With every new year comes a New Year’s Resolution, and this year, mine was the same as every previous year: diet and exercise. Coming back to school after two not-so-long weeks of lazing around and perfecting my couch-potato skills, I was more determined than ever to actually stick to my resolution. On the first day back, I re-downloaded the “Pacer” app on my phone, an application with the initial purpose of serving as a pedometer. As I input all my new information, I decided to further explore the app to see what was new since my absence from the workout world. To my astonishment, a lot of changes had been made to the app, making it more like an all-in-one virtual personal trainer, and less like a simple pedometer. In addition to counting your steps, miles, and calories, Pacer also now offers “Guided Plans,” extensive workout plans that include timed workouts and advanced goals that the user can set and adjust for him/herself. Maybe I’m not as up-to-date on technology as most people think a typical millennial would be, but seeing all these innovative aspects fused into one tiny fitness app made me question how many people think fitness apps are better than the real thing (i.e. a personal trainer)?

Granted, there are many obvious perks to sticking with a fitness app versus committing to training sessions x amount of times per week. First, almost all intensive fitness apps are free, and come with more advanced settings and packages that the user can upgrade to for a pretty practical price. The average personal training session— and I know this from experience—ranges from about $160 to $200 per session. Obviously maintaining good health is of utmost importance in a world now plagued by obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, but— literally— at what cost? Knowing that a touch of a button can access one’s fitness goals, information, and progress is a huge step towards self-achieved and independent weight loss. Second, creating a fitness plan on an app of your own gives us the freedom to exercise on our own time, a definite deal-breaker for workaholics and others who simply don’t have the time or money to spend at a gym five days a week. Fitness apps offer convenience and lenience and still motivate us to reach that goal of walking over 10,000 steps a day.

On the other hand, all this isn’t to say that personal trainers are a waste of time, because they are in fact “the real deal.” In fact, personal trainers are full of inspiration: having another human being who truly believes in you, and feeling their words engrave their way into your mind pushes you to try harder, do better, and become stronger. “You can do it” goes a long way for someone whose vocabulary is devastated by “can’t,” and hearing those words in a Siri voice tone is probably less exciting and less motivating than hearing encouraging and empowering tones from someone betting on your success. In an article in The New York Times written around this time last year, writer Molly Wood explored the ups and downs of depending on fitness apps as opposed to a regular personal trainer. Although she agrees that fitness apps are more economically practical and convenient for people with busy schedules, she concedes that fitness apps are an easy way out of what would otherwise be a scheduled and fully committed workout. She talks about a fitness app called Fitstar, and explains that despite its great array of challenging workouts, motivation is excluded from the app’s amenities. “‘It’s easy to break an appointment with your TV, easy to break an appointment with your iPad.’” She continues, “Long-term habits are hard to change, with or without technology— we know that more than a third of people abandon their fitness trackers after just a few months.” Well, I believe it.

Wood’s article concludes with a resounding statement that the real challenge isn’t getting started, but keeping up with a new workout regimen. And she is right: as the weeks fly by and things pile up in school or at work, we make the smallest excuses to avoid doing an activity that will ultimately make us feel better and be better. On the first day of classes this quarter, I looked up motivational quotes about exercising to put on my mirror and continuously encourage me to workout whenever I have the time or believe I should: “You’re only one workout away from a good mood”, reads my sticky note. Personally, Pacer has been providing me with exceptional motivation and encouragement that you just sometimes can’t get when you’re a struggling college student. I look at it constantly, ensuring I’ve made my goal for the day, and once I’m virtually congratulated, I know I’m one step closer to a happy, healthier lifestyle. For me, it doesn’t truly matter how you try to be healthier—whether that’s through a fitness app or with the guidance of a trainer— it’s the fact that you are trying.