Want to get a great workout in without leaving the house? Many fitness experts, gyms, apps and studios are doing their part to help us stay in shape. And establishing a workout routine could, most importantly, ease anxiety related to coping with the pandemic.

Pay Chen is rounding up her fave apps on the market right now:

1. Nike Fitness App

I love it because it’s FREE!

The Nike Training Club app provides free workouts for everything from HIT, invigorating yoga classes, bodyweight workouts you can do with minimum to no equipment, or cardio to get your heart rate pounding. Switch it up with 185+ free expertly designed workouts for all levels from our world-class Nike Master Trainers.

 2. Peloton digital app

• provides access to all Peloton content anytime, anywhere, with or without equipment.
• gives access to thousands of classes across categories such as indoor cycling, running, walking, strength, stretching, cardio, yoga and meditation.
• The Peloton App 30-day free trial provides the same unlimited access to live and on-demand content.
• A Digital Membership for the Peloton App is available for CAD $16.99/month for non-Bike owners in the U.S, Canada, UK and Germany. Access to the Peloton App is free to All-Access Members (i.e. Bike owners).
• allows you to access the full content library for $16.99/month, less than the cost of one boutique fitness studio class.

As noted above, Peloton offers a 30-day free trial of the App, and new Members can sign up at onepeloton.ca/app.

This app stands out because it has really short workouts and stretches. Lots of 5 minute stretches and 10 min weight workouts perfect when you’re really short on time or if you want to build you own 30 min workout by selecting a few short ones that suit you.

3. YYOGA online subscription

I bought mine back in May and they have live online classes as well as a pretty extensive library and collection of yoga, barre, Pilates, medication classes. YYOGA is a British Columbia based yoga studio that closed their Toronto locations during COVID so at least I can still do their classes even if I can no longer go in person.

4. Fuel Training online subscription

This is the gym I’ve been a member of for 5 years. They have live workouts a few times a day and On Demand workouts. The workouts often use kettlebells (which sold out quickly during lockdown). I never owned kettlebells and always did a modified body weight version which is offered.

There are many boutique gyms in the country that we may not have been able to visit in person but they are offering online workouts so now we can be a member or try them out no matter our location. They also have an app which is for members to make it easier to sign up for classes etc.

5. Fitness by Sarah Taylor

Fitness By Sarah Taylor is a 100% Virtual Fitness Studio for Plus Size Women. We offer Live and Interactive Classes as well as On Demand Classes with a dose of self love. All our classes provide modifications for exercises so all fitness levels can participate in one class and we design our classes with the plus size body in mind. We help women build their confidence & strength in and out of the gym.

Best ways to track your goals 

Apple Watch: I use it to track my fitness. You can select the type of workout so it tracks more accurately i.e.: weights, yoga, running, cycling, walking. Plus, the watch has a blood oxygen feature.

Apple Fitness+: it’s going to really change things when it launches “this Fall” (No firm date) because they will have a huge library of workouts available and it’s going to be easy for anyone who has any watch, phone, iPad etc… the level of fitness tracking is going to motivate people too as it will be all built into the watch’s capabilities.

FitBit: has a more affordable but still versatile way to track sleep, movement, calories. Fitbit Inspire 2™ ($129.95) is our most accessible, easy-to-use, stylish fitness tracker that helps you build healthy habits with motivating fitness features such as Active Zone Minutes™, 20+ goal-based exercise modes, advanced sleep tools and 24/7 heart rate tracking, all with up to 10 days of battery life. New subscribers receive a one year free trial of Fitbit Premium, with access to step-by-step fitness and nutrition programs, hundreds of workouts, mindfulness content and personalized insights to help you reach your goals.