So, a new year has begun… and with that comes, for so many of us, many “new” plans: new opportunities, new ideas, new goals and, you guessed it, new resolutions!
Whether or not you are a fan of new year’s resolutions, it is always a great idea to take this time of the year to reflect on all that you have accomplished in the past year and to make an inventory of what worked for you and what did not. From that standpoint, you can then better decide whether or not you want to implement some new year’s “resolutions” or simply keep on working on older long-term projects, habits, and goals. It is with that idea in mind that I want to share with you today my top 5 apps to improve your health in 2016. They will help you either build new health habits and stick to them or simply better manage your health routine.
As a holistic nutritionist and wellness coach, I am always on the lookout for new techniques, tips and tricks to improve my own health routine and get new ideas for my clients, friends and family. And recently, I discovered so many helpful applications that I thought were really worth sharing with you all. Whether, you use a smart phone, tablet or your own computer, I am sure that you will find these apps super useful.
Let me show you my top 5 apps to improve your health in this new year.
Please do not hesitate to keep the conversation going and to share your own favourite health-related apps! Sharing is caring :).
Top 5 Apps to Improve Your Health in 2016
1. Headspace
I very recently was introduced to this meditation app and I have to say that I really love it. You see, I know about the many health benefits of practising meditation daily and I often encourage it to my loved ones and clients. However, I have been guilty of not practising meditation consistently enough. Headspace helps you do just that. Every day, you get a little reminder to take a little break for some “head space” and you can chart your progress and learn a ton of useful tips and information about meditation: what it is and how to best practise it. This app is subscription-based, but you can take a free trial for 10 days and if you like it, pay the monthly or yearly subscription fee. Another option is to use the 10 days free-trial as a way to get used to meditating daily and then continue on your own. Regardless of your decision, I definitely would recommend you check it out.
2. Nike+ Training Club
This is by far one of my favourite apps when it comes to exercising and tracking your progress. The Nike+ Training Club is a free online trainer and community. You will find a ton of free workout routines, which you can either do in the comfort of your own home, at the gym or outside. There are many different levels and you can even create your own customized fitness programs. I honestly LOVE this app because it gives me new ideas for working out and keeps me challenged. I highly recommend it, if you don’t like crowded gyms or if you enjoy challenging yourself physically without having to spend hours working out. No matter the workout routine you choose, you will feel the burn!
3. Sleep Cycle
Sleep Cycle is definitely one of the coolest apps I have come across in a while. I stumbled upon this one randomly after browsing through the “Explore” section on iTunes. This app tracks your sleep cycles and wakes you up, just like your regular alarm would, but during your light sleep phases. This allows you to wake up in a more gentle and natural way, as opposed to getting startled by your alarm in the middle of a deep sleep cycle, which can easily ruin your mood in the morning. How does it track your sleep patterns? It uses the accelerometer or microphone built into your phone to record your movements and sounds while you sleep. Obviously, there is much more to it technology-wise, and if any of you are curious, please feel free to refer to their website for more information: Sleep Cycle.
What I want to focus on is the reasons why you should try this app.
- The alarm clock is really gentle and it has an intelligent snooze option. For anybody out there that needs 3+ snoozes before rising, this app is for you!
- You get a really cool analysis of your sleeping patterns, for free!
- Ever since I have been using this app, I find that the quality and the quantity of my sleep has improved. Now, some of you might think “placebo” and though I doubt that the technology used by this app is bogus, the results are still the same, placebo or not: I get more and better sleep! So why not?
Give it a try and see for yourself…
4. Way of Life
Way of Life is another very recent find of mine. But boy, am I happy to have found it. You see, if you are someone that likes to take on new challenges and desire to build new habits (whether health-related or not) but you never follow through, then you are going to LOVE this app. Indeed, this app allows you to keep track of the many different personal goals you may have. You’ve been trying to read more? Exercise more? Save more? Write more?… Whatever it is, this app will help you track your efforts and will help keep you accountable. Every day, you get a friendly reminder to see how you performed with regards to your particular goal/habit for the day or the week: you simply answer: yes or no. It allows you to add notes as well, so you may better see your progress and what gets in the way of you not implementing your new habit. Finally, you can also have a visual as well (they have graphs and other statistical tools). The app is free for 3 goals or less. And if you want to track more goals, then you can get the premium subscription of $5.79 per year. I honestly believe it is worth giving it a look and trying it.
5. Kindara
Last but definitely not least is the Kindara app. One of my favourite finds of the moment as well. This app will help you chart your menstrual cycles, and is based on the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM), which relies on your own body signs (namely your body basal temperature and your cervical fluid) to better predict your fertile phase, ovulation, and next period. There are many different ways to avoid pregnancy but my favourite method is the FAM because it is natural, does not rely on the use of any chemicals, hormones or devices. The FAM is NOT the same as the Rhythm Method. Indeed, when used appropriately, the FAM is 99.6 % effective to avoid pregnancy. I have personally been using this method for over 5 years with complete success. I feel confident and I know exactly what my body goes through every cycle.
If you are unfamiliar with this method though, I strongly suggest you read Toni Weschler’s book “Taking Charge of Your Fertility” . It is a MUST read for any woman wanting to better understand how her body works, whether she uses the FAM or not.
Now back to this app… There are, indeed, many apps that will help you chart your cycle and fertility. However, this one is my favourite because of the interface, the helpful community section, the customizable data input (you can track as many symptoms as you want) and finally because it is a free app that is super user friendly. This app is basically the electronic version of tracking your menstrual cycles via paper charts. I absolutely LOVE it. It is very intuitive and works according to YOUR cycles to give you the most accurate prediction of your ovulation, fertile phases and of course your next period. This app also allows you to set up a few reminders regarding the taking of your temperature, the checking of your cervical fluid, breast exams, etc. The chart section is very well designed and it gives you a very clear overview of your current and past cycles. Finally, another great option is the community section, where you can ask any questions related to your chart, any anomaly, or any other concern you may have. Honestly, I am hooked and very pleased to have found this app. I have been using paper charts for 5+ years now and they were starting to accumulate. With this app, I can save all of my charts on my computer and even print them if necessary. AND did I mention, this app is FREE? Seriously?? Give it a go!!
There you have it, folks. My top 5 Apps to Improve Your Health in 2016. I am convinced that you will find at least one of them super useful, if not life-changing.
Cheers to vibrant health,
Sarah.
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