The word “diet” can cause many of us to shudder. How many times have we started with good intentions, only to weaken and stop when the going got tough, or we weren’t really losing the weight we thought?
I’ve found that keeping track of my habits with apps helps me stick to my goals – whether it’s a Fitbit tracking my steps or a diet app recording the food I’m ingesting on a daily basis. There’s something rewarding about seeing my progress, getting educated on healthy choices (many apps provide free advice), and even where I’ve slid back to bad habits. My apps are always there, reliable, and holding me accountable for my actions without judgment – plus, they are just more fun to use than a scale or a piece of paper.
If you haven’t tried using an app to help with your weight loss goals, here are a few to check out in 2016:
ShopWell: Helps you rate the foods you buy, according to your dietary needs and restrictions. Users can create a personalized profile and select from a series of nutritional goals (Heart Disease, Marathon Training, etc), as well as dietary restrictions (Celiac disease, food allergies, vegetarian, etc.). The app then takes these into account and uses them to rate grocery items, as well as provide nutritional advice.
Diet Point Weight Loss: Not sure of what diet might work best for you? Here’s an app that lays out more than 130 to choose from , depending on your goals (Healthy Candida, Low Glycemic, etc.). The app also provides detailed shopping lists and meal plans, and notifies you of meal times so you can be consistent.
Nutrino: This is a paid app but is worth the money if you want an app that caters to your specific needs. Nutrino works with other apps to monitor your exercise activity and then adjusts and suggests food recommendations, depending on how many calories you are burning/ want to burn. It takes into account your goals – whether you want to lose fat, build muscle – as well as dietary restrictions like lactose intolerance or gluten-free.
HealthyOut Healthy Meal Finder: One problem that consistently derails my diet is eating out. It’s hard to avoid, especially when you have a busy schedule and want to see friends. And how many of us can cook every night? The app helps users find healthy restaurant dishes and prepared grocery items nearby, so you can feel good about your choices while eating out. You can filter by cuisine, ingredients or type of dish. You can also view detailed nutritional information on each meal where available. It's a great option when you don't have the time to prepare a healthy meal of your own.
My Fitness Pal: This is a very popular option because you can track your exercise, diet choices, and it works with other tracking apps on the market, like Jawbone UP and Fitbit. You can scan barcodes to glean nutritional information when you’re shopping, too. It’s a great all-around tracking app to help stick to your goals.
