I have been trying out apps for a while, to see which ones help me/are fun, and which ones are just irritating!
For Meditation there are two apps that I recommend: Insight Timer & Headspace. I use Insight Timer because a) it tells me who & how many people in the world are meditating – LOVE that collective energy; b) it has funky sounds/gongs & c) it has free guided meditations.
For beginner meditators, I recommend Headspace because it is a guided practice, which leads you through establishing a basic practice, 10 minutes a day. After 10 days, you’re asked to commit to a payment plan ($6-15/month). The visuals and the audio are great & well worth the commitment.
For Exercise I am a fan of the 7 Minute Work Out app, which was based on the NY Times article. Twelve 30-second exercises, which only require floor space, wall space and a chair! Do it with your kids, after a run (or rebounder session) or repeat it multiple times! For running I like Map My Run because it interrupts my music/podcast to tell me how far I have run and my average speed, which keeps me going! It also allows you to store your workouts, create challenges, or create a training plan (paid version required) & post to FB so you can be accountable to a friend or just brag, like me. Exercising with an accountability buddy increases your output!
For tracking food intake, I like My Fitness Pal. It reminds you to input your food. Sometimes it can be hard to find the exact version of what you ate – but it’s a rough estimate which is helpful to get a sense of how much you are eating/how often. Journaling your food intake has the highest success rate for weight loss. As with everything in life – it all starts with awareness.
I am not paid to endorse any of these – this is just a personal review – what I have tried and enjoyed. Alright now, get on your bum & meditate or get off your bum & cook, eat & exercise!
Reply & tell me which ones you like & why!
Copyright Tamsin Astor, Yoga Brained LLC, 2016.