There’s an App for That!
How students are using mobile apps to manage their fitness and nutrition
By Anna-Marie Jaeschke, Graduate Student, Temple University, College of Health Professions
Keeping weight gain at bay and staying in peak physical shape are high priorities for many students. Life would be easier if you had your personal trainer, nutritionist, and wellness coach in a place as accessible as your mobile phone. And now a wide range of apps for smartphones lets you do just that. Fitness and nutrition tools are among the most popular apps, ranking among Angry Birds and Words With Friends.
“Smartphone apps can tap into a busy student’s lifestyle by providing a convenient way to find exercises to fit their lifestyle,” says Allison Ives, a weight loss specialist in Rockville, Maryland, with a master’s in sport psychology. “Goal-setting is vital to achieving fitness goals; students benefit from seeing feedback and tangible progress using these apps.”
The capability to enter in what you eat, see caloric intake and nutritional value, and get healthier options allows for easy monitoring of what you eat. Studies have shown that just keeping track of what we consume can lead to better weight management through boosting self-awareness. Erin Maxwell, a student at Memorial University in St. John’s, Newfoundland, likes to use MyFitnessPal. “It helps me to remain accountable about the things I eat, without being pushy. It functions like a journal.”
According to Dr. Melissa Napolitano, associate professor of both kinesiology and public health at Temple University and a clinical psychologist for the Center for Obesity Research and Education in Philadelphia, “We know that successful weight loss requires constant vigilance and diligence in terms of consistent self-monitoring. Smartphone apps and other technology are the wave of the future for weight-loss programming.”
With so many options, how can students decide which apps are the best for them? One great aspect is that many great apps are free. If you want more out of your app, many have upgraded versions available for $0.99 to $3.99. To guide you, here are some of the most popular fitness and nutrition apps, weighed in on and tested by college students.
Fooducate: Making a whole new adventure out of grocery shopping, this app allows you to scan barcodes or enter foods to be graded. See the food’s highlights (the good and the bad), and compare products to recommended healthier alternatives.
John Kim, a first-year student at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta, says, “It helps me to determine which ingredients and food I should buy when I do my groceries.”
Want to check out how your current eating habits are? Using Fooducate to scan your pantry contents, you may be surprised at some of the foods’ contents.
Lose It!: This very popular app has an extensive database of foods and exercises, as well as options to export information to Facebook, get support or healthy competition from friends, and easily back up all your info online. Darryl Coutinho, a second-year student at Humbar College in Toronto, Ontario, says he likes this app. “This helps anyone serious about weight loss, calorie counting, fitness, and nutrition. It tells you the calories in different food items, and you can decide how much to have and in what quantity. You’ll be amazed at just how many calories you actually tend to take in with different intakes of food. It is a useful, everyday tool.”
MyFitnessPal Calorie Counter and Diet Tracker:This app is the gold standard among calorie counters, boasting over a million available foods in their database, including fast food and restaurant items. Fitness-wise, this app also holds over 350 exercises and the opportunity to connect with friends and monitor success through easily accessible reports. Cassandra McKnight, a first-year student at University in Manitoba in Winnipeg, first tried the app because it was free and it had a five-star rating. “It helps track calories and exercise to reach your goal weight,” she says.
RunKeeper: This app tracks where you run and your pace through GPS technology in your phone. Also, you have the option to get audio feedback based on time or distance. Lindsay Hubenig, a student at University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, says that a friend suggested she try it. “It tracks your runs and bike rides and has customized settings to program specific distance or interval workouts. RunKeeper also sends you motivational emails when you achieve new milestones, and reminds you to get moving when it’s been a few days since your last workout.”
iMapMyRUN: Similar to RunKeeper, this app also has the GPS feature and logs where you go on your run or bike ride. Emma Mansbridge, a student at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, likes this app for many reasons. “No matter where you are going, the app marks your starting point and records distance, duration, speed, etc.” she says. “You can also upload your records to the companion website.”
Nike Training Club: Not just for those that favour fancy brand names, this app is inspired by world-class athletes and developed by professional trainers from Nike. Nike Training Club includes over 60 custom workouts, with celebrity reward workouts to work up to. Audio directions from a trainer help guide you throughout the challenging and detailed routines, which can be done in a short time with limited exercise equipment.
Sarah Bodendorfer, a fourth-year student at the University of Western Ontario in London likes Nike+ for her work-outs. “I chose Nike+ because it was a pre-loaded app on my iPod, which allowed me to keep track of the distance I run, the calories I burn, and I can also set up workouts and playlists,” she says. “I can also upload my information to the Nike+ website, where I can set goals and download training programs. This helps me keep track of my progress.”
What does the future hold for smartphone apps? App usage is on the upswing with constantly advancing technology. Developers will continue to design new and innovative ways to make college students’ lives easier and healthier. So stop texting and start flexing.
ANNA-MARIE JAESCHKE IS A MASTER'S STUDENT IN EXERCISE AND SPORT PSYCHOLOGY AT TEMPLE UNIVERSITY IN PHILADELPHIA. SHE ENJOYS RUNNING, COOKING, TRAVELING, DOWNLOADING NEW APPS, AND A GOOD PHILLY CHEESE STEAK.
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