Pull your weight is a beginner friendly fitness app for those who are always beginning!

See it in action

Here’s a quick walkthrough of Pull Your Weight in action — the final result of months of research, testing, and design iteration.

Overview

Pull Your Weight is a beginner-friendly fitness app for those who are always beginning.

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.”

This app is for them.

It is designed to support individuals who are just starting out, trying again, or struggling to stay consistent. People who are overwhelmed by information, tired of false starts, and looking for something that feels realistic, personal, and encouraging.

✨ The Glow Up

Pull Your Weight began as my capstone, but over time I saw ways to make it clearer, more welcoming, and genuinely helpful. This glow-up brings fresh energy while staying true to what the app has always been about.

This was my UX capstone project at BrainStation — and a personal one at that. Two years later, I gave it a glow-up. The heart of it remains the same, but the new version reflects my growth as a designer and UX writer. The voice is clearer, the visuals are brighter, and the overall experience feels more human — the way I always meant it to.

Problem Space

These questions kept coming up — and became the starting point for Pull Your Weight:

• Why do so many people struggle to stick to a fitness routine?

• Why (or why not) hire a fitness trainer?

• Is there a realistic alternative?

What Inspired Pull Your Weight?

Spoiler alert: It was a personal struggle!

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 begin? Fitness trainers were completely out of my financial league, and while good friend Google has plenty of information, who has the time to sit down, sift through it all, and create a plan that actually works for them?On top of that, generic fitness plans only work for a while — if at all.

This story pushed me to explore low-cost, beginner-friendly ways to adhere to a fitness regime. That path eventually led to the creation of Pull Your Weight — a gentle, guided, and realistic alternative to the overwhelming world of fitness advice.

Methodology

Secondary Research

People new to the fitness world who want to lose weight and reach their goals often find it hard to begin their journey—even when they have access to training spaces or gym equipment. Some key challenges include:

💰 Cost of Personal Trainers

Hiring a Personal Trainer is costly — averaging $50–$65 per session — making it inaccessible for many people just starting out.

😖 Intimidation Factor

Complicated gym machines, unfamiliar dumbbells, and awkward poses often leave beginners feeling overwhelmed. Without proper guidance, they may also face a higher risk of injury.

📱 Information Overload

There’s no shortage of YouTube channels, TikTok workouts, and fitness apps — but for beginners, this can quickly become overwhelming rather than helpful.

⚖️ Lack of Personalization

Most resources offer one-size-fits-all plans that don’t consider a person’s body type, current BMI, fitness level, or lifestyle. This leads to mismatched routines and unrealistic expectations

🧯 Loss of Motivation

When users try random workouts and see no progress, they often feel discouraged and give up altogether.

These points highlight the need for a solution that is beginner-friendly, personalized, affordable, and supportive—helping users stay motivated and progress gradually without feeling overwhelmed.

🧑‍🔬 Primary Research

🎯 Research Goal

Explore affordable and beginner-friendly ways to help people start and stick to their fitness journey.

👥 Who I Spoke To

I conducted 1-on-1 interviews with 3 individuals who matched these criteria:

🏋️‍♂️ New to fitness and not currently working with a personal trainer

🕒 Students or professionals with time constraints

🔁 Have tried starting a fitness routine but struggled with adherence

💬 What They Said

🔍 Key Insights

🌀 Too Many Options = Decision Fatigue



Beginners feel overwhelmed by YouTube videos, TikTok workouts, and fitness apps.

📅 Lack of Accountability



Without a clear structure or support, staying consistent is a major hurdle.

🧱 Starting Is the Hardest Part



The emotional load of planning workouts and meals often leads to burnout—before the physical effort even begins.

How might we…

With the interview insights, I had more clarity about the problem space. The findings helped me draft the following HMW:

How might we empower beginners with the resources needed to achieve their fitness goal?

Persona

Experience Mapping

Early Insights

While working on the task flow diagram, a practical solution emerged for users with busy lifestyles.

I envisioned a mobile platform Maryam could carry anywhere—whether at the gym or at home—where she simply glances at her screen and follows clear, easy instructions.

