Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) have been aggressive in expanding their app stores for iOS and Android by leaps and bounds since they each introduced their respective operating systems over recent years. And with more than a million apps combined between the two OSs, there is a pretty good chance there are some apps that directly compete with each other for market share.
While on that vein, how are you doing with your New Year’s resolutions? (Yes, the ones for Chinese New Year, since that is most recent on the calendar and allows you to reset those resolutions you broke earlier.) How are you doing with that resolution which you made to lose a few pounds? Did you buy the latest running shoes and get that gym membership?
And probably most important – did you find your accountability partner? If not, then maybe you’re not looking hard enough. With today’s ever-expanding app world, your personal accountability partner could be right there in your pocket or purse. And you might be surprised to learn that there was a study conducted (the surprise isn’t the study; it’s the results) at Northwestern University which revealed that if a mobile weight-loss app is included as part of a weight -management program, participants lose an average of 15 pounds and keep the weight off for at least a year.
Who need a coach yelling at you, when you have an Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) or Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) smartphone that can beep at you to hold you accountable?
As spring has sprung, some people are looking toward the warmer summer months, when they can hit beaches and go around in shorts and (gasp@) their shirts off. But many people, before they do that, may feel the need to drop a few pounds. In that vein of supporting our Insider Monkey readers who support us, we’d like to provide a public service by revealing for you six Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) iOS and Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android apps that are the best accountability partners for your weight-loss program. We will present these in alphabetical order, as we don’t have a methodology for rating them; these are just six that are mentioned by others as top apps for this purpose. We’ll describe the ap and the key distinguishing features of eachso you can make athe best decision for your needs. Good luck to you, and you can thank us later for the recommendations.
Click here to see the full list —>
Endomondo
For: Android, BlackBerry, iOS
Endomondo is available on three of the four major operating systems, making it the second-most versatile app on this listing (the No. 1 app in versatility is later). This app has a free version that is supported by advertising and a an ad-free Pro version for $3, can be used to track your exercise whether it’s walking, running or cycling. The app provides GPS tracking of your location, course, length of your exercise and distance traveled, as well as calories burned during the workout. There is also integration with a music player that is on your handset as well as certain Bluetooth-enabled heart monitors.
Fitocracy
For: Android, iOS
This free app is available on Apple Inc.- (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG)-powered smartphones. It was developed by a couple of video-game enthusiasts, and it has video-game aspects to it. It is set up as a competition among fellow users to push each other in their workouts. The app also allows users to exchange workouts and feedback and motivation. As users increase their duration and difficulty of their workouts, they get points and move up to new levels in the app. Initially developed for iOS in 2010, the app boasts more han a million registered users.
Fooducate
For: Android, iOS
This free app is available on Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android users, and focuses more on the food you eat then the exercise you do. This app allows you to scan the barcode on food products with yoru phone and gives a health grade from A to F. If the grade is not A, the app may provide you with a couple of recommended substitutes that have better health grades. It helps creat healthy grocery lists and also tracks your weight as you go through your program.
iTrackBites
For: Android, iOS
This seems to discriminate, as it’s premium price if $1.99 for iOS users and $2.99 for Android phones. However, it seems to work much like the Weight Watchers program, where it assigns “scores” to foods and allows users to access a food diary and select foods based on certain point values that are entered in a database.
Lose It!
For: Android, iOS
This very popular app is free on Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android smartphones. This app offers a recipe builder, an extensive list of food and activities, and foods can be added to the list and users can track protein, carbs and fat. There is also a handy barcode scanner for food items.
MyFitnessPal
For: Android, BlackBerry, iOS, Windows Phone
This is the most universally accepted app, as not only do Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android-based smartphones, but it is also available on he Research In Motion Ltd. (NASDAQ:BBRY) BlackBerry operating system and the Windows Phone OS by Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT). This free app contains a database of more than 750,000 foods and a barcode scanner to show you calorie counts in packaged foods and it helps you keep track of the calaories to take in every day.
