KISS MY APP: iFit

As the temperature starts to drag its sorry backside over 20 degrees in cities in Australia other than Alice Springs and Brisbane, you should all be using last week's diet apps and sticking to your carrot and celery sticks to lose those unwanted pounds. But once you've lost the weight, you need to tighten up those flabby mid-sections or blubbery behinds. We can't all afford a personal trainer, thanks to the GFC and all, so if you want to get fit, but you don't know where to start, here are some fantastic fitness apps in part two of our shaping up for summer series.

I-Stretch & Strengthen

You can't do any sort of exercise without warming up first, and no, walking from the changing room to the gym floor absolutely does not count. Available for $1.19 from the iTunes store for iPhones and iPod touch, this cool little app has almost everything you need to get those muscles limber, including warm up, stretch and strength programs. But why stick to just using this one at the gym?

Next time you feel the need to throw a stapler (or any other stationery) at someone's head, grab your app and head into a private meeting room. Shut the door and do some stretches and deep breathing. It won't make your boss a nicer person, but it may prevent a warning from HR and subsequent anger management classes.

Virtual Trainer and Free GymGoal Dumbbell Workouts

Who needs a personal trainer? Well, I do. But I don't need to pay for it – these two apps are absolutely brilliant. They are quite similar, both free and both for iPhone or iPod Touch. There are only some small differences.

Virtual Trainer has exercises navigable by body part or you can set up programs. Plus there are a series of fitness tests, which you can take every so often to gauge your improvement. A notes section reminds yourself of what you've done when and what's yet to do. There are animated videos to help you understand the exercises and you can set your targets and achievements in programs.

GymGoal is more difficult to lean to orientate, but once you've got it, there are so many features in this little baby it's hard to know where to start. Similarly, you can go to specific exercises or programs. There are 13 programs in the free version, but if you upgrade to the paid version for $5.99, which is on sale, there are over 50. You can enter your weight and measurements to keep track of progress and set specific work-outs for specific days in your calendar.

Thankfully, both of the apps give you the ability to search by body part and navigate to exercises to improve that particular appendage. Gluteus maximus ahoy!

These apps are by far the most technically impressive Kiss My App has evaluated. They're useful and intricate and completely free.

iFirst Aid Lite

I've always intended to do a St John's First Aid course. 'Intended' is the operative word. But when my name and exercise appear in the first sentence, I know there has to be some sort of backup when things go very, very wrong. Which invariably, they do.

This is a small app that gives basic instructions for everyday emergencies. You can set your country to have the police, emergency services or poisons information on speed-dial – useful for travelling, too. It gives information for CPR, bleeding, burns, choking and poisons. In the CPR section, you can select instructions for an adult, child or baby.

This free app for iPhone and iPod Touch isn't big on detail, but the best thing about it is that it's ridiculously simple. If you're a panicker like me (panic now, ask questions later) then if there really is an emergency, you'll need something quite basic to work through.

There's nothing in this app about what to do if you over-work your gluteus maximus, but I've heard that sitting on it and eating ice cream to cool the muscles internally is the best way to approach healing.

If you have an application, for any device, that you'd like to suggest for review, please email us at kissmyapp@businessspectator.com.au