When it comes to getting healthy, technology can be a wonderful and powerful thing. And that power is more accessible than ever, in the form of free and inexpensive apps. There are tons of excellent health-related apps available; today I’m going to look at four of them.
Many of us have no idea how much we’re actually eating. Keeping a food diary is an act of mindful eating—and can help you lose weight. It’s been repeatedly shown that when people keep track of everything they eat or drink, even if they’re not consciously trying to diet, they naturally eat a little less and make healthier choices. If you like the sound of that, but the act of keeping a food diary seems somewhat cumbersome to you, try this excellent, easy app. Cost: Free.
If you’re a runner or want to become one, this is a great little tool. It’s super easy—when you head out for a run, just open it up and it will track your distance, your speed, and give you all kinds of stats. It charts how often you work out and will send you reminders. If you’re training for a race, or working towards a certain goal, it will help you get there. Also works if you're more of a "walker" than a "runner." Cost: Free.
Whether you’re trying to get pregnant or trying to NOT get pregnant . . . or if you just want to avoid being caught unprepared by the surprise appearance of your period (which, as we all know, tends to turn up at the single most inopportune moment), it’s a good idea to keep track of your menstrual cycles. This easy-to-use tracker does that for you. Plus, you can record and monitor premenstrual symptoms and moods. Cost: Free.
In my last post I talked about becoming a morning person. A cornerstone to making that happen is to make sure you’re getting sufficient sleep. Let’s face it, everything falls apart if you’re not getting enough sleep. This app will track your movement and sound levels throughout the night. It will then show you your sleep patterns, and calculates your sleep debt (which can be a very scary wakeup call—ahem—for many of us). Cost: Free.
Now tell me, are there any health apps you swear by? Any you’re curious about and would like me to check out and review?
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