🍎 Nutrition matters



As the saying goes, “80% of abs are made in the kitchen.” To support a holistic fitness experience, I integrated a non-restrictive nutrition guide that’s easy to follow and track, designed to fit seamlessly into users’ daily routines.

🧩 Key design elements

Before diving into design, I identified important task flow elements inspired by user stories and the project epic. These focus on the inputs needed to generate a truly customized fitness plan.

This approach was informed by expert insights from:

• The Physiqnomics program (The OG Fitness Trainer)

• Dr. Spencer Nadolsky, a physician specializing in obesity (aka “docs who lift”)

Task Flow Diagram

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.

Strengths of Existing Platforms

• Wide variety of workouts available to users

• Some apps offer customized workout plans

Weaknesses Identified

• Most apps are not beginner-friendly; workouts often feel too advanced or generic

• Limited or no nutrition information or guidance

Opportunities for Differentiation

• Provide beginner-friendly guidance with goal-based suggestions (e.g., BMI info, daily calorie targets)

• Offer personalized, supportive experiences tailored to beginners, helping users stay motivated and confident

This analysis informed the direction for Pull Your Weight, focusing on creating an accessible, holistic fitness app designed for those just starting or struggling to stay consistent.

Key Findings

This analysis revealed a clear niche: beginners who need help setting achievable goals and following a plan tailored to their current fitness level.

By addressing this gap, Pull Your Weight aims to deliver personalized, effective workout plans that build user confidence and encourage long-term adherence.

Sketches

🧪 Usability Testing – Round 1

After building the first high-fidelity prototype, I conducted moderated usability testing with 5 participants. The goal was to identify pain points, evaluate flow clarity, and uncover potential barriers to user confidence.

Key Takeaways

🔎 The MVP was too basic — and users noticed.

While the foundation was solid, testers surfaced multiple usability issues, both visual and functional. These were analyzed using a prioritization matrix to focus on low-effort, high-impact changes during my tight timeline. The rest were marked for future iterations.

✏️ Feedback & Design Changes

🔄 Usability Testing – Round 2

Following initial refinements, I created an updated prototype and tested it with a second group of users. Their feedback led to even more impactful changes.

✨ The Glow-Up

Pull Your Weight started as my UX capstone project at BrainStation — and a personal one at that. Two years later, I returned to it with fresh eyes and a stronger design toolkit. The result? A thoughtful glow-up that made the app clearer, calmer, and more human.

This wasn’t just a visual update. It was a full refresh of how the app speaks, feels, and guides the user — all while staying true to its original mission: supporting beginners in a way that feels realistic and kind.

What Changed — and Why?

🎨 Visual Refresh

Before: Heavy gradients, tight layouts, dense screens

After: Softer colours, more white space, improved visual hierarchy

Why? To reduce cognitive load and make the app feel more approachable to beginners

💬 Tone of Voice

Before: Neutral and somewhat technical

After: Warm, friendly, and lightly playful

Why? To reassure users and help them feel like they belong in the fitness space

🧭 Streamlined Flows

Before: Some screens had multiple steps or unclear copy

After: Simplified flows, clearer button labels, better onboarding language

Why? To remove friction and make each action feel easy and achievable

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.

🎨 Brand Identity

Pull Your Weight’s brand identity is designed to be reassuring, calm, and friendly, with a touch of lightheartedness — more funny than edgy. Imagine cute, helpful details that might seem small but carry a lot of warmth and value for users who are just starting their fitness journey.

📱 Final Screens Walkthrough

After rounds of research, testing, iteration, and the glow-up, here’s the final version of Pull Your Weight — designed to be clear, encouraging, and beginner-friendly every step of the way.

🤔 Reflection & Learnings

Pull Your Weight was more than just a UX capstone — it became a personal journey of understanding how to design for beginners who often feel overwhelmed by fitness.

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 don’t need flashy features — they need clear, achievable steps that build confidence.
Iteration is key.

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.

Challenges

⏳ Time constraints 

It meant prioritizing fixes and saving some ideas for future versions.

🚦 Knowing when to stop

Resisting the urge to over-refine or add more features—was essential for staying focused 

🎈 Maintaining a light, playful tone 

While delivering clear guidance was a rewarding balancing act.

What’s Next: Social Features and Gamification

• 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.