By Samantha Rogers
(U.S. Air Force photo by James M. Bowman)
Now that we are in the middle of February, the resolve from your new year goals may be waning. Now is a great time to start employing some creative methods to help you reach your health and fitness goals.
One great way to stay on top of your goals is to utilize technology to stay motivated and track your progress. Here we highlighted a few of our favorite technologies to help you take that step in the right direction.
MyFitnessPal
This free, user-friendly mobile app is an easy way to keep track of both your nutrition and fitness goals. You can add food and portion sizes to your daily “diary,” which accumulates the calories, fat, sodium, vitamins, and other nutritional values, from each food you select. If your food is store-bought, you can scan the barcode to quickly pull up the most accurate information. You can also add what type of physical activity you did that day and make notes for yourself. Over time, you can view your progress in different charts and graphs.
Seeing everything journaled out can make you more conscientious about your decisions, and maybe have you think twice before reaching for comfort food or driving past the gym on your way home from work. Another reason MyFitnessPal is so powerful is that you can connect to social networks or other users for an instant support network. Sometimes that extra encouragement—even from a complete stranger—can be that motivator you need to help you achieve your goal.
FitBit
FitBit has exploded onto the fitness technology scene with a product line designed around monitoring your lifestyle. FitBit’s sleek wristbands and activity trackers monitor data such as steps taken, calories burned, and quality of sleep. This data automatically syncs to a computer or phone, so that you can look at your activity over time.
The one major downside to FitBit is that it can be a pricey gadget if funds are tight. Products range from $59.95 to $129.95, so it might be something to keep in mind for your birthday list!
C25K Free
Couch to 5K is a popular running program that has helped many people find success in achieving their fitness goals, and specifically preparing them for a 5K run. This eight week running program recommends different interval workouts three times a week, alternating about thirty minutes a workout spent running and walking. The C25K Free app has each workout built into one easy-to-use app.
What’s great about this app is that it eliminates the need for you to keep track of how long you are running or walking for, so that you can actually focus on your workout. The app automatically prompts you to let you know when to walk or run, as well as information such as when you are at the halfway point or when you only have one minute left. All of these cues take place while you play whatever music you want from your phone!
Have you had success with any of these technologies or others you’d like to share? Tell us about it in the comments section or email us at Military@MentalHealthScreening.org.
Remember, physical health is only part of your overall health. If you feel you may be struggling with your mental health, free self-assessments are available at www.MilitaryMentalHealth.org.
Samantha Rogers is the Program Coordinator at Military Pathways.
