Six FREE Apps I Use to Track My Health

Ever since I got my first smartphone, I have tried to use it for as many things as possible. There are a few things I tried and failed (like the calendars and such - I’m truly a paper girl!), but one thing that really helped me was health tracking apps. After coming back a good 20 pounds heavier from Europe, using my phone made it easy to keep track of my diet and exercise and keep myself accountable. It became almost a game to make sure I was logging in and tracking - and I tell you - the results came! Today I wanted to share with you some of the apps that I tried, those I loved, and those I didn’t love as much. And no, no one is paying me to say all these things. I just wanted to share some of the tools I use/have used to be intentional about my health.

My Fitness Pal

My Fitness Pal was my best friend for a few years! By keeping track of what I ate, how much I exercised, and setting goals (and keeping them), I was able to lose 20 pounds easily. Now, I am able to maintain my weight. It’s not some magical tool that makes you do that - you do have to input everything you eat. It’s basically a food log, but instead of writing everything down in a notebook, you can carry it on your phone. If you eat something out of a package, it’s easy to scan it, and if you make a recipe, you can input that too! You can even copy and paste meals to make it simple. I have recently stopped using it as much, but I still recommend it to others (and I hear back from them with happy results).

Verdict: Great if you have the time to input your data every day! It’s easy to get sidetracked, but it’s a habit I’ve picked back up

Runtastic (Now Adidas Running and Adidas Training)

I have used Runtastic for a long time too! I love it for tracking all of my walks and runs and other exercises and keeps me motivated. It shows lifetime kilometers or miles every time you log in, which is fun, and connects to My Fitness Pal so you can seamlessly add your exercise. I now use Runtastic Pro (that I got for free during a promotion a few years back) and I love how it tells you every time you’ve hit a km. It keeps me on track when I’m doing long runs - and it helps me pace when I do races.

Verdict: I still love and use this app after years of use!!

GLOW

I know there is a lot of controversy about cycle tracking apps and how they do not work. I switched to GLOW almost a year ago from another app that I had been using, and I am pretty impressed. You can track everything from your Basal Body Temperature (BBT) to your moods. Patterns are then created and you can look back and see when you’re more likely to have different symptoms. It also predicts (quite accurately!) your upcoming periods - which helps with planning certain things like trips and activities. It’s not as accurate as the tracker I used last, but I still like it more.

Verdict: Love how simple it is to log information and the accuracy of the predictions! I’ll keep using this.

Dr. Greger’s Daily Dozen

This is a fun, streamlined, and creative way to keep track of your fruit, veggie, and legume intake. Each time you have a serving, you can easily add it to the app so you can see how you are doing on that given day. The only downside to this app is that you can’t keep your information from day-to-day to look back at your progress. Instead, it resets every day so you can add your new information. It’s still a cool way to see what you’ve eaten every day and gauge the areas you need to improve in.

Verdict: They’ve recently updated the app so you can see your past entries which has helped so much!

Fitbit

Now that I have jumped on the Fitbit wagon (my husband got me one for my birthday!), I now use the Fitbit app. It’s fun to keep track of my steps and be reminded to move on days I have off. The Fitbit itself tracks your steps, distance and even sleep, to name a few features (depending on the model you get). But I’m talking about the app. You can add your water and food and create and achieve goals and set alarms and reminders to assist with that. It also links to My Fitness Pal, which is an added bonus (but I’ve since replaced My Fitness Pal with this app because it pretty much does the same thing, and I like to simplify my life as much as possible instead of using 500 apps when I could use 3). The best part is the community of other people with Fitbit devices. You can challenge and encourage each other, which is a lot of fun.

Verdict: I would say this app is a win. Easy and fun to use.

Zero

I started intermittent fasting just over a year ago and this app has helped me track and has even helped me with my self-control. I know that once I’ve hit the button to start the fast, I shouldn’t be eating anymore. Hehe. It’s super easy to start and end fasts and lets you look back at your progress.

Verdict: Easy win.

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What apps do you use to track your health? Any of these?

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Healthy Vegan Snacks for the Road: 3 Easy Recipes

Eating healthy on the road is a feat. Whether you’re on a road trip, on a hike or you’ve decided to get out of town for a few days, you still need to take care of what you’re going to eat while travelling. Sure, you can always go for some greasy junk food in diners along the way, but you better believe that those calories will stay right where you are and they’re not that good for you to begin with. This is why we come to you with healthy vegan snacks suggestions that are perfect when you’re hitting the road and you need to eat right.

