If there’s one thing that unites the Town & Country office, it’s debate. Walk through our newsroom and you’ll hear us disagreeing about the best shows on Broadway, the ideal getaways for a winter weekend, the greatest series in the Dick Wolf cinematic universe, which restaurants deserve their hype, and almost any other topic out there. (Want to distract me and my colleague Leena Kim? Ask us where to get your shoes resoled in Midtown; there goes the afternoon.)

One thing that many of us agree on, however, is Future. The digital personal training app is the go-to for any number of T&C staffers and, despite our propensity for deliberation, it’s no surprise why. Future pairs you with a real, live coach who creates a personalized fitness regimen that addresses your specific goals and makes sticking to the plan a breeze. Because Future lives on your phone, it’s easy and customized, you can message your coach (as I do numerous times every day), shuffle the week’s workouts, and personalize your plan in any number of ways. The workouts might not be easy, but the experience is—and that makes all the difference.

I first started working out with Future in 2021, and over the course of nearly four years it’s become an integral part of my life and the lynchpin to my—sorry!—”fitness journey.” Five days a week, I log into the app and complete a session designed by my excellent coach, Bobby; on a sixth day I take a class at a local studio, which my Apple watch tracks and logs for me. I’ve done Future workouts at gyms, at home, in hotel rooms, and on the beach. I’ve survived yoga sessions, Pilates classes, and kettlebell circuits; in 2024, I did 244 workouts that included 1,264 pushups, lifting a total of 615,590 pounds, and working out in six countries. It’s no small feat for a guy whose relationship to fitness was, before Future, spotty at best.

Perhaps my favorite thing about Future is that it can grow and change with you. If I’m interested in trying something new, updating my goals, or getting in a specific type of workout, all I have to do is say so. It’s endlessly customizable and adapts to whatever it is I need. Which you might think would make it nearly impossible for us to bicker about at the office—until you learn that one colleague listens to British literature audiobooks during her sessions, and our squabbling kicks off. That’s fine, though. It’s probably a good workout.

Adam Rathe is Town & Country’s Deputy Features Director, covering film, theater, books, travel, art, philanthropy, and a range of other subjects.