How to Lose Weight Online and on the Go
By Jessica Padykula
Losing weight is probably one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions people make, but also one of the hardest to keep. One way to make things easier is to incorporate technology.
A recent study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research showed that people who use healthy living websites are more successful when it comes to maintaining weight loss. According to the study, people who regularly log into a weight loss website are better able to stick to healthy habits and put an end to yo-yo dieting.
But not just any weight loss site will do. The study authors suggested consumers look for sites that have the following criteria:
- Be interactive and allow users to correspond with one another and with nutrition and exercise experts
- Emphasize accountability by requesting users record weight, exercise and calories consumed
- Offer customized information tailored to the individual
- Provide accurate health information.
One such website is Thin-Site.com, a new health and weight management platform created by Dr. David Edelson. After spending 12 years helping people successfully lose weight in an office-based setting, Edelson decided to expand the reach of his practice with the help of technology. “We wanted to allow more people to use our program, so we created a similar experience online,” he says. “Technology allows us to reach out to people in ways we never could before.”
When it comes to weight loss success, says Edelson, accountability is paramount – and is something often missing when a dieter tries to go it alone. Apps and websites that require you to keep a daily online food and exercise journal, as well as forums where you can either reach out to experts or to others working towards a weight loss goal add that element of accountability.
Edelson is particularly excited about Thin-Cam, Thin-Site’s app, which allows users to take photos of everything they eat and upload the images to a visual food diary that can later be analyzed online by Thin-Site’s nutrition experts. “This creates the ability for anyone, no matter where they are, to reach out to an expert and access information that will help them reach their goals,” Edelson explains.
We’ve put together a round- up of more apps and sites aimed at helping you lose weight and focus on fitness.
Apps
Lose it!
This multi-faceted app allows you to set a weight loss goal, establish a daily calorie budget and keep track of your progress by recording your food intake and exercise. Free for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.
Calorie Tracker
As the name suggests, this app allows you to track the calories you consume with a database of over 625,000 food and restaurant items. You can also track calories burned with their database of exercises and activities. $3 for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad; US $3 at Blackberry App World.
M-Train
More of a fitness rather than calorie tracking app, M-Train offers interesting workouts for anyone bored with their usual fitness routine. Choose from pre-designed workouts or build your own from a database of individual exercises. You can even create your own workout playlist from your iTunes library. Free to download but each workout is $1. For iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.
Absolute Fitness
Log calories burned, calories consumed and keep on top of your health and fitness goals with this handy app. $5 for Android.
Sites
Jillianmichaels.com
The popular fitness trainer well known from her work on The Biggest Loser
Shape.com
From fitness videos to healthy recipes to weight loss tips and information, there are countless reasons to visit Shape.com if you’re trying to lose weight or add more healthy habits to your daily life.
FitDay.com
Sign up for a FitDay.com account so you can start tracking your foods, exercise, weight loss and fitness goals – all in one place.
SparkPeople.com
Check out this site for helpful tools such as calorie counters, meal plans, fitness programs and other features that make sticking to weight loss goals easier.
Looking for more?
Image: lockstockb, stock.xchng
What tech tools do you use to help keep fit? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
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