Can India become a healthier nation with digital fitness taking over?

Before the pandemic, the Indian fitness industry was highly fragmented. Many experts have even called it an unorganised sector, because the access to best-in-class fitness services remained restricted to a handful of consumers residing in urban areas. However, the virus outbreak led to a paradigm shift. The population across the nation became increasingly aware of the importance of health and fitness. A large chunk actively adopted healthier lifestyles. Another change in the fitness industry was the digital revolution.

With gyms, parks and training arenas shut during the lockdowns, many startups grabbed the opportunity. The concept of digital fitness was floated with vengeance. Multitudes of fitness apps were launched.

End-to-end partner

Staying true to your fitness routine might seem daunting at times. Your gym instructor also cannot be available round-the-clock. However, digital fitness makes staying healthy possible anywhere and any time. For instance, with a fitness app you can easily keep track of the number of steps taken through the day, calories burnt, distance walked, and more. Many apps even use Artificial Intelligence to guide you through your workout, simultaneously monitoring your postures and performance.

Nutritional guide

Gone are the days when you had to consult a gym instructor and a diet specialist separately. In the era of digital fitness, you have many one-stop solutions for your health needs. Modern apps are leveraging technology to incorporate features wherein users have to click pictures of their meal, and all the relevant information is displayed on the screen within seconds of scanning. Such applications are useful for those on a prescribed diet or those who want to keep a tab on what they eat. Further, some apps even pinpoint the deficiencies in the meal, encouraging the user to change their eating patterns accordingly.

Rewards and motivation

While pursuing fitness, consistency becomes a cardinal element. A brick and mortar gym or training class is a great way to keep you going. However, in the current fast-paced world, many find it difficult to take out the time to commute to classes. At the end of a long workday, the motivation to end up at a gym tends to dwindle. This is where fitness apps are stepping in and transforming the industry. They have made healthy lifestyle readily available on your phone. Apps are encouraging users to remain dedicated to their routines by introducing in-app rewards with coins and other benefits. These coins can be used to purchase fitness equipment, etc. Such encouraging features give users the necessary nudge to keep going.

These are just a few ways in which digital fitness is driving India towards a healthier tomorrow. The tech-backed startups are leading this revolution and playing a pivotal role in establishing a fitness ecosystem in the subcontinent. The unique feature about digital fitness is that its gambit goes on expanding.

(The writer is CTO & Co-Founder, StepSetGo)