In this day and age of technology, it’s almost surprising that our phones can’t do even more for us. But that’s OK – they’ll get there. One thing that our smart phones can do is track calories and weight loss goals. If you’re searching for something to give your weight loss and fitness routine a boost, here are some apps that we think definitely make the cut:
Diet Tracker & Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal
The Diet Tracker & Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal is one of the most highly raved about on the web. It’s free for both iOS and Android. This all-in-one app uses your stats – height, weight, exercise levels, age and target weight – to calculate a daily caloric intake. By entering the nutritional and calorie values of everything you eat, you can target your eating goals. But it’s easier than that! MyFitnessPal is equipped with a barcode scanner that you can use to pull the data from the food’s packaging when possible, making it less time-consuming. The app has over 3 million food items, and counting, so it’s unlikely that you’ll need to input data about what you eat, but if you do, it stores the information for next time.
MyFitnessPal’s calorie counter also tracks your exercise regime, can tell you the healthfulness of the food you’ve eaten and submits progress reports.
Lose It!
Lose It! is a free app for both Android and iOS that is similar to MyFitnessPal. It helps you set weight loss goals by using your vital stats and how many pounds you’d like to lose per week – with a maximum of two. Lose It! tells you your target calories per day to meet your weight loss goals, and it keeps track of both the calories you consume each day and those you burn during exercise. It’s cited for being especially user-friendly. The premium version allows you to see stats on hydration, body fat, sleep cycles and other statistics that might help. You can also add friends to help you stay motivated!
Noom Weight Loss Coach
Noom Weight Loss Coach does more than just log your foods to track your daily and weekly calorie intake and weight loss progress. It also has a pedometer to track how many steps you walk or run per day, the data of which is incorporated into your exercise and weight loss progress. Noom focuses a lot on motivation, providing users with daily health and wellness articles to help them work toward various goals and to encourage them to stick to their fitness plans. In this way, it’s a virtual coach, not just an app! The goal is to help you form healthy habits in your daily life, no matter what your goals are.
Though there are only currently around 1 million foods in its calorie logging database, Noom Weight Loss Coach teaches you which foods are healthiest by using color-coding after foods are logged, which is great for people who have just started paying attention to what they eat. The design is appealing and easy to use, and Noom is available for Android users.
Calorie Counter PRO by My Net Diary
This app – available for both Android and iOS – is not free, but it has more impressive advanced features than many of the free apps, making it well-worth the costs. Calorie Counter PRO allows you to track foods using a barcode scanner and set weight loss goals, just as other apps do. But it also allows you to easily compare foods side-by-side so you can make a healthier choice more easily. Calorie Counter PRO also gives you real-time tips based on how you’ve been eating during that day. You can also track exercise and workout data, making it a comprehensive fitness and weight loss app!