5 motivating mobile apps for improving in well-being
December 9, 2013 5:06 PM
1. HealthyOut
This app is a combination of OpenTable and Yelp, but geared toward healthy dining. Consumers can enter in their dietary preferenceswith requirements such as vegan, gluten free, or organicand the apps finds restaurants in their area that have menu items meeting their nutritional requirements.
Its a really cool use of technology to act as a filter to make it easier for us to make healthier choices, explained Colin F. Watts, president of Weight Watchers Health Solutions. The Biggest obstacle Watts sees at Weight Watchers is participants struggling to eat healthy items when they go out.
2. Zombierun.com
Theres nothing like a horde of zombies to motivate you to run as fast as you possibly can, said Watts of this unusual app that uses gamification to engage participants in running and wellness, an emergent trend that is ever-increasing in the technology space.
3. Tracking devices
Recently the industry has seen an explosion of tracking devices appear in the marketplace. Watts said that 43 million activity devices will be sold this year in the U.S. By 2018, 250 million devices will be sold in America. This is a growing trend, explained Watts, not a fad. He advises employers to look for technology that is accurate and inter-connected with other platforms in order to drive sustainable behavior change.
4. WeightWatchers apps
WeightWatchers invests between $7 and $10 million each year in the mobile area. They have mobile apps for tracking nutrition and activity as well as a barcode scanner app that delivers nutritional information while in the grocery store.
5. StickK
The StickK website and app encourage participants to set a goal, which is often related to well-being, such as to quit smoking, run a 10k, or lose weight. They assign a family member or friend as a referee to keep them honest.
Then we ask they put their money where their mouth is, says Jordan Goldberg, CEO of StickK. Participants can set a wager with someone or give money to a charity or give money to an anti-charity, a charity that you hate, said Goldberg, if they dont accomplish their goal. The StickK website facilitates that transaction so that a gun control advocate, for example, would have to fork over cash to the National Rifle Association for failing to meet their goal.
