Like it or not, the world we live in is now online. It allows us to reconnect with friends we haven’t seen since high school graduation and lets us see what’s going on around the world any time of the day. And it houses several tools that can keep your health headed in the right direction.
When you start in a new health direction, it can be challenging to stay on track. You’re not sure where to begin. You don’t know if what you’re currently eating offers what you’re looking for. You just want to fall back into your old habits and routines to make life easier.
The following free online tools can help give you the motivation, insight, and accountability to achieve your health goals.
Are you a social butterfly? Try MyFitnessPal. When my hubby and I signed up for the Farrell’s 10-week challenge, this app was recommended to us. It’s your one-stop shop for tracking what you eat, recording your physical activity, and connecting you with people you know (or don’t know) so you can offer each other encouragement to keep going. It’s a health tracker perfect for those who want to feel connected
Not only does it allow you to post whatever you want to share about your journey to health and comment on others’ progress, the food tracking function allows you to view what you actually eat versus what you thought you ate. It can be the ultimate reality check.
A key feature of this tool is that it includes many of the name-brand foods you may rely on for convenience in your diet. Is there a particular protein bar you’ve been depending on after your workout? Plug it into this tool and it will tell you whether it’s helping or hindering your health goals.
If convenience foods are something you count on regularly, be sure to make your shopping list using the Weston A. Price Foundation Shopping Guide to make smart brand choices. Stephanie Anderson’s Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is! will make you a savvy shopper by teaching you what to look for as you maneuver the aisles at your local market.
Don’t always feel the need to share? Check out CRON-O-Meter. You can chat with others in the forum or simply track your healthy food intake and exercise habits. It allows you to plan your menu rather than record your eating habits after the fact, ensuring you get what you’re looking for out of your diet.
My nerdy side really likes this tool because the nutrition information provided comes from resources like the National Nutrient Database from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Nutrition Coordinating Center’s (NCC) Food and Nutrient Database. Also, it tracks more than just your basic carbs, proteins, and fats—you can view your macronutrients, micronutrients, and various ratios as well.
Both of these tools offer options for your home computer and/or your smartphone. If you can access the web with your device, you can log into your account and track progress toward your health goals.
There are all kinds of benefits to tracking what you’re eating, and these online tools make it super simple to keep your health headed in the right direction.
Do you use online tools to keep your health on track?
Image from iStock/bernardbodo.
Paula Widish, author of Trophia: Simple Steps to Everyday Self-Health, is a freelance writer and self-healther. She loves nothing more than sharing tidbits of information she discovers with others. (Actually, she loves her family more than that—and probably bacon too.) Paula has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Public Relations and is a Certified Professional Life Coach through International Coach Academy.
Products by Paula Widish
