23 Mobile Things: Thing 21 (Free-for-All: Health and Wellness)

MyFitnessPal is my favorite exercise-and-nutrition tracking social media app (and corresponding website). It makes analyzing your activity and your eating patterns simple, convenient, and, truthfully, kind of fun. You customize it so that your nutritional intake shows carbs, fats, protein, fiber, types of fats, cholesterol, sugar, etc., which is especially helpful for individuals trying to keep track of how much they are consuming and monitoring a specific part of their diet for health reasons. Instead of having meals like breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks assigned, I changed mine to read time chunks so I could see when I am consuming the majority of my nutrients. A number of regular cardio exercises -- gym equipment use, standard activities (Zumba, for instance), and things like walking and running with various speeds -- are found under the exercise activity search. For people doing strength training, they can track their workouts and reps. MyFitnessPal also has a social media aspect; you can post your updates to Facebook, you can find (and are encouraged to encourage) your friends, and you can participate in forums. Highly recommended for anyone looking to keep track of their nutrition and activity levels, needing motivation and accountability if using the social aspect with friends, and needing a push to start or to maintain a healthier lifestyle.

Today's MyFitnessPal diary entry, so far