Malaysians generally live to eat but with 45% of the population overweight and 18% reaching dangerous obesity levels, alarm bells have started to go off. Both the public and private sectors have a crucial role to play in steering Malaysians back to healthier lifestyles.

eSolved MSC Sdn. Bhd., an ecommerce software developer based in Penang, is helping Malaysians reverse this trend with Fitness In My Pocket, an app with a twist. According to Charles Tang, CEO of eSolved MSC Sdn. Bhd. and self-confessed fitness freak, Fitness In My Pocket seeks to inspire people to get healthy instead of just telling them what to do.

“I know what it’s like to be overweight, but I also know that anyone can turn things around with a little inspiration,” recalls Charles.

With financial assistance from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), the fitness app was developed and targeted at ordinary adults who aren’t able to regularly attend gyms. The app features workout plans with experienced trainers that are designed to inspire and motivate users.

Users can choose to gain muscle, lose weight, or cycle faster, and they’ll be set up with training plans featuring videos with the trainers themselves demonstrating and explaining each workout.

The diverse group of trainers include Josiah Ng (Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist & 3-time Olympian), Ernie Tang (renowned personal trainer based in Melbourne, Australia) and Laurel Stelzer (certified fitness trainer based in Boulder, Colorado, USA).

Personal Trainer Ernie has written all the strength training programs which has worked for all his clients. The program covers full body workouts which are effective for everyone whether you have access to a gym or not.

Furthermore, Olympian and Commonwealth Gold medallist Josiah Ng provides cycling based programs on the Fitness in My Pocket app to get more people to cycle towards a fitter and healthier life. If you’re training for an event but do not have a personal trainer or coach, this will be the app for you.

A self-trained Triathlete, Charles hopes that this app will make a positive difference to the lives of Malaysians and anyone who wants to get fitter. “As the old adage goes, health is wealth”, he concludes.

In his speech, Minister of Youth and Sports YB Tuan Khairy Jamaluddin said:

Getting someone who isn’t used to working out to change their schedule and routine to start spending hours per week in a gym isn’t an easy thing. Some people may find the motivation and discipline to do this on their own, but it’s a difficult ask of most people. Fitness In My Pocket can be a bridge between these people and a healthier lifestyle.

With the Fitness in my Pocket app, someone who’s starting on the road to fitness can start at a gentler pace and work their way towards more intensive workouts.

The app’s training programs can provide a roadmap and trainers like Josiah, Ernie, and Laurel inspiring people to exercise wherever they may be, at whatever time is convenient for them to do so.

Fitness In My Pocket is available on the Apple Store and Google Play for free download. To learn more, please visit their website and follow them on Facebook.

View more photos on Fitness In My Pocket Launch event on BaikBike’s Facebook album.