Fitness Tracker Project

Author: Alston Dsouza

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Summary

Fitness Tracker is a lightweight and user-friendly web application that helps users log and track their fitness workouts. The application provides an organized way to document and visualize workouts, encouraging users to maintain a consistent fitness routine.

The app includes features such as logging new workouts, viewing a detailed workout log, receiving motivational quotes, and tracking total workout hours.

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Features

1. Workout Logging

Users can log workouts with the following details:

• Workout Type: Choose from a dropdown menu (e.g., Cardio, Strength Training, Yoga, etc.).
• Duration: Input the duration in minutes.
• Calories Burned: Add optional calorie details.
• Notes: Include optional notes about the workout (e.g., "Ran in the park" or "Tried a new routine").

2. Workout Log

• A list of all submitted workouts is displayed on the main page, showing:

  • Type
  • Date & Time
  • Duration
  • Calories Burned
  • Notes

• Each workout entry can be clicked to view additional details or deleted if necessary.

3. Motivational Quotes

• The homepage displays a random motivational fitness quote each time it is loaded to inspire users.
• Quotes are refreshed dynamically to keep the experience fresh and uplifting.

4. Dark Mode

• Users can toggle between light and dark modes for better readability and user preference.

5. Total Workout Hours

• The application calculates and displays the total number of workout hours logged by the user.

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Known Limitations

1. Database Dependency

• The app depends on a running instance of MariaDB or MySQL. Without proper database configuration, it will not work.

2. No Search or Edit Feature

• Currently, users cannot search for specific workouts or edit existing entries. These features could be added in future iterations.

3. No Authentication

• The app lacks a user authentication system, meaning all data is shared across all users who access the app.

4. Basic Form Validation

• While some fields are required, there is no validation for the format of data (e.g., email validation or checking for invalid durations).

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Topics Covered

This project highlights several key technologies and concepts:

• JavaScript
• Node.js & Express.js
• EJS (Embedded JavaScript Templating)
• MariaDB & SQL
• HTML & CSS

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Future Enhancements

1. Search Functionality: Add the ability to search workouts by type or notes.
2. Edit Workouts: Allow users to update workout details after logging them.
3. Authentication: Enable user accounts for personalized workout tracking.
4. Advanced Analytics: Provide insights like weekly trends or progress charts.

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Setup Instructions

Prerequisites

• Node.js installed on your machine
• MariaDB or MySQL installed and running

Steps

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/alstondsouza1/fitness-tracker.git
   cd fitness-tracker

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Project Setup

1. Initialize the Project
   From the project root directory, run the following command to initialize a new project:

   npm init

   • Set the entry point to app.js.
   • Use defaults for the remaining options.

2. Install Required Dependencies
   Install the necessary Node.js packages:

   npm install express ejs

   Add any additional dependencies such as mariadb and method-override as needed.

3. Configure the database:

   • Create a database called fitness_tracker and run the SQL script provided in database-scripts/init.sql to set up the workouts table.
   • Update the database connection settings in app.js if necessary.

4. Start the application:

   npx nodemon

5. Open the app in your browser:

   http://localhost:3000
   

6. Follow the steps in Setup Instructions to complete the configuration and run the project.

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