Christmas may be long gone, but for many of you the extra pounds you gained are still hanging around. Squeezing yourself into an uncomfortably tight pair of jeans, or deciding that you’re going to be ‘really good this week’ is probably not the best way forward.
Keeping track of what you eat can help you achieve your weight loss goals more easily. But with so many apps out there to help you do it, how do you know which one is going to be right for you? We’ve tried and tested a few of the best, so you can get on with losing that excess weight straightaway.
My Diet Diary (Free, iPhone, Android)
This free app lets you calculate exactly how many calories you’ve consumed, and how many you’ve burned off with exercise. Just enter everything you eat and your exercise for the day. It then encourages you by letting you know what you’ll weigh in a few weeks time if you keep it up. There are huge lists of food pre-programmed into the app, with all their respective amounts of fat and calories, or you can enter your own.
Weight Watchers Mobile (Free, iPhone, Android)
If you decide to follow the Weight Watchers diet, this free app is a great way to check your points while you’re out and about. Just enter the foods you’ve eaten, and the app will let you know how many points are remaining for the day. There are also recipes, success stories and diet tips. However, most features are only available to subscribers of Weight Watchers online.
MyFitnessPal (Free, iPhone, Android)
This great app has the largest food database of any calorie counter – over 1.1 million food items. It’s quick and easy to enter what you’ve eaten, as it remembers your favourites and you can enter multiple foods at once. There’s even a free barcode scanner, and you can add friends and track and support each other’s progress. And, there’s a daily nutritional summary to make sure you’re not missing out on anything important. It’ll help you get rid of those extra pounds in no time.
Lose It! (Free, iPhone, Android)
Become the weight you want to be with Lose It! Set goals and a daily calorie budget that helps you to meet them – then stay on track by recording your food and exercise each day. It has some great features, including the option to add friends for extra support and motivation, and track protein, fat, carbohydrates and more. It’ll also remind you when you forget to log your meals, so you’ll never lose sight of your progress.
Weight Loss Hypnosis Program ( iPhone £0.69, Android £1.24)
If you find yourself needing more than just a food and exercise tracking app – try using the power of self-hypnosis to control your weight. This radically different app claims to help you do just that. It is meant to give you the desire to get out there and exercise, and have more energy each day. After listening to the audio, you should have no desire to eat between meals or at night. If used correctly, it will hopefully help you get rid of some of those poor, unhealthy eating patterns and reach your target weight faster.
