The first step to getting healthier is to understand your body and its fitness requirements. The next step is the tough one: it's time to get moving. Don't be foolish and try to go at it alone.

There is a plethora of free apps that promise to get you fit in no time. But once you install them, you find that all the good stuff is behind a paywall. Annoying, isn't it?

So, we found apps and sites that are either free or have more than enough free content to satisfy anyone. Whether you have never stepped foot in a gym before or you're a fitness freak, there's something for everyone here.

1. Tone It Up's Daily Workout (Web): Daily Exercises With GIFs

Tone It Up is one of the premier YouTube channels for fitness fanatics. But trainers Karena and Katrina are hiding something much better on their site: a daily workout plan.

tone it up workouts

Every day, the Tone It Up site posts a new daily workout. If you follow it for the whole week, it will exercise all the right muscles to give you a full-body workout.

The workout also comes with a video, along with GIFs explaining each move. Using a GIF actually works better, especially if you want to refer to it once and then move on. Plus, that means you can keep listening to your favorite music and not a video.

2. Freeletics (Web, Android, iOS): The Starter App for Beginners

The way to fitness doesn't have to involve a gym membership or expensive equipment. In fact, you can do excellent body-weight exercises to become healthier, as Freeletics shows. Its eye-pleasing and straightforward design make this the app to start with.

Freeletics first asks you to input details about yourself, like your current fitness level and what your goals are. Based on that, it will create a custom workout plan for you. While there are paid plans to get an instructor, you can safely ignore those and stick with the free stuff.

Freeletics has instructional videos for all the exercises, and you don't need any special equipment for the workout. The app also tracks your workouts by time, so you can see your progress.

Download: Freeletics for Android or iOS (Free)

3. Daily Cardio Workout (Android, iOS): Get Heart Healthy for Free

Don't you love it when a free app does exactly what it says, without any unnecessary frills? Daily Cardio Workout is what it sounds like, and works the same on Android or iOS.

daily cardio workout

Select the amount of time you want to work out for, how many different exercises you want (up to three), and start. The app will play your new workout without going to the gym. Follow the instructions of the on-screen video, and use the app's chimes to start and stop.

Daily Cardio Workouts lets you set a custom reminder, along with personalizing your profile to track your progress. The free app has a few ads, which you'll need to pay a dollar to get rid of.

Download: Daily Cardio Workouts for Android or for iOS (Free)

4. eFit30 (YouTube): Pilates, Yoga, and Body Workouts in 30 Minutes

Sometimes, you can't seem to drag yourself to the gym or feel like going for a run. That's okay, you can rely on YouTube workout channels to exercise at home. And eFit30 is among the best of these.

efit30

The channel aims at getting you done in time. You might not be so busy that you need a seven-minute workout, so eFit30 has workouts for 15, 30, and 45 minutes.

Apart from time, eFit30 targets specific muscles or purposes. For example, it delivers Pilates exercises to fix your posture, or even stretches to perform at your office desk.

5. DoYogaWithMe (Web): Yoga for All Levels, Especially Beginners

Yoga enables both the mind and the body to be at their healthiest. But finding a good yoga instructor can be an uphill (and expensive) task. That's why DoYogaWithMe has it all for free, with plenty of admirers on the internet.

do yoga with me

DoYogaWithMe has an incredible number of instructional and training videos, which you can filter or search for. But more than anything else, it's the Beginners section that shines. For anyone new to yoga, it offers beginner-level tutorials that will take you through the basics before you move on to more advanced exercises.

Much like the 30-day life-changing challenges, DoYogaWithMe has three interesting challenges you can try. And of course, there's a community of yoga nuts ready to help you out with anything.

Gym vs. Home

It's easier than ever to skip a gym membership and use bodyweight exercises to get fit. That's great, since for a lot of people, getting to the gym is the big step they can't conquer every morning. Then again, for others, the act of going to the gym is what sets them in the mood to work out.

Do you prefer working out at the gym or exercising at home?