Use These App Finds to Conquer Your New Year’s Resolutions
Posted on December 29, 2011 by Aly Walansky
We all have goals in the New Year (some of mine are so major I can’t even type them) – but whatever they are, when we are setting goals, the most important aspect is those goals actually sticking.
I’ll take help from any corner I can, and if it’s my trusty iPhone…why not?
Resolution: Eat healthier
App: Munch 5-a-Day
This app is sort of like BIG BROTHER WATCHING. It helps you to regularly record your daily intake of fruits and veggies, as well as set personal goals and generates graphs that monitor your progress. You can also share your developments with friends and family as an extra layer of accountability. Achieve your goals consistently and you’ll earn badges for healthy living. It’s like the FourSquare of Health! Of sorts.
Resolution: Exercise, one stair at a time
App: Monumental
Believe it or not, even climbing the stairs to your 4th-floor walk-up studio can be loads of fun. OK, maybe not loads, but you CAN turn the stairs into a game with the free Monumental app. You’ll explore the monuments of the world while climbing the stairs at your office building or parking garage. As you climb real stairs you’ll also climb virtual stairs towards the top of Mount Olympus or the Statue of Liberty. While the view you’ll see may be virtual, the extra calories you’ll burn are completely real. Yes, it’s a delusional way of doing it. But it’s sort of cool. And like Oregon Trail. And better than Angry Birds. TRUST US.
Resolution: Drink More Water
App: Waterlogged or Drinking Water
Something I learned during my recent stay in that big white building with a red cross across the front; Dehydration can manifest itself as tiredness or hunger. Many of us are dehydrated and don’t know it, and that’s super bad for us. Drinking more water is also a great tool for weight loss, but remembering to drink regularly can be difficult. Monitor your H2O intake and set reminders to yourself to drink with one of these apps.
Resolution: Write a Book
App: Write a Book
Writing a book is one of the most common life goals – it’s been one of mine for years – and this tool can help you make it happen in 2012. Since you probably carry your iPad with you wherever you go, having this app may prompt you to find more time to finish that world-changing bodice-ripper-with-a-purpose novel. It’s $3.99 and helps you create a book cover, manage chapters and soon you’ll be able to send the document by mail or export it as a PDF.
Resolution: To Quit Smoking
App: Quitter
Smoking kills you, it’s bad for your teeth, it kills your breath — and it’s rather unattractive in its own right. If your dream is to kick that dirty habit then put the Quitter app into your hand instead of a cigarette. This free app provides a constant source of encouragement by giving you a visual reference point as to how long it’s been since you last lit up and how much money you’ve saved as a result. Quitter isn’t just for smoking—you can use it to help you quit anything.
Resolution: Pay down debt
App: Hello Wallet
Sigh. This is a big one…especially for the circles I travel in. Many of us make spending decisions on the go so why not get help right where we need it? The Hello Wallet app will help you save more money and pay down your debt. In fact, they say the average person saves $300 more every month after using it for 30 days. It’s a free app, so what have you got to lose?
