Last week, I spoke with a colleague of mine who has lost about 30 pounds during the past year. We share this accomplishment in common, so we were swapping weight-loss and healthy lifestyle strategies when she informed me that she keeps track of her food intake and exercise outputs on her phone.
Seriously.
She whipped out her fancy iPhone (Am I jealous? Maybe, but that's beside the point.) and showed me the app she uses to track everything. The app calculated nutrient deficiencies, provided average calorie counts, followed work out routines, suggested weight increases for strength training... I think it even scolded you if you made a poor choice at a restaurant. OK, maybe not that last one, but honestly... Do we really need all those features?
I told my colleague that I lost my weight and improved the healthiness in my life by just making sure I didn't eat things that I knew were clearly bad for me and by exercising a few times per week. Does it need to be any more complicated?
Check out the data on people using health related websites/apps. I was shocked it was even this high.
http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Mobile-Health-2010.aspx
I find it facinating that companies are creating apps for so many things. Some people need to feel like they are being held accountable in order to lose weight. I think it is great that your friend is able to use this app to help with weight loss!
ReplyDeleteI too think it is completely interesting that power that simple apps can have on our lives. What intrigues me is what apps actually capture the data entered. Who is using the information and why?
ReplyDeleteI think some of the approaches people use for weight loss is simply ridiculous. The formula is quite simple actually, if you burn more than you take in you will lose weight. But, this being said, if the IPhone (which I am jealous too, until March) App helps your friend to lose the weight and stay on course then it is obviously working. We all learn and respond in different ways and your friend has found the one that works for them. I say keep up the good work!
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