Yummy Vegan Granola Bars

There are many recipes for granola bars that taste great and are really filling, but we decided for this chocolate chip one that is very easy to make and can last for a few days. With these, you don’t have to buy chocolate bars or any other sweet; they’re scrumptious enough.

what you'll need:

• 1½ cup of oats

• 1 cup of pitted dates

• ¼ cup of maple syrup

• ¼ cup of almond butter

• ¼ cup of vegan chocolate chips

• ½ cup of raw cashews

• ½ cup of raw almonds.

what to do:

Bake the oats for up to 15 minutes in the oven, the temperature should be 350 degrees F. While they’re toasting, pulse out cashews and almonds in your food processor just until they’re in chunks and then mix them with roasted oats in a bowl.

After that, take your dates and use your food processor to make them pasty and finely chopped, and then add them into the bowl as well.

Take a saucepan where you can warm up the maple syrup and peanut butter (on a low heat) and then pour it over the oats, nuts and dates mixture. It’s mixing time, so don’t give up until you get a well-combined sticky mess. Line a tray with parchment paper, pour the mixture into it and press it down firmly, after which it’s time for the chocolate chips. When you’ve pressed them into the mixture too, you should put it all into the freezer for about 10-15 minutes. After the granola is hardened, you can cut it into even pieces, put it in a plastic container and take it on the road with you.

Fresh Veggies and Hummus

Though it might be a bit rough to preserve fresh veggies for a longer period of time, you can always restock on the go and it’s actually more affordable than buying chips and snacks. Carrot sticks and celery are always a good way to go, because they don’t have to be refrigerated to stay nice and crunchy, but you can also go for some sliced bell pepper, cauliflower and even cucumber. You can add some spices into the combination and we always suggest taking some hummus along with you because let’s face it, hummus goes well with everything. If you want to go all out and make your own hummus, there are some excellent recipes out there, but we’re giving you our favorite and simplest one. Anybody like garlic?

what you'll need:

what to do:

Take your garlic bulb and cut off the top, so that you can clearly see the cloves. Generously drizzle olive oil over it, add a bit of salt and wrap it in aluminum foil. Roast it in the oven at 375 degrees F for an hour.

When the garlic is done, make sure to gently squeeze it out of the peel and put all the creamy garlicky goodness into the food processor. Add the rest of the listed ingredients into the processor and then mix it until it gets smooth and hummus-like. Get it into a container and you’ve got yourself a healthy and delicious vegan dip.

• 1 large garlic bulb

• 2 cans of chickpeas (don’t forget to rinse them)

• juice of 1 lemon

• 3 tbsp. tahini

• ¼ cup water

• 3 tablespoons EVOO

• ¼ teaspoon of sea salt

Energy Bite

These little balls of joy and taste are a great way to go when you’re craving something sweet, and there’s no vegan treat in sight. Besides, nothing beats eating healthy food you’ve made yourself. Here’s one recipe that can be taken anywhere you go, it won’t get bad easily and it’s filling. When you’re on the road and filling a bit hungry, reach for these ginger-fueled energy bites and enjoy.

what you'll need:

what to do:

Put the walnuts into the food processor and pulse until they’re chopped well. Add the dates and pulse continually so that you get a mixture that resembles a dough. Chuck in the rest of the ingredients and mix until you’re satisfied with what you have, after which you can roll the dough into balls and have them on the go. Portion yield: 15+ gingerbread bites.

• 1 cup of quick oats

• 2 tbsp. of maple syrup

• 1¼ cup of walnut pieces

• 3 tsp. of ground ginger

• 2 tbsp. of blackstrap molasses

• 1 cup of dates

• ½ tsp. of sea salt

• 2 tbsp. of cinnamon

As you can see, preparing vegan snacks for the road doesn’t have to be complicated nor expensive. These munches are simple to make, they will help you stay full longer and what’s most important, they will allow you to eat healthy even when the conditions for it are not ideal. 

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Monica Nichols is a 32-year-old fashion designer and freelance writer from Omaha, Nebraska. She's been writing for www.diet.st since 2014, and in her free time, she likes making pottery and playing with her pet cat.

Connect with Monica: Blog // Twitter

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Spring into Health this Spring!

As I write this, I am watching the snow tumble and twist through the air. I thought Winter was starting to leave! The longer hours of sunshine, and the return of bright flowers have deceived me, but it doesn't matter. Spring has begun - snow or not. It begins in my heart. This is truly one of my favourite times of the year and always brings motivation for a fresh start and new beginnings.

We have talked about cleaning our homes, but today, I want to give you eight simple things to consider when cleaning up your health habits this Spring.

Eat fresh, nourishing food

Make sure the food you eat is full of the nutrients you need. Fresh fruit and vegetables are becoming more readily available at this time of the year so take advantage of it (and can and freeze some for winter months too!). Add more whole grains and legumes to your diet, and reduce the amount of meat, dairy and sugar you consume.

Be physically active

Exercise is good for you! Don’t worry, I will not prescribe burpees and planks - yet. Start by taking a brisk walk or stroll through your neighbourhood every day, and watch your energy increase and feel better! Just being aware of your activity levels will help increase them. 

