Morning runs lose their allure as the seasons change and the cold weather hits. How can you stay motivated and in shape? Your smartphone holds the key; with a wealth of exercise apps available, it's the ultimate training body and coach, getting you off the sofa, keeping your heart rate up and the winter bulge at bay.

We've gathered a squad of the best fitness apps covering cardio, muscle, nutrition and general health each capable of transforming your body for considerably less than a personal trainer session.

If the apps below motivate you to get into the gym you could win an iPad Mini by joining the T3 Fitness Challenge with Endomondo.

Cardio

1. Nike+ Running

Make the streets your treadmill, tracking your route, pace and distance. flagging? fire up powersongs – the tracks guaranteed to push you past the wall.

Price: Free | Platforms: Android and iOS | Download Nike+ Running iPhone app | Download Nike+ Running Android app

2. Couch to 5K

Beginners will need to work up to a run of this magnitude. this app gives day by day guidance for two months. slow and steady wins the race…

Price: Free | Platform: BlackBerry | Download Couch to 5K BlackBerry app

3. Cardio Buddy

Accurately analyses the colour of your face via your iphone’s camera to determine your heart rate – a slight flush is fine, puce and puffing is a warning sign.

Price: £1.49 | Platform: iOS | Download Cardio Buddy iOS app

4. Strava Cycling

Keep an eye on calories burned, distance covered and record your times. set challenges to add extra competitive edge.

Price: Free | Platform: Android and iOS | Download Strava Cycling iOS app | Download Strava Cycling Android app

Muscle

1. iFitness Pro

Hundreds of exercises targeting specific muscle groups, from six packs to gluts and biceps, with instructions to ensure you don’t look like a novice in the weights room.

Price:  Free | Platform:  iOS | Download iFitness Pro iOS app

2. iMuscle

Looks like a ghoulish gunther von hagens art installation, but with hundreds of associated exercises attached to every muscle group.

Price: £1.49 | Platform: iOS | Download iMuscle iOS app

3. Push Ups Pro

Drop and give us twenty. this app will count down the number of push-ups achieved – just place your phone beneath your head and brush the screen with your nose as you dip.

Price: Free | Platform: Android | Download Push Ups Pro Android app

4. Six Week Training

Tests your ability at performing push-ups, sit-ups, squats, dips and pull-ups in a terrifying exhaustion test before devising a plan to suit you.

Price: Free | Platform: Windows Phone | Download Six Weeks Training Windows Phone app

Nutrition

1. LIVESTRONG.com Calorie Tracker

Set nutritional goals, then use the app to track your daily calorie, fat, protein and performance-enhancing drug intake (okay, not that) via a huge food database.

Price: £1.91 | Platform: Android, iOS, WIndows Phone 7, BlackBerry | Download LIVESTRONG.com Calorie Tracker iOS app | Download LIVESTRONG.com Calorie Tracker Android app | Download LIVESTRONG.com Calorie Tracker Windows Phone app | Download LIVESTRONG.com Calorie Tracker BlackBerry app

2. Food Planner 

View recipes, download automated shopping lists and plan your meals for the week. then you just stick to the plan, stan.

Price: Free | Platform: Android | Download Food Planner Android app

3. Medibank Energy Balancer

Confess your food crimes to this app and it’ll tell you what activity you need to do to burn off all those extra, unwanted calories.

Price: Free | Platform: Android and iOS | Download Medibank Energy Balancer iOS app | Download Mediabank Energy Balancer Android app

4. Healthy recipes

Browse 300,000 recipes, searching by course, required cooking time and more, with the exact nutritional content of every dish displayed.

Price: Free | Platforms: Android and iOS | Download Healthy Recipes iOS app | Download Healthy Recipes Android app

Health

1. Headspace (on-the-go)

Clear your mind and de-stress with daily step-by-step meditation training and unique relaxation sessions, downloadable for offline zen.

Price: Free (Android), £2.49 (iOS) | Platform: Android and iOS | Download Headspace iOS app | Download Headspace Android app

2. NHS Direct

Never google your symptoms, unless you want to convince yourself you have days to live. instead head straight to this online gp, which deciphers the problem using simple questions.

Price: Free | Platform: Android and iOS | Download NHS Direct iOS app | Download NHS Direct Android app

3. Lumosity

This collection of brain training games is scientifically proven to improve your memory, attention span and problem-solving skills.

Price: Free | Platform: iOS | Download Lumiosity iOS app

4. Sound Sleep

Having trouble sleeping? maybe this selection of ambient music and natural sounds will help you to six hours a night.

Price: Free | Platform: Windows Phone 7 | Download Sound Sleep Windows Phone app