Using Technology in Weight Loss
Truthfully, I have days when I’m convinced my smartphone is laughing at me. I’m not being self-deprecating when I say that I put the word “foolproof” to the test. Everybody says how these things are so “intuitive,” but I think that’s only true if you were born after 1985.
I was not. Ahem.
Though I struggle with technology sometimes, I confess I absolutely love it! I now consider my phone indispensible, both for work and in my everyday life. I carry my MacBook Air with me everywhere, and I would get hopelessly lost without the GPS in my car.
But how can technology help you in weight loss?
HA! Excellent question!
Week 9 (yes, I said NINE!) of the “10-Week, 10-Pound Challenge” is a look at the high-tech products and tools that can make weight loss easier. Who doesn’t love that?!?!
Power up your Week 9 battery with these topics:
Monday: Using Technology in Weight Loss
Tuesday: “Try-It Tuesday”: Your Core Strength Training Workout
Wednesday: There’s an App For That: Best Weight Loss Apps
Thursday: Wearable Technology for Weight Loss
Friday: Podcast of Week 9 action items and answers to “Ask Marilyn” questions
Some of the tools I employ in my own healthy life aren’t terribly new or exciting. A good kitchen scale is great for making sure I’m being honest about how much I’m consuming.
In “Top 10 Gizmos and Gadgets for Running” I talked about my favorite high tech running aids (though a couple of them are decidedly low tech). Check out my #1 pick: a Garmin GPS watch. This watch transformed my running regimen.
Other cutting edge tech tools I use include the DXA Body Composition Analysis I underwent a couple of months ago.
Recently I’ve learned of companies offering “behavioral coaching” for weight loss via telephone or Skype. These can be private companies (Retrofit is the current leader), or in conjunction with a health care provider. Typically the ones offered through a health care provider are only available to people suffering from diabetes, pre-diabetes, or other so-called “co-morbidities” related to obesity (such as arthritis, sleep apnea, high cholesterol). These companies enlist clients’ mobile devices to track their activity and log food choices, then build in a support team that provides nutritional counseling, fitness advice and lifestyle troubleshooting. I believe the concept holds tremendous promise for reaching millions of people who need information, education, encouragement, motivation and accountability.
There are innumerable ways to integrate technology into healthy living. They can be convenient, instructive and highly motivating.
But they can’t make you put down the double bacon cheeseburger!
As much as I love techy tools and gadgets too, we have to remember that none of this makes one iota of difference if we don’t commit to change.
If you’re ready to make that commitment then let’s rally some of these great new tools to our advantage. High tech devices, gadgets and apps can remove obstacles and make weight loss easier. Nothing wrong with that!
C’mon, we got this!