Try these apps for getting body and finances in shape

Kerry Keith
The Friday Flyer Columnist

The New Year is a time of hope and a fresh start. It’s also a time to pause and reflect on what and how you can improve your life. Change is not easy and tackling too many issues at once can be daunting and may prevent you from fulfilling your purpose. Start with one goal, one resolution, one thing you want to achieve. Stay focused and don’t be afraid to seek help.

Here are a few apps that can assist you to stay on track. Remember your resolution isn’t about keeping it every day; it’s about being aware of what you’re trying to fulfill and working every day towards that goal so that by the end of year you’ll be successful.

If your goal is to get in shape this year you’re not alone. Most American’s put lose weight as their number one goal for the New Year. The secret to achieving this goal is to make small attainable goals like cutting one particular food out of your diet or adding an extra workout to your regime. Making monthly, weekly, or even daily goals makes losing weight much simpler to achieve than a yearly goal.

Tracking your food is one of the most important steps to weight loss and by tracking your intake, it will not only give insight into your eating habits, but more importantly it will keep you on point to the number of calories you should be consuming every day.

MyFitnessPal makes it simple to track your daily calorie intake. This app keeps track of your favorites so you don’t have to input them every time and the bar code scanner makes it stress-free to input foods. If it seems time consuming then set a minute or two aside at the end of the day to input the food you’ve eaten that day. This app is free for iPhone and Android users.

The app Loseit allows you to create a personalized weight loss plan that can include a goal weight, fitness goals, blood pressure and even hydration. It includes a large food database to track your food and not only has a bar scanner, but is linked to Snapit where you can take a photo of your food and the app will identify it for you. It also gives insight into what foods are helping or hindering your weight loss goal. The app is free for iPhone, Android and Kindle users.

Exercise is an important ingredient to losing weight. If you don’t have time to walk from gate to gate in the lake then try Fitnet Live Coach that offers over 200 free fitness workout videos that allow you to set whatever time intervals that suit your needs, even if it’s just 5 minutes. No matter where you are or your fitness abilities, you can access a workout. It features a selfie cam to compare your form to the motions on the videos if desired. If you have an Apple watch it can be linked to provide real-time heart monitoring. This app is free for iPhone users.

With all the unknowns in the financial world, staying on task to get your finances on track so you spend less and save more is a favorite among resolutions this year. There are several apps that act like a mobile financial manager that help you budget and stay on your financial plan. Mint is a favorite among financial websites and allows you to link all your accounts into one place to keep better track of where your money is spent. It allows you to create a budget and it offers tips on where to save. It automatically updates and categorizes your information and crunches the numbers so you don’t have to. It allows you to access your information from your computer at Mint.com with more details and options. This mobile app has a four-digit passcode and if your phone or tablet is ever stolen, you can delete all your account information remotely. This app is free for iPhone and Android users.

For those with simple financial situations or just starting out with budgeting, LevelMoney is a great option to keep track of your spending and it lets you know how much you can save every month. This app is free for iPhone and Android users.

If saving is what you struggle with most and you need a push, try Qapital. It entices you to save with small daily actions like rounding up your morning coffee and putting the change into a savings account that you open when you start, or if you come under budget on your monthly expenses, the remainder will be deposited into your savings. This app is free for iPhone users.

If you are new to investing then try StashInvest, which can assist you to buy, sell, and monitor your investments with as little as $5 to start. Cost is $1 a month with less than $5,000 in investments or $0.25 on the balance each year with investments more than $5,000. This app is for iPhone users only.

There are countless apps to assist in getting your body and finances back in shape. Try one and see if it can help you fulfill your intention for the year. Happy New Year!