It is only January 7th yet the flood of articles on top fitness apps is threatening to scare off the reluctant among us who want to shed the Christmas pounds and start 2016 with a bang rather than a whimper. And the statistics are against us: most people take on too many new year resolutions only to fail.
The answer may lie in gamification, the process of adding elements of gameplay to tasks or chores, which in some instances has been proven to encourage people to exercise, vote and engage in other positive behaviours. Habitica is a smartphone app that works by creating new habits that are ranked by difficulty. Once you complete a habit you earn coins with which to buy gear for your pixelated character but missing a habit results in damage to its health. There is also a social aspect: join a community and take on existing challenges.
