With the booming use of apps on smartphones, it’s never been easier to monitor goals. Now that it’s 2019, it’s the perfect time to scope out which apps can help keep you on track for your New Year’s resolutions.
The mobile health app market is currently worth around $28.3 billion U.S., and is estimated to be $102.35 billion U.S. by 2023. This fast-paced market is changing the way we monitor ourselves and giving health independence back to the patient. This makes these apps incredibly valuable in getting to know our bodies.
Let’s take a look at some of the intuitive and creative apps that can help you reach your goals this year.
When it comes to nutrition, trends over the last little while have veered away from hard and fast dieting. Dieters are now leaning towards intuitive eating, while apps are being developed for both Apple and Android with a focus on how the body processes every bite. Here are a few of my favourite health apps for 2019.
PlantNanny
If your resolution this year is to get hydrated, then PlantNanny might be for you. PlantNanny grows a virtual garden in accordance with your water intake. Each time you drink, your plants get watered and, in turn, grow and become healthier. PlantNanny also offers cup/bottle selections to customize what you’re drinking from, and notifications to let you know when it’s time to take a sip!
Fooducate
Love the idea of a bar code scanner when picking up groceries, or grabbing a mid-day snack, but not ready to commit to a diet app? Fooducate offers a bar code scanner that teaches you what’s healthy and unhealthy about each item. It has the added bonus of tracking health, weight and sleep. Fooducate also offers habit trackers to help pick up where your weak points are, and the option of a community to share your victories with or pick you up when you’re struggling.
Decreasing stress is another favourite when it comes to setting resolutions. Work stress, family stress and holiday stress seem to compound around this time of year, making it a popular choice for changing your lifestyle in 2019.
Headspace
Headspace is a meditation app that teaches you how to do it, and offers meditations for specific goals like mindful eating, better sleep, and exercise. It’s fairly well known in the relaxation app space, but did you know it has another perk? Headspace has teamed up with Air Canada to offer a meditation channel on their in flight TVs for uneasy flyers or flyers who want to relax.
Happify
Looking to see the brighter side of things this year? Happify was created as a mindfulness app to combat worry. Work through tracks of series of activities designed to get you thinking positively and alter your outlook for the better. You can also choose if you’d like privacy or a community engagement for extra support. Happify also features notifications to complete happiness assessments and monitor your progress.
Zombies, Run!
Games like Pokemon Go! changed the way that gamers play. Sedentary gaming is a thing of the past, and getting up and moving is the future.
Zombies, Run! is a typical run tracker with a twist. It’s the end of the world, and every step helps gather supplies, and outlive the zombie apocalypse. You need to move to survive. Track your routes, compare your stats, and add a little bit of adventure to your cardio.
While powering off is always a good option to clear the mind, when it comes to a hectic daily schedule, there’s no harm in embracing the available (and convenient) technology to help you achieve your best self in 2019. The mobile health app market has become an incredibly convenient way to keep track of a variety of health concerns, and with ever evolving technology, the new year is a great time to see what’s available to stay motivated and on track.
Wishing you a happy and healthy 2019!
(All apps are available on Apple and Android)
