Are All Weight Loss Apps Worth The Money?: Whether you’re looking to improve your general well-being or make a big lifestyle change, weight loss apps can help you to reach your goals. There is a huge range of apps to choose from, whether you’re looking for meal plans, fitness tracking and workouts, or an app to track your calorie intake. To get the best from them, you may need to pay for a subscription, but is it worth it? Read on as we take a look at some of the benefits that come with using a weight loss app, and if paying for one of these apps is really worth the money.
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Benefits of using a weight loss app
Many of us will be familiar with some of the most popular weight loss apps on the market, that we can use to help us maintain, lose, or gain weight. We can track our meals, nutrition, and activity in one place for an overview of how many calories we are consuming. Along with being able to track our diet and activity, weight loss apps come with a range of benefits, like staying accountable. Many apps provide a way of logging exercise and meals so that we can stay on top of our new lifestyle – some incorporate coaches for extra motivation, to keep you on track. Some weight loss apps also allow you to track your hydration, which is key when it comes to improving your health.
One of the most notable benefits that come with using weight loss apps is the range of features that you have to choose from. There are so many different weight loss apps on the market suited to all abilities and goals – you can choose an app that heavily features or is based around exercise if you are focusing on getting fit or building muscle. Some apps are based on certain diets and meal plans, and some are based on tracking. You can choose a simple app or an app that comes with a range of features. So, how do you know which is best for you?
How to choose a weight loss app
As technology advances, many apps on the market could benefit you, but there are a few factors that you should consider before making your decision, the main one being what you are looking for in an app. Think about what you need it to do, whether you’re willing to pay, and how long you have given yourself to reach these goals. Read on as we explain more.
Free or paid?
So, are weight loss apps worth the money? This all depends on what you are hoping to gain from your app and if the plan that you choose lives up to expectations. If you have an idea of what you would like to achieve, researching apps can help you when making your decision. It might be worth looking for an app that has a free version that you can try out before deciding whether to go premium – this way, you can try out the app before investing. Reading reviews and feedback from others before you dive in means you can make an informed decision before spending your money.
If you choose the right app for you, you can benefit from the convenience that these apps bring – you have access to them at any time, meaning you can track and stay accountable easily. Plans that offer expert advice are a great advantage of using a weight loss app, you can ask questions and get advice from the comfort of your own home! Generally, paid apps tend to offer more in-depth reports, support, and advanced features, but it’s up to you to decide if you think they’ll help you reach your goals!
Budget
It goes without saying when you are looking for a weight loss app to help you achieve your goals, think about your budget. If you are not willing to pay a premium subscription each month, don’t worry! There are plenty of free apps that can help you with weight loss – like MyFitnessPal and Cronometer. Some apps are towards the top end of any budget, like Future, which comes in at $149 per month, and provides personal training services in your own home. In contrast, if you are happy to pay a smaller amount each month, plans like Weight Watchers cost $5 a month. There is an app for every budget.
Goals
When choosing an app, you’ll need to think about what you are hoping to achieve. If your goals are mainly based on exercise, you should choose an app that can track your activity – lots of these are free, or you could choose an app that makes an exercise plan for you based on your ability and goals. If you are hoping to lose weight, you should choose an app that allows you to track your calories or builds a meal plan for you.
Time Frame
Are you looking to make a lifestyle change or a quick fix? You should keep this in mind when looking for an app that is most suitable for you. For example, if you are looking to change your lifestyle, a simple tracker for calories and activities may be suitable so that you can change your habits for the better. If you are looking for a new plan to shed weight quickly, you’ll need an app that offers meal plans and incorporates exercise.
Resources
As we mentioned above, paid weight loss apps offer more resources than those that are free, like Future which offers personal training in your home, in comparison to MyFitnessPal which offers calorie and food tracking for free. If you are serious about making a big change, the likelihood is that you are going to require more resources to get you started – think meal plans, exercise plans adapted to your fitness and extra support from coaches. If you are hoping to improve your general health, a free app may work just as well for you.
