Remember those resolutions we made at the beginning of the year to eat healthy and get fit? Did you start January with a gym membership and a healthy packed lunch only for this to be replaced with long sedentary hours at office and a quick bite from the nearest coffee shop? Does this ring a bell or make you smile in a ‘been there, done that’ scenario?

Following through on health and fitness has never been easy. With long working hours at office, traffic snarls while commuting, family responsibilities at home, fatigue or just lack of time, our health eventually takes the back burner. But today’s generation seems to be hooked on to one thing… we may give up sleep or TV time as long as we have…. our smart phone.

Yes! The ever-present smart phone with its myriad of apps, games and information at our finger tips. While health experts warn us against its overuse, the smart phone is here to stay. Despite its drawbacks, your smart phone may actually benefit as a key to good health and fitness when channelled the right way. So, get off WhatsApp and Facebook for a while and read on….

Smartphones for health and fitness

There are an impressive number of apps available online to help manage good health, diet and fitness. Some apps even fine you for skipping a workout, benefitting other users of the same app in the bargain! (Your deducted amount is added into their account). (1) Talk about taking fitness seriously! Food apps are also available to help you calculate the nutrients of the food you eat on a daily basis, so you are aware of portion control.

Typically, apps serve two functions. They help collect and record important health data which can be shared with your doctor, nutritionist or fitness trainer. Second, they can provide health information, nutrition information, workout and exercise routines. Earlier we managed without all this sophisticated technology. However, the key is being able to wisely use these tools that are often free of charge and easily available to our benefit.

Types of Apps:

Health:

Smart phone apps are being used by medical care professionals for both computing and communication. Studies say that medicine has been greatly benefitted by the use and availability of technology. With the ease of use and access along with features such as high-quality cameras, sound recorders, quick and powerful processors, expandable memory, high resolution screens, smart phones have become handheld computers. Health professionals are able to use these apps - for electronic prescribing, diagnosis and treatment, practice management, coding and billing, and CME (Continuing Medical Education) or e-learning (2, 3)

Fitness:

Distance and GPS Apps

A distance app is helpful for outdoor exercise like jogging or walking. These apps record details of your walk including distance, time, pace and calories burnt. They also display the route taken during your morning walk or jog. All this is done making use of GPS.  This information can be shared with your fitness coach to help keep track of your progress. While GPS can be very useful in these cases, sometimes satellite signals may not be strong in certain areas. This results in the app missing out on some information. Also, the GPS tends to drain battery life quickly cutting short the duration of a run. There has been a quick response to help tackle this problem. Sensors are placed in running shoes which help record the same data and information; this can be stored on your smartphone for quick access. Using GPS otherwise has its benefits; with Google Maps, you can try new routes not only for running but for other adventure sports like cycling or hiking. 

Training Apps

These apps range from resistance training to flexibility exercises. Apps like Body Fitness and Jetfit include various grades of exercise with difficulty levels ranging from beginning to advanced. This helps to meet specific goals (weight loss, toning or increasing muscle mass). The app can be customized to meet specific fitness goals. Therefore, it is important that you spend some time to update your personal information, goals and regularly update your exercise schedule after a workout. This will help track your level of fitness and improvement over time giving you a realistic picture of how you have progressed. In case you are targeting specific muscle groups the app will help you by suggesting specific exercises associated with your goals and the targeted muscle group.

Flexibility exercises can be used to prevent injuries, maintain good posture and achieve a full range of motion. (4). Apps are available that focus on Yoga and Tai Chi and even specific muscle groups.  They come complete with pictures, videos, instructions and step by step guidelines on exercising.  

Having a few apps can help create a fitness routine that you can enjoy. It helps break the monotony of a fixed exercise routine and stimulates workout creativity.

Food:

Diet and Weight Management Apps

Perhaps these are some of the most sought-after apps. Health buffs can now track every calorie they consume with these. They help make healthy choices and monitor caloric intake, and are used as an additional tool for weight management. You can log in the food you have eaten and the app will tell you the calories you have taken in that particular meal or snack. Some apps even provide you nutritional information based on the scanned bar code. (5) The only problem with some of these apps is that they are tailored to Western foods most of the time. It may be hard to find Indian food based portions, dishes and ingredients. Certain apps are available that help you determine the caloric intake of Indian foods and dishes. Look them up and see which ones best suit your individual needs. 

As with any app, these can be prone to unintentionally misinterpreting information. Remember these apps are just tools for health or weight management. It is always important that you consult with a qualified nutritionist.

Choosing a health app:
•    Identify your fitness and health goals and choose an app in line with your targets. Try out a few different apps before you zero in on one. You can delete the ones that you are not using later. It is also important that you read the Terms and Conditions and are aware of how your information will be used.
•    Ask your doctor, fitness trainer and nutritionist for your specific needs. You can also read the reviews of other users. Look for information on performance, accuracy and ease of use.
•    Apps created by reputed medical organizations, health groups or universities would contain reliable information. A website – www.imedicalapps.com contains reviews done by physicians. 
•    Websites like Wellocracy help compare apps listing pro’s and con’s (6)

Choosing an app that meets your specific targets and goals can take time initially. This can take time because you need to set up the app and enter in your details, goals and objectives. They need to be updated on a regular basis, especially nutrition and exercise apps. You also need to keep in mind, that apps should not be used to replace mainstream medical advice from a doctor. Or even dietary advice from a nutritionist.  These professionals are experts in their field and have years of education and experience to back the knowledge they share with you. Apps need to be viewed in the light that they are ‘tools’ and not replacements.  On that note, it is also a serious concern that the apps available to users be validated using clinical trials that prove their authenticity and efficacy. Without this, the hype of digital medicine will be for nothing. (7,11)

References:
1. GymPact- https://techcrunch.com
2. Know your apps: an evidence-based approach to evaluation of mobile clinical applications. Murfin M J Physician Assist Educ. 2013; 24(3):38-40 and 
3. Evidence of effectiveness of health care professionals using handheld computers: a scoping review of systematic reviews. Mickan S, Tilson JK, Atherton H, Roberts NW, Heneghan C J Med Internet Res. 2013 Oct 28; 15(10):e212.)
4. Harvard Health, Benefits of flexibility exercises
5. http://www.healthline.com/health/diet-and-weight-loss/top-iphone-android-apps#4
6. www. Wellocracy.com
7. www.acsm.org
8. http://www.eatthis.com/6-ways-your-cell-phone-can-help-you-lose-weight
9. Smartphone and medical related App use among medical students and junior doctors in the United Kingdom (UK): a regional survey. Payne KB, Wharrad H, Watts K BMC Med Inform Decis Mak. 2012 Oct 30; 12():121.
10. 'It's on my iPhone': attitudes to the use of mobile computing devices in medical education, a mixed-methods study. Wallace S, Clark M, White J ,BMJ Open. 2012; 2(4)
11. Medical application use and the need for further research and assessment for clinical practice: creation and integration of standards for best practice to alleviate poor application design. Misra S, Lewis TL, Aungst TD, JAMA Dermatol. 2013 Jun; 149(6):661-2.