Simple users are discovering how to improve strength, posture, balance and brain function
Eleanor Fleming and Laura McKenna Audience Writer
05:29, 13 Dec 2025
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Taking on a 30 minute tai-chi routine could be beneficial for both physical and mental health(Image: Getty Images)
As the New Year approaches, many will be considering ways to improve their health habits. Simple, a smartphone app designed to assist users in achieving their weight-loss objectives, has introduced a 30-minute tai chi walking workout that could be an ideal way to get fitter this winter.
Tai chi walking, an ancient practice involving slow and deliberate steps, has recently gained popularity online. Despite its unusual appearance to those unfamiliar with it, it can potentially enhance strength, posture, balance and even cognitive function.
By taking this brief quiz about their current health status and future aspirations, users can receive a personalised tai chi walking plan. The app is currently offering a 60% discount when users subscribe using the code ‘REACH60’.
According to Simple, the most straightforward method of fat loss is through ‘Zone 1’ activity. This involves light, low-intensity exercise that maintains a person’s heart rate at 50% to 60% of their maximum. Other Zone 1 activities include light jogging or swimming, pilates, and yoga.
In a study published in the American Journal of Medicine, it was found that individuals who practised tai chi exhibited lower levels of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), a hormone produced by the heart to help regulate blood pressure. Elevated BNP levels often signify that the heart is under stress and, as per the study, are a ‘powerful predictor’ of heart failure prognosis, reports the Mirror.
The programmes are available on the Simple app
60% off with code ‘REACH60’
Simple
Simple — a smartphone app that can help users achieve their weight loss goals — has launched a 30-minute tai chi walking workout, which could be the perfect way to get in better shape this winter.
In another pilot study, which serves as a preliminary trial before a larger investigation, it was discovered that participants were less stable during tai chi walking compared to regular walking. This suggests that by challenging balance, tai chi could potentially aid the body in developing enhanced neuromuscular control, thereby reducing the risk of falls.
Alongside the tai chi walking plan, Simple offers a variety of useful features for weight loss and health improvement. An intelligent food scanner utilises the phone’s camera to analyse meals and provide smart nutrition scores, while habit trackers facilitate easy logging of water intake, activity, fasting, and weight.
A subscription to Simple also grants access to a personal AI coach named Avo, who can offer guidance and suggestions such as healthy recipes and workout plans. Avo is accompanied by Blinky, an endearing fluffy companion who provides daily motivation and support to users on their weight loss journeys.
A user before and after using the Simple app.(Image: Simple)
According to the Simple blog, Blinky is described as “fluffy, intense, and adorably unhinged in the most entertaining way”. The developers reveal that as users record everything from meals to exercise sessions or weigh-ins, they are effectively ‘nourishing’ Blinky.
Speaking for himself, Blinky declares: “Every log keeps me alive, thriving, and (yes) even clingier. Skip too long, and I spiral. Dramatic sighs. Sad eyes. Fluff deflation. I will miss you loudly.”
There are numerous alternative smartphone applications available for those seeking health and fitness monitoring. MyFitnessPal, for example, remains a favoured option for comprehensive nutritional tracking, whilst also recording physical activity to provide a complete overview of calories intake and expenditure.
For fitness enthusiasts, Hevy offers a straightforward method to record workouts and exercise routines through its user-friendly interface. The app is free to download, though a premium version provides access to more sophisticated features.
The Simple Weight Loss Plans have a range of health benefits.(Image: Simple)
Returning to Simple, numerous users have provided glowing testimonials on Trustpilot, where the application maintains a 4.3/5 rating from more than 34,000 reviews. It has also achieved a 4.7 out of 5 score on the App Store.
One satisfied user commented: “I have tried lots of apps for getting in shape and losing weight. Simple has gotten me the best results.
“What I appreciate about Simple is that it doesn’t demand meticulous monitoring to prove effective. I can maintain my entries at a broad level and utilise the fasting countdown. I can input as much or as little information as I choose.
“For me, I’m concentrating on the overall picture of my fast rather than the specifics of every morsel I consume. I’ve shed 25lb since the start of this year, and it’s the first occasion in my 30s and 40s that I’ve genuinely discovered a maintainable method for controlling my weight.”
The subscription also includes access to a personal AI-driven coach named Avo.(Image: Simple)
Another shared: “I love the balance of simplicity, accountability, and the transparency of the use of AI coaches. It’s the first time I’ve successfully tried intermittent fasting and my body is loving it. I’ve lost 4kg in a month and I feel confident I can stick with this long term.”
Someone offered feedback within a more extensive review: “I like the reminders, the exercises, the recipe suggestions, and I’m in my own home not having to go anywhere to do this. I wish that I could back log meals.
“Unless I’m using the program incorrectly, there are numerous times I can’t log a meal until later in the day, and it looks like the time indicates the breakfast and lunch and dinner all are consumed at the same time.”
One user commended the app’s digital assistants, noting: “Blinky is cute and helpful, and the AI coach Avo has great advice and insight.”
Simple weight loss programmes are presently 60% off using code ‘REACH60’, and there’s a complimentary plan on offer as well.