It seems like everywhere I go I am constantly seeing students and people carrying around their iPhone, a current “must have” item. I have even seen people get confused when they hear the standard text message or ring tone, characteristic to all iPhones, thinking that it is their own phone. There is no doubt that each proud owner has acquired a large variety of Apps of all sorts. Why not add more Apps to the collection that are centered around living a healthy lifestyle? That way, we can use our phones to promote wellness and use them for a good cause beyond making phone calls, text messaging and compulsively checking Facebook and Twitter.
1. DailyBurn (Free)
This App is perfect if you are looking for a way to achieve your health and fitness goals by eating and exercising smarter. It helps you watch your calorie intake by providing an extensive database of foods, and it will help you find a workout that best suits your lifestyle. It even has detailed exercise videos to make everything as simple as can be!
2. Trailhead (Free)
The North Face presents this fancy App with more than 300,000 great trails for hiking, biking or climbing. Your iPhone’s GPS will search by proximity or by your preferred activity to find the best route for you. This is wonderful for those of you who prefer outdoor, scenic fitness that turns into a fun adventure!
3. GoodFood Healthy Recipes ($2.99)
If you are looking to improve your diet by eating better and healthier, this App has over 175 yummy, guilt-free recipes for you to prepare. It even has videos that will break things down and show you how to prepare the meals. And to top it all off, it has 35 tasty dishes that contain less than 200 calories. Score!
4. Nike + GPS ($1.99)
This is currently one of the world’s most popular running Apps! Using the iPhone’s GPS and accelerometer, it tracks and routes your pace. It is even advanced enough to pinpoint exactly where you slowed down and sped up during your run. If you are trying to improve your running performance, this is the App for you!
5. Fast Food Calorie Counter (Free)
This App will be your best friend next time you are on-the-go and need to grab a quick bite to eat at a fast food restaurant. It has a database of over 100 places such as campus favorites like Chipotle, Domino’s, Subway and even Wawa! You can look up any of the restaurants’ food items and check the nutrition facts, as well as the calories per serving. This way you know exactly what you are eating at all times!
6. iMapMyRUN (Free)
It is pretty easy to get carried away running around Colonial Williamsburg or up and down Richmond or Jamestown Roads. And I am sure those of you are left wondering exactly how far you ran. With this App, it is so easy to save your routes and track your progress each time you run. This is great for outdoor runs when you want know to know the exact distance and time of each run.
7. Fooducate Plus ($3.99)
If you are looking to eat better and cater your meals towards nutrition, then this App is what you need! It points out things that food manufacturers don’t want you to notice, such as excessive sugar, food coloring, and additives and preservatives. It is super simple! All you do is pick up any food product and scan it, and then Fooducate will rank the foods, tell you nutritional information, and let you know of any nutrition warnings that you should know before you take that first bite. Get Fooducated!
Well there you have it! You are essentially getting a dietician and personal trainer in the palm of your hand. These Apps should provide you with all the tools you need and more to improve your health and fitness in your everyday life. Now, start downloading!