Summer is upon us again, and it’s time to shape up. We’ve got four weeks before Memorial Day and I’m here to show you how your iPhone can help whip you into shape before the festive weekend that kicks off summer. Now, next year at this time, we’ll have Healthbook for iOS8, but we still need to take care of 2014, and trust me, there are apps for that. Week one we need to focus on eating healthy, kicking some bad habits which may have crept up over winter, and getting enough sleep. Don’t worry, I plan to take this journey myself and I’ll update you ever step of the way.
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Step 1: Eating Healthy
Eating healthy needs to be distinguished from losing weight, which is why when it comes to tracking nutrients, I like Calorie Counter Pro by MyNetDiary (3.99). Although you can easily configure MyNetDiary to help you lose weight, the app tracks so much more. Of course, you can track fats and carbs like many other dieting apps, but MyNetDiaryPro also lets users track vitamin intake, water, and alcohol consumption. There is even a place for users to track notes such as thoughts and feelings or creating shopping lists. Entering foods is simple, as users can manually add foods, search from an extensive database, or scan a bar code. You can even create recipes. At the end of each day, users can hit the analysis tab and get a rundown of how they did for the day and what improvements could be made in the future. The Food Checker function allows you to scan barcodes and make healthier choices by comparing the nutrients in two foods and if you own an iPhone 5S, MyNetDiary can be set to use the M7 compressor so that it can be used as a pedometer, making it a complete and well-rounded health monitor. Although there are many great free dieting diaries in the App Store, I chose to use MyNetDiaryPro because of it’s focus on tracking more than just weight and calories.
Step 2: Ditching Bad Habits and Getting Things Done![]()
Getting healthy for summer isn’t all about how you look, but also about how you feel. You want to be able to enjoy all that summer sunshine. So, if you’ve developed some bad habits over the winter or just have some nagging chores you’ve been putting off, Everest (Free) is an app which can help your mental state. The cool thing about Everest is your goals can be just about anything and you can either keep them private or get social support from friends and family. Push notifications can be set to help keep you on track and photos can be added to track your progress. The layout of the app is aesthetically pleasing and easy to use and there’s no limit to the amount or variety of tasks which can be added. I currently have goals set for eating less sugar and cleaning out the boxes in the garage. I’ve also set it in the past to remind me to read a daily Bible verse and to take some time out of my day to sit and relax. Everest isn’t a task manager but a goal setter. This would be a great place to set reminders and keep goals about your longterm health and wellbeing such as working out more or drinking less, even something as simple as having it remind you to go outside and spend five minutes in the sunshine every day.
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Step 3: Getting Enough Sleep
Step 3: Getting Enough SleepYou’d be surprised what a good night’s sleep will do for a person. There are many sleep aid and alarm clock apps out there but my favorite is BrainWave ($2.99). BrainWave uses isochronic tones to help relax your mind and add a little calm into your life. I always use the app when I’m traveling and I must say although I’m not sure how it works, it does relax you. The entire app is customizable, even allowing you pick the pitch of specific sounds and endlessly loop or set a timer as you drift off to sleep. The app is broken down into four categories: Relaxation, Sleep, Meditation, Stress and Anxiety, and Mind Training, and all have both pre-event and post-event sessions. You can choose to listen to relaxing music in the background or just the soothing noises themselves. Each event comes with a list of three suggested sounds which can be used in any combination at varying levels. For example, under Quick Tension Relief Session I have the choice to add up to three sounds: wind, rain, and birds. Wind personally freaks me out and I’m not a huge fan of birds either (although the birds on the app sound pretty friendly and I do find them calming). I can omit the wind all together, bring the bird sounds down low, and just listen to the rain. The music library is also quite extensive, although some of it sounds like what you might hear in a dentist’s office. I would have preferred traditional classical selections.
Getting healthy in time to enjoy your summer doesn’t just mean having a bikini ready body; it means taking care of yourself internally and externally, clearing away the winter blues, and learning to relax. Making the smallest changes can greatly influence your success.
