Best Healthy Living Apps

Times are changing. No longer must we count our points in a food journal or handwrite a weekly meal plan derived from the latest fad diet book. Long gone are the days where we must pay hundreds of dollars to have a personal trainer motivate and guide us and in most cases piss us off.

I mean honestly, we are living in a time where you can track the status and location of your pizza delivery all the while finding companionship either for a night or forever, simply by picking up your smartphone. So why the heck aren't all of us taking advantage of options we now have that provide positive guidance and knowledge in all areas of life, including the ever popular food and fitness.

With just a press of a button, you can start your journey to a healthier, smarter, and stronger version of YOU. Forget embarrassing group weigh-ins or guessing what the heck was in that meal you just ate, there is an app out there for everyone.

The hardest part is weeding out the good from the bad, the costly from the reasonable, but honestly who has time for that? Luckily, I do, and have been able to narrow it down to the few must-have health and wellness apps. From allergies and calories to out of the box motivational strategies, here they are.

My personal favorite for weight loss is the Lose It app.

To start. you set your personal goal which is then broken down to daily caloric budgets in order to reach your goal by a certain date. You can choose to lose one or two pounds per week, and Lose It will adjust accordingly.

It logs your daily movement and exercise by connecting with your fitness tracker and offers three different ways to log your daily food intake.

You can search from over 7 million foods, brands, and restaurants, scan barcodes with your phone's camera, and most recently added is the Snap It option. This allows you take a pic of what you're eating and have the app do the rest.

For anyone looking to lose weight in a realistic timeframe with minimal patience for technology, Lose It is definitely one to try.

Cooking isn't for everyone and that is why it is just as important to have healthy restaurant options in addition to at home recipes. Not only can Kafoodle find local eateries based on your appetite's desire, but it allows you to narrow it down by nutrition, location, or by allergies and intolerances.

Need to add a little excitement and incentive to reach your fitness goals? How about making money while getting healthy? Nope, this is not a dream app this is DietBet.

The idea is simple: bet on yourself to lose weight with a group of other players. If you meet your goal by the end of the game you split the pot of money with the other players who met their goal as well. There are even options to join celebrity-hosted games to mix things up.

For those in need of a little menu assistance, Butterball Cookbook Plus can be that and so much more. It has tons recipes both nutritious and delicious. You can choose from brand, theme, occasion, or food group and it can also supply you with timers, conversion charts, and best of all substitution options. This is the perfect solution for the food preparers of the household who live busy active lifestyles with a focus on readily accessible and affordable ingredients.

Health and wellness isn't just about weight loss and workouts. Obtaining knowledge about what you're eating, how to eat it, and when to eat it are just as important.

This app can serve as the "Magic Eightball" to all your foodie questions, covering everything from correct cooking temperatures to food storage times, eliminating the sketchy roulette game we often play, Is this bad yet, should I toss it?"

For anyone who is a nervous Nellie or for those who don't want to waste a bite, this app will be your perfect companion.

If you are in search of getting fit while giving back than Charity Miles is your app. Talk about motivation, for every mile you log earns you money to donate to a charity of your choice.

Payment is determined by activity, so if you're a cycler, you collect 10 cents a mile and walker and runners earn 25 cents a mile. This app is the only one on the list that has an impact not only on your body but the people in need around you.