'Tis the season for all sorts of distractions that make it hard to get those extra holiday pounds off. But don’t be discouraged -- we found some free apps that will actually pay you to step away from the dessert table!
The Achievement app lets you connect with other apps like Fitbit and Garmin to keep track of your steps. The more steps you get, the more points you'll receive -- and points equal money. It'll take you about 20,000 steps to earn 50 points. Ten thousand points will get you a $10 gift card. It's not the fastest way to get rich, but definitely a good motivator.
Gympact lets you decide how many days a week you'll hit the gym. You choose the amount you'll pay if you don't make your commitment. Then, every week all of the money paid by those who didn't exercise is divided up and given to those who met their goals. Right now, this app isn’t accepting new users, but keep checking back because it’s a great motivator!
Do you like to gamble? How about betting yourself that you can skip dessert? The HealthyWage app keeps you accountable with bets. So you sign up, tell the app how much you want to lose, and how much you're willing to wager each month. But remember, gambling can be a dangerous game because if you lose, instead of that money ending up as savings in your account, it goes to the HealthyWage app.
Charity Miles is another motivator. With this app, you earn money for charity through exercise. If you cycle, you’ll earn 10 cents per mile, and if you walk or run, then you’ll earn 25 cents per mile. Choose from more than 30 charities and your hard work will make a difference for someone else.
Do you use any free apps to help you get motivated to exercise? Tell us your favorites via email: smartshopper@abc15.com.