Drink more water

Our bodies are made up of 70% water. It is important we replenish what our body uses on a daily basis. Water is needed to support our body’s systems to keep us healthy. Keep a reusable water bottle with you so you don't forget to hydrate!

Spend time in the sunshine

Sunlight is critical for the growth and support of plants and animals and is important for our bodies as well; helping with the maintenance of our hormonal and metabolic balance. Make the intentional effort to have moderate time in the sunshine.

Avoid harmful substances and practice temperance

Staying away from the things that harm us and being moderate in the things that are good for us is important - yet sometimes easier said than done. Practicing self-control in all things is key to ensuring we stay healthy.

Get fresh air

When you think about it, air is more important to our bodies than food or water! We cannot survive long at all when our air supply is cut off. Be sure to breathe in fresh, clean air (travel out of polluted cities to find the best air!) - and breathe it in deep!

Get plenty of rest

There are many different ways to get rest. Sleep helps our bodies restore themselves, so be sure to get plenty of rest each night. Make sure you give your body time to recover from a long week by taking a day of rest each week!

Have peace of mind

Trusting in Divine Power is also directly linked to our health. High levels of stress affect our physical being, but God gives us the "peace that passeth all understanding." (Philippians 4:7)

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."
- Proverbs 3:5-6

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Will you be springing into health this season?

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Skincare Essentials: 5+ Important Tips to Note

When it comes to skincare, there’s so much to do, and it can all get a bit overwhelming and difficult to implement. Thankfully, here’s a quick guide to help you sort it out better. Follow these simple and actionable steps to make sure you’re treating your skin the right way! Read on...

Cleanse

This one’s a no-brainer and an absolute must. Use a good quality face cleanser well suited to your skin type to cleanse your face- the simplest yet most effective way to tackle acne, skin irritations, inflammation, dark spots and almost all other types of skin problems.

Hydrate

Hydration is an important daily essential when it comes to skincare. Depending on your skin type, choose from an oil based moisturizer or a water based moisturizer and make sure you use it religiously.

Exfoliate

Exfoliation is another skincare essential most people tend to ignore. A weekly face scrub could help remove the layer of dead skin cells from the surface and unclog pores, allowing your skin to breathe.

Nourish

Believe it or not, your skin needs a good dose of nourishment atleast once a week, even if your skin isn’t really that oily. Exposure to dirt and pollutants tends to sap the essential nutrients and moisture in the skin, and leaves it dry and undernourished. Using natural oils such as avocado oil and coconut oil is associated with tons of skin benefits. Infact, you could also try using castor oil for acne- it could nourish the skin and tackle outbreaks at the same time!

Detox

It isn’t just your body- your skin is also exposed tons of chemicals and pollutants on a daily basis, which is why, it needs a detox too. Make it a point to wash your face at least thrice a day, remove all traces of makeup before sleeping and indulge in an occasional steam to detoxify your skin naturally.

Rejuvenate

Every once in a while, don’t forget to treat yourself to a nice face mask packs in alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) that give the skin a good dose of nutrients and powerful enzymes that rejuvenate it, giving you that bright, glowing look!

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Enozia: Writer. Editor. Naturopath. Social Media Cupcake. Animal Lover.
Connect with Enozia:
Facebook | Twitter

This was a guest post by Enozia Vakil, who blogs at her lifestyle blog, Beauty Junction Online 

If you are interested in guest posting, check out the guest posting guidelines for Maple Alps, here. 

Women of Intention Week Fourteen: Intentional Health

It is now week fourteen of the series, Women of Intention! This is the second last post and I'm so very glad you've come along as we interview Women of Intention! For more information, and a list of topics, visit our introduction post HERE. 

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THIS WEEK'S INTENTIONAL WOMAN:

Today, we are going to meet the sweet Keila of Veggie-Fit Keila!

Keila is a health and fitness coach with a passion for sharing her lifestyle with others in order to help them better their lives. I won't say too much because I would rather let her tell you herself!

After reading this post, be sure to check out Kelia's blog and share this post :)

Find Keila on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

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Tell us a bit about yourself: What are your passions, work and interests?

My passion above all passions is helping others.  This takes many forms, but my greatest love in helping others is in the area of health and fitness.  My initial exposure to this line of work was with the elderly.  I worked in nursing homes, taking care of the sweetest of people in the final stages of life.  I loved listening to them tell stories while I cared for their physical and social needs.  I would have to help them move and encourage them to get their exercise whenever possible.  Some had so greatly neglected this part of their health for so many years that they could not move their joints and had horrible muscle atrophy.  While I loved the people I worked with, I felt that this wasn't my calling, and I sought to determine where God wanted me to be.

