Smartphone Your Way to Health

Running an extra five minutes, having salad for lunch and taking the stairs. Making small decisions can have a big impact on your health. For some, choosing healthy options is easy. However, if you struggle with leaving one cookie on the plate (and a lot of us do), you should consider health tracker apps.  

There is an abundance of free and paid apps available for smartphones. Watching the bar graph grow as you take more steps each day or tracking calories to know when to skip dessert can be a better motivator than a personal trainer you see for 60 minutes three times a week. The apps are always there and never yell. They also don’t judge if we have French fries occasionally.  

There are apps for just about all your fitness goals. You can track your steps, pushups, calories, water intake and almost anything else. Several of these apps can even upload data to charts shared with physicians.  

Do health apps guarantee you will make healthier decisions? No. Only you can do that. They can provide motivation and a sense of accomplishment when you cross off goals and see your fitness totals rise. Before starting any exercise routine, start by talking with your doctor. When you are ready, think about what you want to accomplish, read a few reviews on health tracking apps and download a free version. If it works for you, then think about splurging for a paid version if needed. 

After all, you already pay for your smartphone, it might as well help you achieve your health goals. Just be sure to clean your phone often, especially after a workout.