Oh hey there! What’s that? You’re curious if I’m still eating food? Say what? Because it’s been forever since I posted a recipe for you guys? Why yes, thank you for asking, I am still a consumer of food these days, but see – I’ve just become the mom of a Kindergartner and I’ve been working hard to live in the moment. So things like taking pictures of my food have just fallen to the wayside for a little bit…one of the perks of working for myself I suppose. But fear not! Food is coming y’alls way soon!
In the meantime, I AM still working hard to become healthier in every area and truthfully you guys have been asking me a lot about how I’m doing that. I’m super SUPER happy to share because I love sharing things that have helped me, but first you should know this: I AM NOT A PROFESSIONAL. Therefore if you are wanting to make any changes to your diet/exercise then you should talk to your doctor first. This little post is just me sharing the little bits and pieces that have been working for me, not a suggestion that everyone jump in and do them too!
Now that that’s out there let’s get started shall we? These apps are all ones that I’ve been using in regards to my health and the health of my family to really try and eek out the best life possible. 9 carefully curated little nuggets that have proven themselves time and time again!
- Kids Health Tracker. I use this for all of us and really love it. I searched long and hard for an app that would help me to track medicine intake and symptoms, especially during the dreaded winter sickness and spring allergies, for all 4 of us. This app says it’s for kids, but I enter mine and Nate’s info in there too when need be! It’s super simple, straight-forward, user friendly, and free. Winner winner chicken dinner.
- Kindara: Fertility & Ovulation Tracker. I’m not one to really discuss reproductive health, but years ago I was on birth control and just didn’t feel great about it. I didn’t have my period for about a year, and at the end of the day I know that it’s only a effective a percentage of the time. I know several women who still got pregnant on birth control, though, and I just couldn’t stomach the “what if” factor of taking birth control and unknowingly being pregnant at the same time. So I stopped, and because I have an amazingly supportive husband we’ve been using different methods for family planning purpose ever since. Kindara has been a great resource for me to understand my cycle even more; I know there are several good apps out there but this is the one I’ve grown accustomed to and love it! Easy to use, super informative, etc.
- Tabata Timer. This a great exercise app for the days that I build my own Tabata-style workouts. Free, easy, self-explanatory. You pick the exercises, set the timer, and GO!
- Interval Timer. Another workout timer, but this one lets you build your own custom workouts. I have been doing the BBG program for 29 weeks now and really love using this time for that!
- EWG’s Healthy Living App. When I first learned about toxins in personal care products I became overwhelmed really quickly at what all I needed to look for. This app has been an irreplacable resource for me as I navigate the ridiculously unregulated area of personal care products, rating items from 1-10 (1 is the best) based on the ingredients used. They take into account so many factors, so even things like “fragrance” don’t get past the process!
- Think Dirty. This one is similar to Healthy Living but not as comprehensive if you ask me. If, however, a product isn’t on the Healthy Living App yet I will usually run it through Think Dirty just to see a snapshot of how clean or dirty it is before I buy it!
- 7 Minute Workout. I’ll have to go into my morning routine in another post, but I’ve been working on getting a little more activity in my mornings lately. I have to make it quiet, though, or else I’ll wake up the whole house. I really like how simple this app is to use and love how short the workouts are. It’s definitely taken the guesswork out of what kind of activity to do for a short morning exercise sesh!
- Nike+ Run Club. I use this all the time when I walk or hike outside because I love being able to track distance and the time split function feeds my inner competitiveness so I keep my workout going strong instead of slowing down. I’m not a big runner, but I really do love knowing how far I’ve gone and I find it helps keep me creative with the routes I take too!
- MyFitnessPal. I’m going to go ahead and throw it out there: if you try to friend me on this app I will probably not accept it. I only share this one with my mom and sister because that’s the level of accountability I like, but I cannot say enough good things about this app and how it has helped me to track portion control. I’m not perfect, but plugging the food I eat into it and monitoring macronutrients has really helped me understand why I gain or lose or stay at the same weight. Well, this one plus Kindara 😉 Tracking food intake isn’t for everyone, but I’ve gotten to a place where I’m comfortable doing it and really love the way MyFitnessPal lets me do it!
So what about you guys? What are your favorite apps for living a healthier life?t
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