So last week I ended my lifelong hiatus of not being a techie and got my first Smart Phone. I took the plunge for several reasons. First and foremost my 2 year contract was up and it was time for me to get a brand new phone (whoo hoo!). Secondly, so many people are using emails and Facebook messaging just as they would a text, providing important information or asking questions that need addressed immediately. Nevertheless, I am now in the Smart Phone world. One of the things I have really gotten addicted to are all the free applications or "apps". A week into my more connected life I have fully geared my phone up for a no fail healthy eating lifestyle. I am totally psyched at how a person who is armed with a smart phone and a few free apps, can make their way through their day making healthier, more informed choices.
Three new apps that have really made a difference in my past week are Spark People, Fooducate, and Restaurant Nutrition. Spark People is an app that allows you to log and keep track of your daily caloric intake based on what you have eaten and your calories burned through their fitness tracker. It also provides daily menu suggestions. Fooducate is an extremely cool app that will scan the barcode of your food products that you have purchased at a grocery store (name brand only...no store brands) . The app will give the product a grade (A, B, C, etc) and will provide you with a snapshot of the pluses and minuses of the food. It will also provide you with other alternatives that may be a little healthier. Finally the last app I just love is the Restaurant Nutrition app. This app features a long list of the most popular fast food and chain restaurants many of us frequent. It provides you with all the nutritional information on the restaurant's entrees, sides, salads, beverages, down to their smaller things such as dressings and condiments. This app really allows you to make the most informed decisions before hitting your favorite places. I've used it just to explore, study, and be shocked (both negatively and pleasantly) at some of my favorites and to pick what I will eat right before going to a restaurant.
So as I navigate my way through this new tech world, I am finding things that I'm completely foreign to and things that I really enjoy. So to those of you who already have Smart Phones....I would inform you that you have a lot of new information at your fingertips that will really help you live a more healthy and nutritious life!
