From the desk of...
Dr. Field Farrar
Founder of TestStackRx.com & Anorectant.com
Apple Watch – Check Your Testosterone‚ Build Muscle‚ Keep Resolutions & More
Think an Apple Watch is just an expensive convenience that doesn’t measure up to a smartphone?
They’re actually incredible devices for building muscle‚ losing weight‚ tracking your testosterone‚ and keeping New Year’s resolutions.
Find out why here.
Smartwatches have been around since the 1970s‚ but they’ve become more popular than ever thanks to the Apple Watch.
If you’re like me‚ you may wonder why an Apple Watch is necessary when smartphones already offer convenience and numerous useful fitness apps. Further‚ you can stick with your smartphone and save hundreds of dollars.
But I recently broke down and bought an Apple Watch‚ and let me tell you…it’s made all the difference in my workouts and keeping my testosterone level high.
That said‚ let’s discuss why the Apple Watch is useful in terms of fitness apps‚ helping you keep New Year’s resolutions‚ monitoring your blood pressure‚ and measuring your testosterone. We’ll also discuss the Watch’s benefits versus a smartphone‚ and whether these benefits are worth buying an expensive device.
Apple Watch Fitness Apps
If you own a smartphone and enjoy working out‚ then you’re probably experienced with fitness apps. The good news is that the Apple Watch also comes with many helpful weightlifting‚ cardio‚ and dieting apps that can help take your physique to the next level. Here’s a look at some of the best that I’ve used and seen.
Gymaholic
Offering Apple Watch support‚ Gymaholic features some training programs for beginners and advanced lifters. Additionally‚ this app shows you what exercise to do next with the help of a little green man who demonstrates the exercises.
Click here to find out more ways the Gymaholic app can help you lift harder and smarter this new year.
iMuscle 2
We all get tired of doing the same exercises in the gym. And iMuscle 2 can quickly shake up your workout with new exercises for whatever muscle groups you’re training. This is the most–extensive exercise database that I’ve seen‚ and it gives really good illustrations of what you need to do. Just be aware that you’ll be watching a skinless‚ anatomy chart man perform the exercises. I was weirded out by this at first‚ but now it doesn’t bother me.
Click here to learn how the iMuscle 2 app can help you add new exercises to add to your regimen.
Nike+ Running‚ Map My Run
If you’re into running‚ then a couple of useful apps include Nike+ Running and Map My Run. Both are good for logging your distance and training duration‚ and they offer global communities to chat about running with. Map My Run has the added bonus of featuring over 600 workouts that you can use for your runs.
Click here learn how the Map My Run app can show you undiscovered running trials.
Green Kitchen‚ LifeSum
Need help with your diet? Both Green Kitchen and LifeSum can help you stay on track and eat healthily. Green Kitchen provides quality recipes along with instructions on how to make the food. LifeSum tracks what you eat and drink so that you know how many calories you’ve consumed. This portable food journal also shows you what portions to eat.
Human
Human is a good app for anybody who works a desk job because it reminds you to get up and move around regularly. The bare minimum that Human stresses is 30 minutes of movement every day. But it pushes you to do more through cycling‚ jogs‚ runs‚ and walks‚ while also tracking these activities.
StrongLifts 5x5
Showcased by Apple in its Strength TV ad for the iPhone‚ StrongLifts 5x5 has made its way to the Apple Watch. This app is good for powerlifting beginners since it offers in–depth tips on bench press‚ bent–over row‚ deadlift‚ overhead press‚ and squat. StrongLifts 5x5 also asks how much weight you do with these exercises so it can calculate your training range for reps.
WaterMinder
If you have trouble drinking water regularly throughout the day‚ then WaterMinder offers a motherly reminder to hydrate yourself. This app is also useful because it shows your daily water levels to give you a visual on how you’re doing.
Check Your Testosterone Level‚ Blood Pressure with Apple Watch
The Apple Watch has a lot of health benefits beyond just helping you stick to a diet and workout routine. What especially interests me is how you can check your testosterone level and monitor your blood pressure with the Apple Watch. Here’s a quick look at a few interesting Watch apps that’ll help you manage these tasks.
Hello Heart
Keep your blood pressure in check with Hello Heart‚ which records and uploads vital signs through the Watch. This is useful because‚ rather than having to visit a doctor for your vital signs‚ you can get them in real–time thanks to Hello Heart.
Qardio Arm
If you’re really serious about checking your blood pressure‚ you can order the Qardio Arm all–in–one kit for $89. The Qardio Arm goes around your arm to get the BP reading‚ and the Apple Watch displays the results.
Testosterone Checker
You’ll still need to order an online lab test or visit a doctor to get your testosterone level because the Apple Watch isn’t advanced enough yet to be an M.D. But with results in hand‚ you can use Testosterone Checker to see how your hormone levels compare to peers in your age range. This is particularly useful when your doctor gives you the ole “your results are normal for your age.”
Who wants their range to be normal anyway?
