Page 122 - South Mississippi Living - January, 2019

FINANCE & FITNESS eye opening DO FITNESS APPS
Every year many of us say, “I’m going to go on a diet,” or “this year, I’m going to be healthier.” I really think we mean it when we make these resolutions, but if you’re like me, things just don’t always seem to pan out. But this year will be different.
Really Work?
story by Kelsey Sunderman-Foster photos courtesy of MyFitnessPal
So I’ve heard a lot about fitness apps, and for a non-fit person
like myself, having a convenient way to change my lifestyle for the better was a major win. According to Global News, there are more than 320,000 health and fitness apps available on major app stores. That’s a lot of options, and frankly a little overwhelming, but on the recommendation of a friend, I decided to download MyFitnessPal.
Like many fitness apps, MyFitnessPal has features for both exercise and diet. While diet was my key concern, I did like that the app would take exercise into account. Using either your smartphone’s built-in motion processor or a fitness accessory such as an Apple Watch or Fitbit, the app records your activity and allows you more consumable calories based on your exercise for the day.
I started by giving the app some personal information, such as current height and weight and where I wanted to be. The app then let me know that I was going to need to consume 1,200 calories per day or less to reach my health goals. That seemed like a big number at first, but one good fried chicken dinner will set you back about that many calories.
Starting off was a bit rocky. I had never been a calorie-counter, and I really didn’t know much about the nutritional value of the foods I was eating. Luckily, the app has most of
the calories figured out
for you, so all you have to worry about
is making your daily entries.
I eat a peanut
butter banana
health bar for
breakfast every
morning, which
has 260 calories;
not too bad, but I
kept finding myself
with only a few
hundred calories
left for dinner at
the end of the day.
Using this app also
made me realize how many calories I was drinking every day. Just by switching to water, I was able to optimize my caloric intake. Water is better for you anyway.
While I wouldn’t say using a fitness app has done all the hard work for me (exercise is still important and something I need
to do), I can confidently say that I am more conscious of my diet now than I was before. Yes, I still go over my daily limit from time to time, but before I make a meal decision,
I weigh my options. The awareness of my diet and making healthy decisions has been a positive change, and one that I know will stick.
122 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • January 2019