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My Top 3 |
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It’s that time of year when the winter holidays have packed on the extra pounds, the goal of losing weight gets added to the New Year’s resolution list, and memberships at local gyms increase ten fold.
If you’re like many who are looking to lose weight and adopt a healthy lifestyle, you face a difficult journey ahead of you. It’s not easy to lose weight, but unique websites, applications and technologies can make losing weight fun and a little more interesting. Here are our top ten technologies for reducing that number you see on the scale:
10. : One of the biggest rewards for losing weight, other than extending your lifespan and improving your health, is watching your “number” get lower and approach your goal weight! Graphing your weight over time also captures important data about trends in your weight loss habits over a period of time. For many, there are certain times of the week, month or year that weight tends to fluctuate, so recording your weight on a regular basis can help aid in the weight loss process.
Two applications can capture your data digitally: Skinnyr and Google 15. The Skinnyr site is a free weight tracking graph site that allows you to download an application for your computer desktop and has an iPhone app for you to see your weight loss track on the go.
I stumbled across Google 15 when I was setting up an iGoogle homepage. Google 15 is the same concept, but is an application tool used through an iGoogle homepage (a great tool for other reasons!). An advantage to Google 15 is that it tracks your weight according to a moving average as you work towards your goal weight. By using the moving average, it masks the day-to-day fluctuations in water weight and provides a realistic assessment of your progress.
9. : These sites are a dime a dozen, so I thought I would mention two of my favorites and provide a list of others to check out as well. I’m a big fan of Sparkpeople, a free site where you can set up a weight loss or gain program, access space for a free blog, track your calories and fitness workouts, graph your weight and enjoy a huge community support group. The articles and programs are extremely helpful and there is a seemingly endless source of information at your fingertips. Many other sites charge a monthly fee to access their features, which is yet another reason Sparkpeople rises above the rest!
Livestrong is another new site built by the Lance Armstrong Foundation with many of the same features as Sparkpeople. While there is a fee to access some of their features, one bonus is their iPhone application that allows you to track your weight loss, workouts and other notes on the go — something Sparkpeople does not currently offer. One drawback I’ve noticed to Livestrong is that because it is relatively “new on the scene” it doesn’t have quite the wealth of information of large support community of Sparkpeople.
Here is a list of other sites to check out:
- Fat Secret
- Train Hero
- Fitness Journal
- Extra Pounds
- Fit Fit Buddy
- Open Fitness
- Simple Weight
8. Never underestimate the power of getting things off your chest by recording your thoughts. Blogging and journaling about your weight loss can serve many functions, including providing an archive of your progress giving your clues for how emotions and your mindset on some days affected your weight loss progress. A paper journal works, and some of the sites listed above provide you space to journal, but setting up a free Blogger site can be fun (and private). You can design the site with “before and after pictures” in your photo section, journal each day in blog entries, and set your preferences so that only you can access the content you’ve created. Or better yet, tell the world about your accomplishments and keep it public!
7. s: Take a contract out on yourself and give yourself an incentive to lose weight! These sites have you sign a contract with yourself (for example: I will reach my goal weight by “x” date, or I will lose 1 pound a week until I reach my goal weight) and you input the “or else” clause if you don’t fulfill your contract (for example: I will give “x” amount of dollars to a charity, my coworker, my ex boyfriend, or my family member). I’ve found two sites, one weight-loss specific and the other than can be used for any goals: Flaab and Stickk. If you’re inputing a number of goals, including weight loss, Stickk’s comprehensive theme would simplify things for you.
6. : A pedometer is not new or unique, but it’s been one of the best technologies to help many lose weight. A pedometer is worn close to the body and counts your steps as you walk. Many of the comprehensive weight loss websites and weight loss programs encourage walking as a strategy to lose weight and provide you with a target number of steps to take each day to remain active — the pedometer captures that number for you. Basic pedometers can be found for as little as $10 in sports equipment stores, but I recommend spending a little more to get a reliable one. And for iPhone users, try a download of one of many pedometer apps for your phone (I use StepTrakLite).
5. : This is one of my favorites. Many sites offer text messaging services that will text you each day with a weight loss tip or motivational message — sometimes receiving this late afternoon message has been the key factor in squashing my urge to skip the gym after work! Most sites charge money, but the Medical University of South Carolina offers a free text message service with weight loss tips from their doctors and researchers. Another well-reviewed and popular option is Sensei (includes a monthly charge and free access to an iPhone application — see below).
4. : How often have you skipped the gym for happy hour or opted for breakfast out instead of your morning workout routine? Would the outcome have been any different if you knew your friend was waiting for you at the door of the gym to join you for an exercise session? You wouldn’t want to leave your friend hanging or cancel on your plans.
In the “real world” you might have a buddy support system for your weight loss program, but there are a number of websites for “virtual buddies” as well. In addition to sites like Sparkpeople where you can connect with a new friend to aid you in your journey, these sites provide a support community as well:
- Buddy Slim
- Weight Circles
- Well Sphere
3. : For all of you iPhone users, a search for “weight loss” in the iPhone apps store turned up 31 applications geared towards iPhone users. Many of the comprehensive sites listed above have their own iPhone applications, but independent weight loss trackers and calorie counters exists as well. Prices from the applications range from free to $9.99. Some of my favorites are the True Weight application (similar to the Google 15 moving average concept) and the My Weight Loss Coach application that has 500 challenges and mini games that make weight loss fun!
2. : Calorie counters provide the calories and nutritional information for products that aren’t always labeled with the required nutritional information box and can be purchased in any bookstore. But a book of calorie information is not always portable or accessible if you’re away from your home. In addition to iPhone applications, several websites provide this information for free including The Daily Plate and Calorie Count at the About.com site.
1. : Cutting back on your budget may include forgoing your gym membership, and if so there are 4 home gym essentials that will keep you in shape without breaking the bank:
- : love your feet and protect them as you burn your calories and it will be well worth the investment. Athletic shoes come in all shapes and sizes and are geared towards the activities they are meant to be worn with. Runners should look for light weight shoes that are sold as “running shoes” and walkers need a completely different shoe. Watch for the descriptions of your sneakers when making your purchase. You don’t need to shell out the big bucks for shoes made for basketball players if your physical activity is limited to jogging or an elyptical machine.
- : a good set of free weights in 5, 10 and 15 pound increments will match most strength training exercise requirements from the workouts you select. Building muscle burns more fat, so it’s worth the purchase!
- : this is a must for pilates lovers and anyone looking for simple ways to build strength and flexibility. Many times the band will come packaged with the 4th home gym essential…
- : Here’s a secret: pass up the expensive sporting goods stores and visit your local Ross, TJ Maxx or Marshalls. In the home goods area of the store they have a wide variety of exercise balls with portable pumps, as well as yoga mats and resistance bands. Why pay more when the same product is on discount in these stores? Also check out Target, where I purchased an inexpensive package that included a workout DVD, inflatable exercise ball, resistance band and mat for under $50!
Technology by itself won’t rid yourself of the pounds you want to lose, but in many cases it makes diet and exercise fun and effective. You’ll find you don’t need to invest a lot of money in a fancy gym or stress over keeping track of your data in a spiral notebook (that is also subject to viewing by nosy eyes). Using these tools can help you build a comprehensive exercise program that achieves results!
What technologies do YOU use that we may have missed on this list? Have any of these worked for you?
Tag: sparkpeople
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