Reach Your Goals with These Apps

Want to get fit? There’s an app for that. From running apps to food trackers, these are the best apps to help you live your best healthy lifestyle.

Foodies

Fooducate: Recommended by health educators, doctors and fitness trainers, and backed by food scientists and medical directors alike, the Fooducate app can help people who are trying to lose weight achieve their goals in a healthy way. Available via the Google Play and the Apple Store, this app allows users to scan food product barcodes in the grocery store and report a nutrition grade (A, B, C or D), simplifying grocery shopping and decoding confusing food labels. The app also allows users to track food intake, calories and exercise. Additionally, Fooducate’s online community brings users together in a community forum where app users can post and share questions, ideas and progress updates.

Substitutions: Available on all iOS devices, the Substitutions app provides ideas for healthy “substitutions.” Not only is the app great for users who want to make better food choices, it’s great for users who have food allergies. The app suggests alternatives to gluten products, dairy products and other foods. The app can also come in handy when users are cooking at home and realize, mid-recipe, that they don’t have a particular ingredient. Users can simply search via the app and quickly come upon a helpful substitute.

Eat Slower: Eating slower can boost satiety, enhance meal enjoyment and ultimately result in eating less. People who tend to eat fast can benefit from the Eat Slower app. The app allows users to set their pace, from 30 seconds to three minutes per bite, which allows users to take their time eating and savor their meal. Fast eaters can start at 30 to 40 seconds, then work their way up gradually, giving the body more time to signal fullness. Eating slower at every meal can help users avoid multitasking while eating, overeating and disconnected eating. The Eat Slower app is available via the Apple Store.

Runners

RunKeeper: The built-in technology in today’s smartphones makes them the perfect devices to track a runner’s distance, pace and more. Compatible on Android and iOS devices, the RunKeeper app has been a long-time favorite among runners, with more than 45 million users. The app uses GPS to track the distance of your run, while recording pace, total distance, calories burned and time, in addition to other customizable metrics. Not only can this app be used to track runs, RunKeeper also can keep track of all distance activities including cycling, hiking, walking and more. After a workout, users view a detailed report of activity, which can be used to set and beat goals.

Rock My Run: Available via the Apple Store and Google Play, the Rock My Run app uses innovative technology to provide intelligent music to users. With thousands of custom DJ playlists, users can choose a music set that matches their heart rate or pace via BPM, tempo or activity level. Users can access unlimited workout mixes and playlists that are up to 45 minutes long, for free. The premium plan gives users an ad-free experience with playlists and workout mixes up to four hours.

Charity Miles: Created for a noble cause, the Charity Miles app provides charities with the funds they need to succeed. And it’s all powered by the runners who use the smartphone app. Users can choose from more than 30 charities and donate up to 25 cents per mile by walking or running. Charity Miles uses the built-in GPS in smartphones to measure the user’s distance.

Gym Junkies

Jefit Workout: Users can keep track of their sets and reps with the help of the Jefit workout app. The mobile app provides simple tools to create custom weight-lifting routines. Users can log reps, sets and weight used, which is compiled into accessible data so you can set and achieve your goals in the gym. The app also features a calendar for planning your workout and rest days, so there’s less chance you’ll miss a gym day, make excuses or work out without a plan.

The Johnson & Johnson Official 7-Minute Workout: While there’s some controversy over the effectiveness of extremely short workouts, this free 7-Minute Workout app is great for users who are short on time but still want to do something. Users can choose a workout intensity level that’s best suited for their ability. For example, medium-intensity workouts include jumping jacks, push-ups, crunches, planks, high-knees in place, side planks, tricep dips and variety of other bodyweight moves. The app has a clear interface that coaches users through each move.

Whether you want to count calories, track your miles or work out at home, your smartphone can be your sidekick for fitness and nutrition. Download and begin!