I am a busy person on the run and I am shocked at how often my iPhone gets me out of a bind. Not only is it my phone, my contacts, my calendar and my email but it is also my RunKepeer, my entertainment, where I do a lot of my banking and more. Recently I have started bumping up my iPhone apps to not only help me with my work and social life but to boost my healthy lifestyle choices as well.
Here are four iPhone apps that I have found to help me stay on the healthy track:
Foursquare and Gowalla – Many of you may have heard of these geolocation apps but have you thought about how they can help you eat better? Find yourself in a new city and hungry? Only see a pizza place across the street? Next time, try opening up Foursquare or Gowalla to see if there is a better eating option around the corner that you can’t see. (Cost: Free)
Healthy Recipes by Spark Recipes – This app has thousands of healthy recipes at your fingertips. Makes getting dinner ideas and picking up items at the store much easier since it is in the palm of your hand. It also has videos to help with preparation. (Cost: Free)
Fooducate – This cool app scans barcodes of foods you may potentially buy and then gives you a detailed analysis of the item. You get a simple letter grade, calories, some key notifications about the product and even some suggested alternatives. This is an easy, fun way to make better decisions when you are perusing the aisles at your grocery store. (Cost: Free)
Shopper Free – This app will help you eat better for less money. You can keep track not only of what you need from the store today, but of recipes that you often shop for and items you buy often. Using its barcode scanning feature, you can track coupons, sale fliers, and even Guiding Stars nutritional information for many items. Plan your shopping from your desk via a web portal, or get the latest sales information at the store. (Cost: Free)
There you go! These four should get you started. Consider allotting one page on your iPhone to healthy living apps. Poke around the app store for alternatives or other interesting apps too. There are plenty that cost between $0.99 and $2.99, though I would recommend checking out the rating and reviews before you spend your hard-earned money on an iPhone application.
Happy Healthy iPhoning!
Amanda O’Brien is originally from Peaks Island, Maine and currently works at Hall Web Services managing their inbound marketing team. She is a self-proclaimed workaholic who tries to maintain a busy lifestyle. She is an amateur yogi and runner. Amanda contributes regularly to the Guiding Stars Blog.