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Fit & fab – Weight loss? There’s an app for that

Denver fitness trainer Anne Parker answers questions and offers advice on fitness and weight loss. Have a question for Anne? E-mail editor@denveralamode.com or leave it as a comment below. Read about her TRX boot camp here.

By Anne Parker, CSCS

Personal trainer Anne Parker demonstrates TRX.

One of the major reasons people are not successful with their weight loss plans is that they are not paying enough attention to what they are eating.

I am always amazed at what some people think are “healthy” food choices. After a client sincerely told me he went to KFC for lunch and had grilled chicken and mashed potatoes with a diet soda,  I hated to have to burst his bubble by telling him that is an awful food choice, and then watch as embarrassment crept over his face.

I wish fast food restaurants offered truly healthy food,  because sometimes it is the only option.  It makes me upset that the fast food industry has led a large portion of our population to believe that that their “lite” menu is a healthy choice.  These menu options are usually loaded with sodium and nitrates.  Large amounts of these two ingredients lead to weight gain and a host of other health problems.

I have found a way to make healthier food choices and stay on track by using my iPhone.  “Lose It” is an application that will help you monitor your daily calorie intake and ultimately help you lose weight.  I have always recommended keeping a food journal for this purpose,  but I have found that my clients don’t like to carry around a notebook everywhere.  The Lose It application is a very effective and easy way to goal-set for weight loss,  look up the correct amount of calories in the foods you are eating and, most importantly, to let you know when you have hit your daily caloric limit and stop eating.

The other application I like is “Eat This, Not That!” by Men’s Health. Based on the best-selling book series, the “Eat This, Not That!” iPhone app is a great way to make better food choices and learn how and what to eat. It tracks calories, provides simple food swaps, helps users set a weight loss plan and builds grocery lists.

Using an iPhone app to help you stay on track is a great way to be held accountable to your goals. You always have your phone with you, so, now, when you are standing in line to purchase holiday gifts, you can make good use of it and enter your daily calories. I have seen many of my clients reach their fitness goals faster and easier by using their smart phone to keep them motivated and accountable.

The bet part is that “Lose It” is free,  and “Eat this Not That!” is just $5. I think it’s a small price to pay for the amount of information that it provides.

Anne Parker on Thanksgiving calories, running for weight loss and New Year’s resolutions.

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2. Fit & fab – Anne Parker on Thanksgiving calories
3. VIDEO: New Year’s Fitness Resolutions Part 3
4. Boot camp week three – fighting the slump
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