by Natalie Bracco, guest author
Technology is an aspect of life that we have grown to rely on. From the vast databases that safeguard our personal information to the computerized motors in modern vehicles, technology plays a vital role in our everyday lives. This concept is no greater than in the different mobile devices that we use for various things. Tablet computers, smartphones and Ultrabooks have all played a role in plugging us in to this modern age where the digital world is at our finger tips.
While some people reference relying too much on technology as leading to a less fit society, others would beg to differ. In fact, there are a variety of smartphone applications that promote health and wellness with additional tools to keep you motivated during that early morning jog or afternoon hike. Below are some of the top smartphone applications that can help keep you healthy.
Instant Heart Rate Pro
A heart rate monitor is a valuable tool to have during a workout for ensuring you maintain an adequate level of exercise. Depending on your fitness level, maintaining a particular level of heart rate over an extended period of time allows you to burn calories at a more efficient level.
Instant Heart Rate Pro is a heart rate monitor application available for Android. It is considered the most accurate heart rate monitor app currently available, and is regularly used by professionals in the medical field who attest to its accuracy. Simply open it up before or during a workout and easily keep track of your heart rate.
BMI Calculator
The BMI Calculator (Body Mass Index) is a free application available for both Android and iOS. It is a simple yet effective app that calculates your BMI as a reference before you begin dieting, or as a little motivation when you see the effects that your lost body fat has on your BMI.
SparkPeople
SparkPeople is a handy application for calorie counters. Whether you prefer T-Mobile cell phones or Apple iPhones, this application is available on most operating systems. It provides the simple means of entering a particular meal into a database that then supplies you with the various “stats” for that meal. Users can then take this information and enter it into different fields to keep track of meals, fat and calories over the course of the day.
WebMD Mobile
Simply put, WebMD Mobile is the cellular optimized version of the popular website. It serves as a valuable, handy tool for people who need to seek out medical advice regardless of where they are.
As someone who is looking to improve their fitness efforts, consider the above heath-based applications as a little boost in motivation. Whether you are looking for a simple way to keep track of your calorie intake, or need a reliable heart monitor, there are many useful apps available that can help keep you in shape.
Moto 360
Then, of course, are wearables, like the Motorola Moto 360. Devices like this provide sensors and software to help make monitoring your health easier and more convenient, placing the data right on your wrist.