Pull Your Weight started as my BrainStation capstone. The research was solid and the problem was real — but the testing is what stayed with me.

One person said they would want this app for their mom. Another said the language made fitness feel accessible — like this lifestyle was actually for them, not just for people who already knew what they were doing.

Two years later, I came back to the project. The problem was still the same. I just knew I could build it better.

This is Pull Your Weight, the version I always wanted it to be. And it is for a very specific person.

It's for the person who walks into the gym, hears the loud clang of weights, and walks right back out. The one who sits in front of YouTube at 6 a.m., trying to find a perfect workout — and never presses play. The person who downloaded five apps, opened none of them, and now feels like they're just not the kind of person who works out.

What Inspired Pull Your Weight 

The idea came to me when I decided to pull my life together and finally start my fitness journey — for the nth time this year. But where do you actually begin? Personal trainers were completely out of my budget. And every time I turned to Google, I ended up with ten tabs open and no actual plan.

Generic fitness content was everywhere. None of it felt like it was made for someone who was just starting out and a little lost.

That frustration became the starting point. Three questions kept coming up:

Why do so many people struggle to stick to a fitness routine? Why is hiring a trainer not realistic for most beginners? And is there something in between?

Research

I approached this in two ways - looking at what was already out there, and talking directly to people who were living the problem.

The secondary research gave me the landscape. The interviews gave me the feeling.

Secondary Research 

Before speaking to anyone, I looked at what was already out there — the apps, the YouTube channels, the TikTok workouts, the personal trainer landscape. A few things became clear quickly.

Cost is a real barrier. Personal trainers average $100 to $150 per session, which puts them out of reach for most beginners. And the free alternatives — YouTube, TikTok, fitness apps — come with their own problem. There is too much of everything. For someone just starting out, it usually means decision paralysis.

The intimidation factor is real too. Complicated machines, unfamiliar movements, awkward poses — beginners often feel like the gym was not built for them. And when generic plans do not account for someone's body, fitness level, or lifestyle, the result is mismatched routines and unrealistic expectations. People try, see no progress, and give up.

Primary Research

With that context, I spoke to three people who were in exactly this situation — new to fitness, no trainer, and struggling to stay consistent. All three were either students or working professionals with limited time.

My goal was simple: understand what actually gets in the way of starting and sticking to a fitness routine.

Key Insights

Three things came up consistently across all three conversations.

• Too many options leads to decision fatigue. Beginners are not struggling to find information — they are drowning in it. YouTube, TikTok, fitness apps — the more there is, the harder it becomes to start.

• Accountability is the missing piece. Without a clear structure or someone checking in, staying consistent feels impossible. People do not quit because they stop caring. They quit because nothing is holding them there.

• Starting is the hardest part. The emotional load of figuring out where to begin — what to eat, what to do, how much — often leads to burnout before a single workout happens.

How Might We

The research kept pointing to the same gap. Beginners had the motivation — at least at the start. What they did not have was a clear, affordable, and encouraging way to act on it. That led me to one question:

How might we empower beginners with the resources they need to start and actually stick to a fitness routine?

Define

With the research done, I needed to bring the user to life. Who exactly was I designing for — and what did their experience actually look like?

Persona

Meet Maryam — a busy professional who has tried to start her fitness journey more than once. She knows what she wants. She just does not know where to begin.

Experience Mapping

To understand Maryam's journey, I mapped out what her experience actually looks like — from the moment she decides to start, to the moment she gives up.

The low point was not the failed workout. It was the moment before — standing in front of her phone, overwhelmed by options, not knowing what to pick.

Ideate 

With a clear picture of who I was designing for, I started exploring what the solution could look like.

Task Flow 

Before jumping into screens, I mapped out the key tasks a user would need to complete — from setting up their profile to following a workout. This helped me figure out what inputs the app actually needed to generate a personalized plan.

Sketches

Competitive Analysis

To better understand the fitness app landscape, I analyzed five top-rated apps from the App Store that share similar goals. This research helped identify key strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities within the market.

I also looked at five fitness apps already on the market to understand what existed and where the gaps were.

Most apps had a wide variety of workouts. But almost none of them were built for someone who was truly starting from zero. The plans were generic, the language was technical, and there was little to no nutritional guidance.

That gap became the opportunity. Pull Your Weight would be the app that actually felt like it was made for a beginner — not just labelled that way.

Early Insights 

Two things became clear as the ideation came together.

First, nutrition had to be part of the experience. As the research showed, fitness is not just about movement — what you eat matters just as much. So I integrated a simple, non-restrictive nutrition guide into the app.

Second, personalization was non-negotiable. The app needed to know the user — their body, their goals, their lifestyle — before it could give them anything useful. That shaped everything about the onboarding flow.

Usability Testing 

I ran two rounds of testing. The first round revealed what was broken. The second round confirmed what was fixed.

Round 1 

I tested the first high-fidelity prototype with five participants. The goal was to find pain points, evaluate how clearly the flows communicated, and understand where users lost confidence.

The MVP was too basic — and users noticed. The foundation was solid but the screens had real usability issues, both visual and functional. I used a prioritization matrix to focus on the fixes that would have the highest impact within my timeline. The rest were flagged for future iterations.

Round 2 

After making those changes, I built an updated prototype and tested again with a new group of users. This round was about confirming the fixes worked — and finding the next layer of issues.

The changes landed. Users moved through the flows more confidently and the language felt less clinical. A few smaller issues surfaced and were addressed before the final version.

The Redesign

Two years after the original capstone, I came back to Pull Your Weight with a stronger design toolkit and a clearer sense of what the app needed to feel like. Three things got a significant update.

• The visuals. The original had heavy gradients, tight layouts, and dense screens. The redesign brought in softer colours, more white space, and a cleaner visual hierarchy. The goal was to reduce cognitive load — because if the app feels overwhelming to look at, it is not doing its job.

• The tone of voice. The original copy was neutral and somewhat clinical. The new version is warm, friendly, and lightly playful. Beginners already feel intimidated by fitness. The language had to make them feel like they belonged.

• The flows. Some screens had too many steps or unclear labels. The redesign simplified everything — clearer button labels, better onboarding language, less friction at every step.

Key Improvements

Small refinements, big difference.
These updated screens reflect thoughtful design decisions—from clearer copy to more welcoming visuals—all aimed at reducing friction and making the app feel more supportive for beginners.

Final Design 

Here is what Pull Your Weight looks like in action.

Brand Identity 

The brand is designed to feel reassuring, calm, and friendly — with a touch of lightheartedness. Not intimidating. Not clinical. More like a encouraging friend than a strict coach.

Final Screens

After two rounds of testing, the redesign, and a lot of iteration — here is the final version of Pull Your Weight. Designed to be clear, encouraging, and beginner-friendly every step of the way.

Reflection

Pull Your Weight was more than a UX capstone — it became a personal journey of understanding how to design for people who are often overwhelmed before they even begin.

What I Learned 

• User empathy is everything. Listening closely to real struggles helped me shape an app that feels supportive, not judgmental.

• Simplicity over complexity. Beginners do not need flashy features — they need clear, achievable steps that build confidence. The usability testing rounds showed me how small tweaks can make a big difference in user motivation and understanding.

• Voice matters. Crafting warm, encouraging copy helped humanize the experience and make the app feel like a friendly coach.

Next Steps

• Introduce social features to help users stay motivated by sharing progress with friends and fostering a sense of accountability and community.

• Explore gamification elements such as badges, streaks, or milestones to make the fitness journey more engaging and rewarding.