3 of the Best Healthy Living Apps

No one likes to think they’re unhealthy, but with purse strings stretched, it can end up being an excuse for cancelling that gym subscription or not eating as well as we should. Whether you’re in this camp, or are currently living a healthy lifestyle, we’ve hunted down the best iPhone apps to help you on your quest to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. And the best part – all of the apps are completed free to download from the Apple App Store.

 

 

 

Don’t be put off immediately by it’s name if you’re not a keen runner, as the Nike+ Running App is equally useful for walkers.  It allows you to track your route, so you know the distance covered and your progress. This means you can see how you’ve performed compared to previous runs as it’s keeps track off your pace and time as well. You’ll also see the number of calories you’ve burned off – perfect if you’re looking to shed some weight.

 

The information collected is then automatically uploaded to the NikePlus.com website, so you can get a really simple snapshot of your route, elevation and all of the other data tracked each time.  If you need some further encouragement for a big run, the Nike+ Running App has Facebook integration included, so your friends can all cheer you on and you can show off your progress. Don’t worry though, this can be turned on and off as required so there’s no need for everyone to see your battle to getting fit before you’re ready to boast! 

 

 

 

The MyFitnessPal App is essentially an app to assist with weight loss, but is still beneficial generally for healthy living. This is because it has a nifty calorie counter, making it easy to keep a track of how much you’re eating to ensure you stick to the recommended daily allowance. It allows you to set your own daily calorie goals, before tracking your intake versus the exercise you’ve done that day. 

 

We love the MyFitnessPal app mainly due to it’s simplicity, as it automatically works out the calorie count just from you typing in the name of the food. This can be achieved as it has one of the largest databases of food (over 3 million in total), so you aren’t left frustrated and forced to try and work it out for yourself. You’re then presented with a lovely report of your progress each day which is great if you need some more motivation. If you’re looking to diet with friends, you can set up a group and then see each other’s performance to offer some moral support – great little feature. There’s a website to accompany the app, which automatically syncs in real-time so you can choose the easiest way to view your daily report or enter information. 

 

 

 

The Change4Life Healthier Recipes App is actually produced by the NHS, which instantly gives you a strong indication that this should help with healthy living. It’s essentially a meal planner app, enabling you to search across hundreds of recipes which have all be calorie counted and will help to form part of a balanced diet. It’s especially useful for parents who are looking for inspiration for daily family meals, as the Meal Mixer function will automatically provide suggestions for the day’s menu. There’s also a nifty ‘Add to Favourites’ button so you can keep a list of any recipes that you or the kids are especially fond of, without having to search for them again each time. 

 

After you’re done finding a tasty recipe on the Changes4Life app you can then add all of the ingredients to a shopping list, making it easy to keep track of everything you’ll need to cook up a storm.  There’s a function to then email the ingredients (broken down by shopping isle) plus recipe to either yourself or another family member, so you aren’t stuck looking at your iPhone during the visit to the supermarket. The majority of the recipes are based on serving 4 people and at a total cost of £5 to make, so it’s also very useful for eating healthily on a budget.