I’m crazy about apps that make my life easier. I have only one game app on my phone, but multiple for homework and organization. I use Remember the Milk to keep track of assignments and tasks, Grade Tracker Pro to ensure I’m staying on top of my GPA, Groupme for simple communication, and MyDressing to plan my week’s outfits. Basically, I’m a neurotic mess and controlled by my phone.
The biggest change that apps have brought into my life, however, has been through workout and exercise. I’m horrible at self-motivation and not much better at keeping track of details like what I eat or when I work out. So I downloaded a few key apps that have brought major changes into my world. Today, more than ever, it is easier and more expedient to track food, exercise, steps, and weight to maximize your road to a heathier version of you.
Before I begin explaining, however, please don’t take me as an expert in weight loss or proper eating/exercise habits. I recommend that you talk to a doctor or dietician before embarking on any major lifestyle changes. And please remember that my goal with sharing this is to present you with options that have worked for me; no solution is one-size-fits-all, and there is a whole market full of apps that can cater to your needs.
1. MyFitnessPal
MyFitnessPal is a free app that primarily helps you track your eating. When you first sign up, you put in your weight, height, weight goal, and how quickly you want to lose the weight (one or two pounds a week is the average.) It then gives you a daily calorie goal, and from there you log your meals daily and try to hit both your calorie goal and your nutritional goals (macronutrients like carbs, fat, and proteins, and micronutrients like vitamins, minerals, and calcium.)
MyFitnessPal is one of the easiest-to-use apps on the market for calorie counting and meal tracking. Its interface is easy to read and understand. It has several useful features that puts it far ahead of its competitors- for one, a barcode scanner to easily find your exact food item with minimal search and fuss. As well, it can sync with other apps to maximize your experience. Fitbit can be synced with MyFitnessPal so as you rack up steps and do more activities, your calorie allowance for the day increases (which means you can eat MORE without any guilt. YAY!)
There are also many other apps that sync with MyFitnessPal. If you download the app, you can explore these options.
2. Fitbit
Fitbit is a free app, but you must buy the Fitbit tracking bracelet. Fitbit bracelets start at $59.95. For me, it was completely worth it. The basic bracelet acts as a pedometer and activity level tracker, as well as a sleep tracker. The higher quality (and price) bracelets can do even more, like track how many floors of steps you go up.
The Fitbit app accompanies the bracelet. I have the basic bracelet, which does not give me an exact measurement of how many steps I have when I look at it (rather, it has five dots and as I rack up more steps, more dots will glow/blink until I hit my step goal.) The app can sync to the bracelet via Bluetooth and give me an exact step count as well as show where my active times are (between classes and during my workout.)
3. Nike + Running and Nike + Training Club
These apps are also free, and super helpful in enhancing your workout experience. Nike Running logs your runs; if you prefer to run inside, you can add time and length of your run easily through a user-friendly interface (trust me, very friendly- even for the technologically challenged like me!) It also tracks runs via GPS if you are an outside runner.
Nike Training offers a wide variety of weight training workouts for any need- whether you want to strengthen, tone, or target a certain area, it gives you helpful workouts that average about 15 to 20 minutes. Most workouts require minimal equipment. A set of dumbbells (5 to 10 pounds), a workout mat, or a medicine ball are the most common requirements. The workouts are designed to make you sweat!
The best feature of these two apps is the fact that they can work in sync. If you choose to do a workout program through Nike Training, it will schedule workouts (number per week and intensity depending on your skill level) and you can then sync Nike Running to maximize your program. The downside is that Training and Running do not sync unless you are doing a program, so if you choose to use Training for individual workouts only, the information on the two apps will stay separate.
The only other major downside to these apps is that they do not sync to MyFitnessPal; however, both apps will give an approximate count for calories burned which you can then enter manually. Nike workouts, especially through the Training app, are professionally designed for maximum impact in the area you desire.
These are just a few apps available on the market today, and these the ones that I can personally vouch for. They are free, user-friendly, and provide a healthy, well-rounded approach to weight loss – a balanced diet, tracking your daily activity, and healthy, balanced cardio and weight training exercises that you can follow all the way until you hit your goal. Best of luck with your journey, and remember that your biggest motivator shouldn’t be trying to make yourself into something you’re not- the goal is a healthier, brighter, happier version of you!