[dB Cooper]

Hello
Starting a walking program to reduce both weight and stress and was were wondering if anyone could recommend an iPhone app for that. Found one which looked pretty good but in order to use the GPS feature (necessary for tracking distance), it requires access to my location data even when the app is not running. That is not acceptable. I'll pay for an app if it doesn't impose that totally unreasonable requirement. Any recommendations?

[guf]

Strava

[GentleBender]

I have been using Runkeeper for years now. What iPhone are you using? Most fitness tracking apps will need gps tracking to measure distance. If you only want it to track while you exercise, control the tracking by going into settings, privacy, motion & fitness and switch the tracking on the app from there to turn it on or off.

[Doublej]

If it's worth $60 to protect your privacy, get a fitbit or one of the other step counters out there.

[dB Cooper]

I have been using Runkeeper for years now. What iPhone are you using? Most fitness tracking apps will need gps tracking to measure distance. If you only want it to track while you exercise, control the tracking by going into settings, privacy, motion & fitness and switch the tracking on the app from there to turn it on or off.

Hey all, thanks...


$60 isn't too much to pay but right now any dollar I don't have to pay is good. I want to be able to just tell the app 'track me now' when I go out for my walk and then stop. Phone has built-in GPS so the $60 kind of feels a little wasteful. I just don't want to have an app tracking me at all times even when I'm not using it, both for privacy and battery life reasons. My iPhone is a 5C and I am running the current IOS.

[GentleBender]

I'm too cheap to pay $60 when I can easily switch the tracking on/off at the flip of a switch. Like I said before.
Control the tracking by:

• Go into settings
• Go to privacy
• Go to motion & fitness and switch the tracking on the app from there to turn it on or off

I started with Runkeeper while I was still a smoker and slowly worked my way up to running 4 miles a day. My wife and I quit smoking when her mom had a large mass cut out of one of her lungs. Been smoke free for six years now and have never been happier. A ton of money saved too!

[cliffy]

+1 for Runkeeper

[dB Cooper]

I'm going to give run keeper a try. I try to avoid apps that want location data access even when they're not running. You usually find this with free apps; it is the developers way of monetizing their work. I'd rather they just charge a few bucks for the app but it is what it is.

I am so far out of shape that actual running is out of the question for the time being; the old saying you got to walk before you can run is literally true in my case. But I have to start somewhere.

[GentleBender]

With Runkeeper you can track quite a few activities. Nothing wrong with walking, believe me, I was mostly walking before I quit smoking. 

[dpatters]

I use Strava on my iphone 6.  Been using it for a year.  Much more accurate than fitbit and its free.

Don P.

[dB Cooper]

With Runkeeper you can track quite a few activities. Nothing wrong with walking, believe me, I was mostly walking before I quit smoking. 

Runkeeper seems like a good fit... It doesn't want access to *all* my location data; only when it's in use.
Walking is where I have to start. Woefully out of shape. Baby steps...

[GentleBender]

Good to hear you are working on getting in shape, I always feel better when I take better care of myself. Feels great when you see progress and things start to get easier. Just remember to do some stretching and take it slow and think long term. 

[dpatters]

Nothing wrong with walking. I walk 3 miles before work every morning and 6 miles on Saturday and Sunday.
Watched my diet a little better and lost 20 lbs. since I started a little over a year ago.
The apps like Strava and Runkeeper are good motivational tools and help keep track of your progress.

Best of Luck!

Don P.

[JimJ]

I use Android, but Endomondo seems to work well for iOS too. I paid five bucks to get the premium version that allows you to save pace data to "race" against yourself.

Basically all the features of a $400 tri watch.

Now that Under Armour bought them, I'm not sure if they're still the deal they once were.

[JimJ]

Good to hear you are working on getting in shape, I always feel better when I take better care of myself. Feels great when you see progress and things start to get easier. Just remember to do some stretching and take it slow and think long term. 

Harumph harumph static stretching... :-p

Seems like it's one of those topics that the debate never ends on...