Summer is my absolute favorite time of year. As the days start to get longer and warmer, I always find it easier to wake up earlier, because I want to make the most of the day. There's nothing better than the smell of freshly cut grass, so when summer rolls around, I try to get out as much as possible. Trying to find the time to workout has always been a struggle for me-I'll admit it's not my favorite thing to do! I love the idea of making the outdoors my gym but wasn't really sure I'd know what workouts to do by myself. After looking online for best workouts to do outside, I discovered Aaptiv, an audio fitness app that offers thousands of different workouts, all led by expert trainers.

Before downloading the app, I checked out Aaptiv's website to see what they had to offer. I took a short quiz which specified my fitness goals and favorite types of workouts- I really love yoga and want to get better at strength training, so I was happy to see that Aaptiv offered both of those. They also have guided outdoor running workouts, which sounded perfect for the summer.

But, what really made me want to try Aaptiv is their new AI Coach feature, which is designed to help you with every step on your fitness journey. Overall health is about so much more than just how many calories you burn during a workout, and I have no idea how much water I should be drinking or how many times a week I should be working out! So I loved that Aaptiv's Coach would help me figure a custom plan that fits my life. It works by asking you to fill out an in-depth questionnaire and asks you to choose goals, like stress reduction, better sleep, and healthier eating. It then builds a personalized fitness and lifestyle plan based on your current fitness level and eating habits, all with your started goal in mind. It's like having a nutritionist and personal trainer on demand at your fingertips!

I downloaded the app and set my alarm for a little earlier for the next day. I found it so much easier getting out of bed knowing that I wouldn't be heading to some hot gym with no windows. Aaptiv's huge library of workouts include options for beginners and more advanced users. I started with the 11-minute beginners class, All Biceps Baby, led by trainer Sultan- it was the right amount of challenging, without being too overwhelming. I wasn't sure if my form was right for one of the exercises, so I loved that they have visual cues for strength training, which allows you to look at a short video that showed me exactly what it should look like- so helpful for a weight lifting newbie like me.

After that, I did a 2- minute Rush Of Blood To The Leg workout, which had a fun pop music playlist that gives you the right push of motivation when you need it most. The AI Coach is awesome because it gives you a weekly outline of what your workouts should look like, and gives you the option of doing workouts on your own if you're feeling particularly motivated, or you can still choose to incorporate the guided workouts led by real trainers, all with your long-term fitness goal in mind.

Aaptiv has really helped me learn how to work out properly. There's always something new to try, and it's been a great way to combine working out with spending time outdoors. I finally feel like I've settled into an exercise routine that works for me, and it's the perfect way to work out outdoors and make the most of the summer, there's always new and challenging exercises to try, and it costs just $14.99 a month! The Coach feature has transformed the way I think about my health. It's given me a real goal to work towards, and the way it breaks everything down is so easy to understand, it makes working towards a goal feel super achievable. It's helped me get the structure and motivation I need to finally conquer my fitness goals.

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