Using Apps to Get and Stay Healthy

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one third of U.S. adults are obese. That means that 34.98% or 78.6 million Americans have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or more. So while almost 35% of Americans are obese, a survey put out by the Pew Internet & American Life Project found that 56% of all American adults own a smartphone. If you happen to be one of those individuals which I assume you are based on the fact that you are reading a blog about mobile apps, your smartphone can help you to either get out of that pool of 78.6 million obese Americans or never get there in the first place.

1. Calorie Tracking Apps

Keeping track of calorie intake can be difficult. Often times, nutritional information is not readily available because the foods you eat throughout the day don't always come in their original packaging. Apps like Lose It! and myFitnessPal offer an easy way to plan and track calories. Simply download the app, enter in your current weight and desired weight and you will be set up with a daily limit in order to reach your goal. Calorie tracking apps offer a huge database of foods that are just a search away and not only provide calorie information, but other nutritional information like protein, fiber, vitamins, and fats.

2. Fitness Bands

Now that we've got food intake covered, the next important thing when trying to lose weight is to get out there and exercise. Fitness bands like the Fitbit and Up24 by Jawbone are increasing in popularity recently. Simply put the band on your wrist and sync it to your phone or computer and begin tracking your daily fitness levels with an app. On top of tracking steps and calories burned, more advanced models of fitness bands can even track sleep activity and heart rate. Many apps that track calorie intake or fitness activity have compatibility with fitness bands as well. Fitness bands range in price from around $75-$250 and can be a very effective way to motivate someone to lose weight.

3. Activity Tracking Apps

If you aren't willing to spend the extra cash on a fitness band but still want to be able to monitor your activity throughout the day, then you are in luck! There are plenty of apps on the app store that use your phones GPS capability to track a workout. Turn on the app, go for a walk or run and the app will track how far you traveled, where you traveled to, and how long it took as well as how many calories were burned in the process. My personal favorites are myFitnessPal, which was mentioned above or MapMyRun.

If you are someone who is interested in losing weight or staying at a healthy weight, I hope that this post has helped inform you as to some ways your phone can help you to achieve your goals, whatever they may be.