Find yourself wandering off the beaten path of health and exercise? Consider this: it’s a digital world and we’re relying more and more on mobile devices to keep us in line. These 6 apps are the best solution to keeping on track with your health and fitness goals.
Fooducate
Unless you did a minor in nutrition, fooducate is a great alternative to keeping a personal nutritionist on staff. It lets you scan barcodes at the grocery store, suggesting healthier options and comparing and contrasting different brands. It may even help you to put down those lucky charms.
Walkmeter
Map out your walks, runs or rides with this app through a geo tracking device. It records time, location, distance, speed and elevation–plus it will map it out in Google maps and lets you share it via Facebook or Twitter so you can show off daily to all your friends.
Fit Friendzy
Competitive? Social accountability is trending for fitness. This app lets you share more than 100 challenges ranging from walking 30 min per day to running a marathon with your friends. And hey, when you can beat your friend at staying fit, you both usually win. No pressure.
PostureScreen
Easiest way to look like you’ve lost weight? Improve your posture. Posture Screen uses a few pictures and analyzes your posture, showing you where you can improve. It’s designed primarily for medical professionals, but it’s so intuitive, you’ll be standing up straighter in no time.
Instant Heart Rate
Wouldn’t it be awesome to get a heart rate reading instantly and accurately without the added “bonus” of that annoying strap across your chest? Personally I think those sensors are wonky anyway. In the Instant Heart Rate App, all you have to do is hold your finger over the camera for ten seconds and it gives you an accurate reading. No fuss, no muss.
Sleep Time
On trend for 2013 is sleep; say what you will, but a good nights rest, is and always will be the best way to recover your body from injury. Sleep Time rests peacefully next to you while you count sheep, detecting subtle movements, dutifully counting the minutes you go through each sleep cycles. letting you know, for example, how much high-grade deep sleep you get.
I know, I know… Apps are the next “It” thing if you are in business. But I am proposing that you NOT carry your cell phone everywhere you go. And hey, especially when you are exercising. Because, if anything, exercise is your hour to yourself everyday. And it should be peaceful and quiet and you shouldn’t have emails buzzing and text messages being sent and you shouldn’t be looking at yet another florescent screen just to follow an exercise routine. No, I’m thinking all you need is your eyes, your ears, your heart, your arms and legs to carry out the most physical part of your day. Forget technology, get in touch with something even more intelligent and complex–your body.
