informatics motivate adults to exercise and monitor diet: A qualitative study - Adam Clinger
Let's walk through the journey of Fitness Online...
First Step: Determine your Motivation
The larger the text, the higher percentage of the behavior change technique.
Provide instruction on how to perform behavior
Plan social support/change
Prompt review of behavioral goals
Provide rewards contingent on successful behavior
Action Planning
Goal setting - outcome
Relapse prevention/coping planning
Shaping
Stimulate anticipation of future rewards
set graded tasks
Teach to use prompts/cues
Provide feedback on performance
Goal setting - behavior
Prompt rewards contingent on effort or progress toward behavior
Information on consequences of behavior in general
Environmental Restructuring
Prompt self-monitoring of behavior
Information about others' approval
Information on consequences of behavior to the individual
Normative Information about others' behavior
Facilitate social comparison
Prompt self-monitoring of behavioral outcomes
Prompt review of outcome goals
Prompting focus on past success
Model/demonstrate the behavior
Provide information on where and when to perform the behavior
Second Step: Find the App
Now that you have determined your motivation and selected the app that best fits your needs,
let's show how effective it will be.
Each app above can be placed into one of five categories based on the features it holds:
Education:
text, photo, audio, video tutorials; timing/interval guidance; real-time audio feedback; custom training; goal-setting
Tracking:
users log data; app logs workout progress; sensor log data; GPS based; Biometrics: Heart Rate, Weight, Calories
Social:
add friends; community among app users; social media sharing
Gamification:
badges and trophies; leaderboards; points and values; challenges and quests; role playing video game
Motivation:
music; reminder/notification; motivational quotes; tips, advice; voice cheer, audio alert
An Examination of App Features and Individual Differences on Mobile Fitness App Adoption - Yunwen Wang
Third Step: Effectiveness
"Physical inactivity contributes to approximately 3.2 million deaths annually and is the fourth leading risk factor for premature death."
Global Health Risks: Mortality and Burden of Disease Attributable to Selected Major Risks - World Health Organization
These apps could help decrease the annual death rate from physical inactivity. However, change needs to happen; change in the form of the application's ability.