The information provided by Testosterone Checker‚ will help you determine where your test levels need to be for you to build the muscular physique you always dreamed of. Here’s a link to get my free report on testosterone levels what you want your test level to be.
Cue.me
Once again‚ an Apple Watch won’t double as an M.D. But Cue.me – a device that’s due out soon – is like a home–based lab. It allows you to take samples with a Sample Wand‚ then inserts them into the Inflammation‚ Influenza‚ Testosterone‚ Fertility‚ or Vitamin D sections. Cue will then send the results to your Apple Watch or iPhone via 4.0 Bluetooth. This is extremely helpful if you want to get your testosterone level without visiting a doctor or paying for an online lab test.
Cue will also help you track how much Test Stack No.17 has raised your testosterone levels.
Apple Watch Helps You Keep New Year’s Resolutions
At the time of this writing‚ we’re all about to make bold New Year’s resolutions that will transform us into our ideal selves. Unfortunately‚ most people don’t even make it out of January before they’re bargaining with themselves on getting back on track again in mid–February.
Coach.me
Want to transform your Apple Watch into a motivating personal trainer? Coach.me sees you choose a habit that you want to stick with‚ such as going to the gym 3 times a week. The app then sets up goals and reminders so that you never lose sight of the target.
Pact
If ever there were anything to keep you motivated towards meeting your New Year’s resolution‚ it’s Pact. This app pays you money when you hit the gym and takes money away when you skip workout sessions.
Stepz
It’s all too easy to fool ourselves into thinking that we’re doing enough to meet our New Year’s‚ calorie–burning resolutions. But Stepz lays it all out by showing exactly how many steps you’ve taken in the day. This is good for anybody whose resolution is to lose weight.
Advantages of Apple Watch Over Smartphone + 1 Big Drawback
Before‚ I mentioned how you can use plenty of handy apps with a smartphone‚ thus negating the need for an Apple Watch. But there are some big advantages that you can enjoy exclusively with the Watch. That said‚ let’s look at these benefits along with one disadvantage.
Advantages of Apple Watch
The Watch Is On Your Wrist – It’s hard to get any more convenient than a smartphone‚ but the Apple Watch does so because it’s on your wrist at all times. This keeps you from having to continually pull your iPhone out and put it back into your pocket.
Workout Motivation Is Right In Front of Your Face – Given that you don’t need to keep an Apple Watch in your pocket‚ the display screen is there as a constant reminder to get more steps in‚ hit the gym‚ and perform exercises correctly.
You’ll Waste Less Time – When you pull your phone out of your pocket‚ you’re often making a commitment to keep it out for at least 20–30 seconds. The Apple Watch differs‚ though‚ because you can quickly perform tasks without having to pick anything up.
You’ll Be Less Socially Awkward – Continuing on the point above‚ checking things for a few seconds on your Apple Watch won’t make it seem like you’re ignoring those in your company. The same can’t be said when you pull your phone out of your pocket and stare at it.
Disadvantages of an Apple Watch
You still need an iPhone for many tasks. And while this didn’t stop me from buying an Apple Watch‚ it didn’t offer the freedom that I expected.
We’re still in the early days of the Watch‚ and it won’t completely replace your iPhone. It’s really more of a wrist display for apps that are running on your smartphone.
You need the iPhone within a reasonable distance of your Apple Watch for anything that requires the internet or uses data from your phone. This means no GPS or Siri.
But the good news is that you can still perform some functions if you leave your phone at home‚ including the following:
- Tell time‚ set alarms‚ and use stopwatches.
- Play music that you’ve stored.
- Track heartbeat‚ steps‚ and stairs (but not mileage).
- Pay for items in stores.
- Connect to previously used Wi–Fi connections.
- Use standalone third–party apps.
How Much Is the Apple Watch?
Here’s another downside…a new Apple Watch starts at $269.00 for a Series 1 version‚ and $399.00 for a Series 2 model.
So should you pay this much for an Apple Watch?
I’ve personally found it useful because I can bring my iPhone to the gym‚ leave it in my bag‚ and proceed to use the Watch. It’s much more convenient than stuffing a phone in your hoodie‚ then having to pull it out every time you want its fitness capabilities.
But this question also comes down to your budget. Are you willing to spend $270 on what mostly amounts to an app organizer and wrist screen for your phone?
If you’re on a tight budget‚ then the answer is a definite no. But if you can easily afford the price‚ then I say give it a try.
Final Thoughts on Apple Watch Fitness Apps
Based on all of the cool apps that you can use with the Apple Watch‚ coupled with its convenience advantages‚ I definitely think that this device is worth a look if you’re serious about fitness.
I especially like iMuscle 2 for finding more exercises‚ LifeSum for tracking my eating habits‚ Human for getting me off my ass‚ and Testosterone Checker for reminding me where I’m at with my testosterone level.
But the big drawback for many people will be the price‚ and the fact that the Apple Watch isn’t a standalone mobile device for most features.
Feel free to email me about the Apple Watch and its components at support@teststackrx.com or click here to visit our help section.
I want what we all want – higher levels of testosterone and all the benefits that come from it!