Can An App Help You Lose Weight?

A quick look through any app store will easily show you that there are hundreds, if not thousands of weight loss apps. There are those that count your calories, those that give you exercise programs and those that notify you when to exercise. But, can any of them actually help you lose weight? Well, that is what we are here to find out.

What it Takes to Lose Weight

Let’s make one thing clear right off the bat. Will simply installing an app help you lose weight? Of course not. No app in the world can help you shed those unwanted pounds if you aren’t willing to dedicate yourself. True, some can make staying disciplined a bit easier. Or make counting calories a bit more straightforward. But, in order to actually lose weight, you need to eat properly, exercise and get enough sleep. Only if you are willing to do these things can an app actually help you with losing weight?

Proper Diet

People usually shrug when they hear the word diet. This is because they associate it with small meals, vegetables and an overall feeling of being hungry. Well, if you want to lose weight in a healthy way, this is the first thing you have to banish from your thoughts. Having a proper diet is all about eating healthy. So, will you cut down on your sugars and junk food? Probably. After all, people that avoid these foods usually don’t need to lose weight. But, by no stretch of the imagination do you have to suffer hunger or reduce your calories to a ridiculous amount. All you have to do is to maintain a healthy diet and you can even enjoy sugar and sweets, every once in a while.

Exercise

The benefits of exercise can be hardly overstated. Not only will exercising help you lose weight, but it will also boost your hormones and make you feel much better. Numerous studies show that exercise is connected to positivity, happiness and an overall sense of satisfaction. Furthermore, they are bound to kickstart your weight loss and help you get that ideal figure in a fraction of time.

So, why don’t people exercise regularly? Well, similar to dieting, they have misconceptions about it. Usually, when you mention exercise, people think of pushups, running or doing stomach crutches. And, while these are all viable exercises, you need to understand that there are countless ways in which you can work up a sweat. Among them are:

• Swimming
• Running
• Dancing
• Lifting weights
• Playing sports
• Doing martial arts
• Doing Yoga

So, all you need to do is to pick one that sounds fun. After that, you will easily find an app that can help you exercise better.

Getting Quality Sleep

One of the most overlooked aspects of losing weight is getting quality sleep. Most people feel that eating properly and exercising is enough. But, those two will only work if you rest properly. Now keep in mind that there is nothing that can replace a good night’s sleep. During it, your muscles grow, your hormones regulate and your brain chemistry rests. Therefore, by having a good sleeping schedule, you will not only be more motivated but you will be more healthy overall. But, you will also experience better results from your diet and your exercise. So, keep in mind that sleep is as important as diet and exercise when it comes to losing weight.

How Can an App Help You?

So, what role can an app play in order to help you lose weight? Well, their biggest contribution is that they make the three aspects of weight loss easier to manage. Some apps can help you monitor your food while others can help with exercise routines. So, depending on how you approach your weight-loss regiment, an app can be of tremendous help. Especially if you count calories and base your exercises on running and doing reps.

Counting Calories

One of the best things about apps is that they make monitoring and calculating much easier. Say that you’ve decided to count calories. If you use a pen and paper you need to carry them around with you. Or you can try to do your calorie counting at the end of the day, which can be hard to remember. This is where having a calorie counting app can come in handy. With one, you will not only count your calories but also get calculations on how you are doing compared to your history. Apps such as these can be a terrific boost for your diet motivation and can even make counting calories fun.

Exercise

When it comes to doing standard exercises, a lot of people struggle with coming up with a workout regiment. You will probably experience this once you decide to exercise at home. After all, you want to engage your whole body without putting yourself at risk. So, what are you to do? Well, one of the ways you can find exercises is by downloading an app. Larger exercise apps come with workout programs that are just as good as if they came from a professional trainer. Furthermore, apps can notify you about your training schedule and help you keep track of your performance. So, if you are not sure what exercises to do, download an exercise app.

A couple of apps to consider

Some of the best apps to start with are:

• Freeletics – If you want to train at home and don’t know which exercises to do, then Freeletics is the app for you. With over 900 different routines, you are bound to find something fun and engaging to do.
• Tone It Up – Tone It Up is an app that strays away from standard exercises and focuses more on things like Yoga, boxing and strength training.
• Strava – When it comes to cycling, jogging or swimming, Strava is the app to have. With it, you can set up challenges, monitor your progress and even monitor your calorie burn.

Author bio:

Karolina Felder was a junior wrestler and a professional fitness instructor for over 15 years. She now focuses on raising her daughters and writing helpful articles about dieting and working out for websites like Dubaipt. Her main focus is proper movement during exercise and muscle integration during stress.