I’ve been looking for apps to help me get in shape. I know at the end of the day that it’s down to me and the effort I put in, but I need a little extra push. I’d feel a lot better about this whole fitness thing if I had a leg up going into it.
That’s what I’m hoping Cody will be for me. With personalized fitness goals, the ability to track my workouts and lots of other users on the same path, Cody may be the support I need.
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Let’s Get Physical
After setting up your Cody account and getting into the app, tap the Cody icon in the toolbar at the bottom. Cody can be a sort of personal trainer, in a very hands-off way. Set your fitness goal first, and Cody can recommend tips and workouts to help you get there. You can only select one goal at a time though, so if you want to lose weight and get toned at the same time, you’re out of luck. Still, all of the exercises and tips are available elsewhere in the app, and if you want Cody to clue you into some easy ways to workout more often or need to be pointed towards the stress-relieving workouts while you build muscle, that’s doable.
Set a goal and follow users for inspiration.
Once you’ve selected your fitness goal, you’ll see that Cody’s Coaching window has been overtaken by workouts and tips specific to your goal. If you’re starting from square one, you still may be a little lost though, and unsure of where to start. Scroll to the bottom of the screen, and select the beginner’s guide. This will let you know what you’re getting into and whether you’ve chosen the right goal. At the end of Cody’s introductory spiel, you’ll find a 7-day starter workout to get you into the swing of things.
Log your workout and get some positive reinforcement.
Now you’ve set a goal and completed your first workout like a boss. You want to tell someone, but your cats don’t seem to be giving your achievement the recognition it deserves. That’s why you’ll want to log your workouts with Cody. Tap +Workout pretty much anywhere in the app and select the kind of workout you completed, whether it was running, yoga, cycling, swimming or whatever. Next, enter the particulars, like how long your workout lasted and how far you traveled, if that applies. Enter a little blurb about how you tore it up, and add a picture of you rocking it or of the awesome scenery. You can check in with Foursquare and share your workout on social media to show off to all of your layabout friends.
Show Off a Bit
Working out is tough, and it’s great to have buddies who are in it to win it with you. You can find fellows for inspiration or commiseration by tapping Explore. Cody will then break it down by type of workout, so if you want to hook up with some runners to share cool running stories, that’s what’s up. Cody also features users who are tearing it up all on their own and can be your exercise superstars.
Track how well you’re doing and find others who are on the same path.
Go over to your profile to track your own stats. Here you can follow your progress and see how well you’re keeping to your fitness goal. Cody will tick off each time you workout and keep track of what kind of workouts you’re doing the most. It’s a nice, visual way to see that you’re doing too much cardio and should move onto strength training or that you might benefit from some stress-relieving stretching.
There are lots of great tips for beginners on up.
Final Thoughts
The number one reason to keep Cody as a workout companion is that it serves as such a great place to log your workouts. You could absolutely log your workouts on a calendar or in a journal, and Cody doesn’t have to replace that, but Cody has slots for you to add particulars about each workout, helping you to set goals. It also allows for a lot of positive feedback that you won’t get from a journal. There’s first the Cody community, which connects over shared workouts and congratulates its own members. I think that’s great, but more meaningful is when my own friends have my back, and Cody lets me share my fitness progress over social media without giving away too much information.
Cody also has lots of tips and starter exercises for people who just don’t how to get going. It’s always the right time to get fit, but if you’ve never exercised in your life, you may be at a loss. Something as simple as Cody’s weekly workout plan for each fitness goal is a great reason to give it a try. Each exercise is easy, and the accompanying beginner’s guide tells you exactly what you’re doing and why. Cody makes a great workout companion for everyone on the fitness spectrum, from the seasoned personal trainer to the couch potato.
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