One of my mini-obsessions is finding out what tools people use to help them do their work.  (I wrote a post about it in my personal Tumblr about a year ago.)  Here are the apps I use to help me track my workouts and calories.

I used to print out spreadsheets of my workout routines and then mark down my progress with a pen.  I still see a lot of people around my gym do this, but my papers were always messy and scattered so I never kept up with it.  There was just too much friction in the process. 

I soon switched to iFitness for the iPhone/iPod Touch.  (There’s a detailed review of the app here.)  For a measly $1.99, you get a superb fitness app full of great features with a dedicated development team that updates the app regulary.  My one gripe with it is that since I have an iPod Touch, I can’t always access their video tutorials since it requires an internet connection.  But, that’s a minor gripe.

For tracking meals, I use another app called Lose It.  It’s free and does most of what I need.  One thing I don’t like about it, however, is that the developers assume the people using this app are using it only to lose weight.  (The name is a tip off.)  So, it only shows you how many calories you should eat if you want to lose or maintain your weight.  In other words, I have to make extra calculations to see if I’m below/above my calories for the day.