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Tuesday, January 15, 2013

My New Obsession: Healthy Living Apps

I only got a real smart phone in November. I had been using a BlackBerry for the longest time and was a totally loyal customer. It had a keyboard! And great battery life! It was a love affair of epic proportions. I defended my stodgy BlackBerry to everyone.

I even weathered stories of BlackBerry users' embarrassment in the New York Times, with quotes like, "Blackberry users are like Myspace users," sneers Craig Robert Smith, a Los Angeles Musician. "They probably still chat on AOL Instant Messenger." FYI, Craig Robert Smith, I have used Gchat for years. So hah. (P.S. how was this article actually published in the NYT? This is legitimate news?)

But then, my battery kept dying randomly and mysteriously, with no warning. It was after I saw a movie with a friend and was headed home by myself at 1 AM with a dead phone that I decided I needed a new phone.

I thought I'd just get something refurbished off of eBay, so I was shocked when Sourabh surprised me with a Samsung Galaxy SIII! I really love the phone, especially having a great camera with me at all times without my phone dying when I snap a shot. I thought I'd have a hard time adjusting to the touch screen, but I now find myself wanting to touch my laptop's screen as well, so clearly I'm used to it.

I can take shots like this while on my runs! 
One of the most exciting things is my newfound ability to have apps. I might be a little app-obsessed. I've discovered some really great healthy living apps and wanted to share them, plus I'm hoping to hear about other great apps from you guys!

Running Calculator
For Android (free!)
This app was recommended by Abby, although I'm not sure she has the exact same app since she uses an iPhone. At any rate, I love it! I reference it much more than I would have expected. If I didn't use a Garmin and only know the distance of a run and how long it took, I can figure out what pace I was at. If I want to calculate what pace I need to run at in order to finish in a certain amount of time, I can find it instantly.  And I really like the fact that it's such a simple app with only one interface!

ok, maybe I just check it constantly to see the pace I'll need to break 2:00 

Attitudes of Gratitude Journal
For Android (free!)
Kristine mentioned this app on Twitter and I downloaded it immediately. Honestly, I can be really bad at being grateful for all the wonderful things I have, and the reminder on this app lets me get a gentle electronic nudge once a day to reflect on at least one thing I'm grateful for. It's shocking how often I'm grateful for much more than just one thing! And it's so nice to reflect on how many wonderful things you have in your life when you look back at past entries.

helpful happiness hints and quotes are included 

Foam Roller Techniques
For Android, for iPhone ($2.99) 
This app is great for those of us who aren't well-versed in the wonders of foam rollers. Simply choose the area you want to target, the activity you're doing, or the injury you're recovering from. The app then gives you step-by-step guides to how to use the foam roller to target different muscles, including video demos, which I need since I'm bad at translating written directions to physical movement.



Nike Training Club
For Android, for iPhone (free!) 
Nike's Training Club app is incredible. You choose a goal (get: lean, toned, strong), then your fitness level (beginner, intermediate, advanced). You're then presented with 7 workouts, so theoretically you could do one a day and never repeat a workout in a week. They vary from 30-45 minutes and are totally kickass. Each exercise is demonstrated step-by-step with images and descriptions along with an accompanying video so you can see the exercise performed seamlessly. You perform each exercise for 1 minute and can set a playlist from your phone's library to play during the workout! There's also a "get focused" option that consists of 15 minute workouts which focus on certain areas of the body, like your abs, arms, legs, butt, shoulders, or back. There are also special workouts you get as a reward that consist of things like pro-runner Kara Goucher's stretching routine.


And the usual suspects...
I also am hooked on use apps for Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, all of which provide great motivation (Twitter especially) as I see others tweeting about runs that made them feel better, workouts that had them wanting to puke but loving it, spin classes that caused emotional breakthroughs, etc. etc. etc. If you were planning to skip a workout and read a status like that, it's kind of impossible to skip it. Peer pressure can be good, too!

with this kind of motivation, how could I skip a run?


What are your favorite healthy living (or unhealthy living!) apps?

14 comments:

  1. Ooo, the foam roller app looks so cool! I finally bought a foam roller last week, but roll out the same muscles every time, so I definitely need to download it. PS - I had a BlackBerry for the longest time and eventually joined Team iPhone--and never looked back. ;)

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    1. I was being such a stodgy old fogey!! And I love my new phone SO much. Let me know if you check out that app, it's only $2.99 and I think it's worth it!

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  2. FINALLY we have NTC!! It's been iPhone-only for so many months, I thought they were just going to forget about us Android users. Thanks for mentioning it's now available. Just downloaded & looking forward to using it!

    Love the running calculator too. I use Pace Calculator but the one you listed looks more streamlined so I'll definitely be checking it out. Thanks!

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    1. NTC is great!! It'd be fun to do with someone, too, to add a competitive element to how many reps you can do in a minute :) I like the fact that the pace calculator I use is so simple and straight forward. Gotta love the basics.

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  3. First off, that run looks gorgeous. It reminds me of running in INdiana, when I go home.

    But all these apps look great. I have a boring plain old phone but I might be downloading the NTC on Michael's phone. I want to stretch like Goucher! Especially since I need to work on strength anyways. Kinda my arch nemesis. Good job Sourabh!

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    1. I'm sure it's quite similar to Indiana in the rural parts! The only difference is the mountains that are a backdrop to most of the farms (but you can't see them in that picture). Also, where my parents live has lots of Sikh immigrants who farm, so you see a man in a turban riding a John Deere tractor. It's such a great portrait of America the melting pot!

      Strength is my friend, it's stretching that's my arch nemesis! I can stretch in a yoga class, but have the hardest time stretching pre- and post-run or strength training.

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  4. Your blackberry history cracked me up. I stuck with my old flip phone for the longest time before finally giving in on the iphone craze, but I'm still way behind on apps. Thanks for these!!

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    1. I was SUCH a stick in the mud about my blackberry, but when I finally got my new phone, I had seen so many friends with great apps that I went app-crazy and downloaded a ton of free ones. I think these are pretty basic, since I don't like apps that are too complicated, but there are lots more out there!!

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  5. I had a death grip on my blackberry until I got a message from AT&T that they would give me a $200 credit to switch to a smart phone...so hello free iPhone! Never looked back. I will say for work though I kind of wish I had a BB to bust out emails.
    I am loving the pictures you are posting, looks so peaceful and gorgeous!

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    1. Agreed, I still haven't decided whether or not I'll take a work BlackBerry or have them pay the data charges on my personal phone and use it for both work and personal use. I know I type faster on a BlackBerry, but if I'm home I can always just log in to my desktop using my laptop. I'll probably make a last minute decision come September!

      And thanks! Washington is so beautiful when the clouds lift and you can see the gorgeous mountains and farmhouses clearly.

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  6. I'll definitely have to check out the nike training app! That sounds great. I just got an iphone last week, so I really need to explore this whole app world!

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    1. Glad to know I'm not the only latecomer to the app world :) It's really helpful at the gym because sometimes I just can't come up with a workout I want to do!

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  7. Hey girlie, welcome home! I nominated you for a Liebster Award. Check out deets here http://lifesbetterinyogapants.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-liebster-award.html :)

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