I next worked with children in the hospital setting.  As a patient care tech and phlebotomist, I worked with the greatest kids.  From newborns to young adults, I saw kids suffering from all kinds of ailments, some even lost their battles with illness.  I worked hard to make their time in the hospital as comfortable as it could be, building relationships and sharing smiles, I knew that this work was important and very rewarding, but God wasn't through with me yet.

Fast forward several years.  I now have two children, a husband, and a new outlook on a lifelong passion.  I now work as a health and fitness coach, teaching people the importance of a healthy lifestyle.  This started first with me.  I have made very intentional changes in my personal health and fitness habits, to facilitate the changes in me that I am encouraging others to make.  This has allowed me to greater understand the struggles that exist in going against the flow of society and its outlook on food, drink, and exercise.  I gain so much joy from helping others and seeing their lives transformed from making simple changes to their daily routines.  I have made so many new friends and feel an absolute sense of certainty that I am living out God's will and plan for my life.  The health message is a message of hope and one that is empowering.  At this point in life I can't think of anything I'd rather be doing.

What does intentionality in health look like and mean to you?

One of the first areas of intentionality that I address with people is meal planning and goal setting.  So many people look at health and fitness as short term diet binges to reach small, insignificant goals.  I look at health as a lifestyle.  When we take a look at it from a wider view, we can create much bigger longterm goals that can be accomplished one small goal at a time.  It all starts with understanding and establishing your "Why." The temptations and social trends are too strong and conflicting to the health message to just go at this willy nilly.  You have to understand why you would choose to live andintentionally healthful lifestyle, internalize it, own it, and then align your life with this as the current that drives all of your decisions.  It's really not so difficult on paper and in our heads we can understand this very easily.  Day by day living can be much more challenging though.  That's where the planning comes in.  Once you know why you need to make the choices that you're going to make, the motivation is much easier to come by and planning to succeed will become a regular part of your routine.  For example, I know that there are very few places out there where my family and I can eat out when we're on the road, so we always pack healthy food and take it with us.  This helps avoid having to make the uncomfortable decision to go against our commitment to health and eat somewhere that compromises what we know to be best.  On the same token, everyday life is so busy that many people just don't want to take time to fix healthy home cooked meals.  However, intentional healthy eating requires that we do what needs to be done to eat healthy in our homes.  This simply means planning out your meals for the week and doing the shopping and chopping on the weekends.  Having the majority of the prep work done ahead of time makes all the difference in finding success with healthy living during busy workweeks.

The second piece of the health puzzle is exercise.  I have to take time to exercise.  It is part of my daily routine just like brushing my teeth and doing daily devotions.  It's something that is pretty much non-negotiable.  With this mindset, it's not about "finding time" to exercise, it's about "making time" to exercise by scheduling it into your day.  I do short intense workouts that are designed to give me the greatest benefits in the least amount of time and I teach my clients how they can do the same and have great success in reaching their fitness goals.  We waste so much time doing sedentary activities that serve no purpose in improving our quality of life.  An intentional adjustment to make exercise a part of our day will have drastic positive effect on the life that you live. 

In your work with coaching, what would you say are the negative effects of not being mindful about what one consumes?

Bad eating habits will sabotage even the most intense fitness plans.  People gain weight and get frustrated very easily, giving up on their goals and losing sight of their "Why", because they can't manage what they put into their bodies.  This is tragic in my eyes.  Eating clean and healthy is so very simple and it's the easiest way to start the momentum towards a healthful life.

How does intentionality in this area affect the other the rest of your life?

I have gained so much confidence in who I am as a person through my intentional decisions to care for my body and the health of my family.  I feel stronger because I am stronger.  I am healthier inside which brings the natural affect of looking better on the outside.  We are beautifully and wonderfully made, and as we care for our bodies, we can come closer to the health and strength within our bodies that God intended for us all along.  I also find it so easy to make friends now.  Everyone loves to talk about their health, good foods, and how they can improve on both, that conversation comes very easily and I am eager to share my loves with others.

What would say to encourage someone who is struggling in the area of intentional health in their life? 

Start small.  Set a short goal that you know you can succeed at in the area of your health.  Do this day after day, until days become weeks.  Baby steps will get it done.  The other thing is to start with a reason and purpose for making the changes that seem to be alluding you.  If you start with a big enough "why" (reason) for improving your health and making the changes that need to take place, holding yourself accountable is much easier.  Also, get an accountability partner of group!  I put all of my clients into accountability groups, surrounding them with others who are working at the same goals they are.  I work as their coach, but they lift each other up as well.  Finally, I would say, don't quit, don't beat yourself up over an indiscretion here and there.  This is a long road, a journey, not a sprint quick fix.  Stay the course, knowing that there will be moments that challenge you.

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What about you? Were you inspired by this post? Are you intentional when it comes to your physical health? Do you perhaps want to work on it? Why don't you tell me about it in the comments, and connect with me on social media?

(Don't forget to use the hashtag #WomenOfIntention16 so no one misses it!)