Is it me, or did 2015 go by really fast? One minute we’re watching the ball drop on Times Square, and the next, we’re getting ready to do it all over again. By the way, when I’m talking about watching the ball drop it’s from the couch, inside a warm house with no commute home. 2015 was a great year, and with even brighter things on the horizon for next year, I for one can’t wait to get 2016 started! Before all that can happen, however, it feels like it’s time for a pop quiz, so here goes: What are the only certainties in life? If you answered with “death and taxes” you’re missing one. The correct answer is: “death, taxes, and millions of people making weight loss resolutions!” Making a resolution on New Year’s Day to lose weight is an age old tradition, but, like most things, technology has improved to the point that there are more ways to hold you accountable than ever before. Today, we’ll look at just a couple of the ways.
If you’re looking for a device designed to track your every move, look into purchasing a Fitbit. Have your ever noticed the “stylish” multi-colored wristbands that people are wearing? Chances are they’re a Fitbit. The Fitbit Flex is available at any number of locations, from Amazon to Best Buy to Kohl’s, and retails for around $100. These devices are pretty comprehensive. They monitor the number of steps taken, distance walked, calories burned, active minutes, and they even monitor your sleep. As is the case with almost everything today, Fitbit offers an app. The app is free, and is available for iOS, Android, and Windows devices. For an Apple protect, search Fitbit in the App Store. For Android, look in Google Play, and for Windows, check the Windows store. The Fitbit app syncs the statistics gleaned from your wristband to your device, and also allows you to share statistics with friends and family, keep track of results, record workouts, and log food consumed, just to name a few. It only makes sense to me: if you’re not keeping score, how do you know if you’re winning?
At the end of 2014 I decided to begin a very strenuous, daily, workout regimen. I’ve had back problems for years, and I finally decided that enough was enough and to do something about it. The exercising was very difficult, and it became even more so when I wasn’t looking different or losing weight. After doing a little research, I found that I was taking in more calories than I was burning (I’m a little slow at times). This research led me to livestrong.com and their MyPlate Calorie Tracker. Finally I started to see results. With the website and associated app, I entered my height and weight, and chose how much weight I wanted to lose in a given time period. Livestrong then calculated the number of calories I could injest in a day and still stick to my goal. Just what I needed. You’re able to enter every bit of food you eat a day along with the serving size, and the calories consumed are automatically deducted from the day’s allowed total. Calories burned through exercise can be entered with those calories added to your daily allowance, and water consumption is also tracked. Progress is charted through a series of graphs which is sure to provide encouragement. Information entered into the website is synchonized with the app. The opposite is also true.
If you own a new iPhone, you may have noticed an app appropriately named, “Health”. This app became available with a recent major software update, so there’s no need to head to the App Store to download it. Health is sort of a hybrid of the two services discussed earlier in the post. It tracks daily footsteps automatically, and is a convenient place to enter all your data. Some examples of this data include: body measurements, fitness, nutrition, reproductive health, test results, height, and weight. Perhaps the handiest part of the app is that you can create a “Medical ID”. This ID contains your name, birthdate, medical conditions, medical notes, allergies and reactions, medications, emergency contacts, blood type, organ donor information, height, and weight. It’s easy to see just how helpful this can be, especially since this information can be made available while the phone is locked. A paramedic would simply tap “Emergency” then “Medical ID”. Also, many fitness apps enable information to be synchronized with the Health app making this a handy addition to the iOS platform. This app is unique to iPhone 4S or later, or iPod touch 5th generation or later.
I know that technology often gets a bad rap in our society. There is pretty strong evidence that many, and especially children, are addicted to the latest gadget that comes down the pike. I’m of the thinking that technology can and should be used for good, and can enhance our lives in a positive way. At Finish Line, we aim to introduce ways to use your devices in a more efficient and helpful way. Today’s post illustrates how it’s more than possible to enact a positive lifestyle change through technology. I wish you all luck on your new year’s resolutions, and wish you a very happy and healthy 2016!