Can Apps Help You Eat More Healthfully?
I've always wanted to eat more healthfully, but in recent years, I've struggled to find things that stuck. This week, I explore a couple apps that have helped me nudge myself in the right direction when it comes to food.
Recently, I’ve been trying to eat healthier.
Nutrition is something I’m ok at but have always wanted to improve.
I’ve tried a lot of things. I’ve tried intermittent fasting, eating low carbs, and some other fads. The adage about diets not sticking ran pretty true with me.
It’s an area where I’ve historically struggled, but recently, I’ve had some success cutting weight and making some changes to my diet. I found a couple apps that helped me in the process.
I’m not a professional in this area. These are just 2 apps that have helped me rethink about the food I eat on a daily basis.
MacroFactor
The first app I’ve really been enjoying is MacroFactor.
MacroFactor is a food-tracking app created by YouTuber and natural body builder Jeff Nippard. Jeff takes a scientific approach to weightlifting, which I appreciate. He also applies this thinking to MacroFactor.
I’ve tried many a calorie counter in my time, mostly using MyFitnessPal. None were very enjoyable to use, though.
MacroFactor, on the other hand, has been a game changer.
Some elements I love about MacroFactor are…
- Quick logging for foods when you know the calories/macronutrients/etc.
- An algorithm that tries to calculate daily energy expenditure based on calorie input and weight change
- An AI tool that guesstimates calories based on a description and/or image of your food
For calorie expenditure, I don’t like to rely on my Apple Watch too much for actual calorie burn. I find the Apple Watch is very generous with workout calories. MacroFactor is a nice middle ground, calculating my expenditure based on two factors that matter the most to me.
The AI tool is one of the better use-cases I’ve seen for AI yet; this is how I like to see it incorporated into my daily life. While not always fully accurate, the AI suggestions give me a starting place by pulling in the general foods I ate.
MacroFactor is the best calorie counter I’ve used and leverages some great features to make calorie counting as easy as possible.
Yuka
Another app I’ve been experimenting with recently is called Yuka. I came across it when a tech reviewer did a series on the App Store’s hidden gems.
Yuka’s premise is that it will scan a processed food and let you know how good it is for you.
It focuses on the following areas when evaluating how good a food is for you: additives, sugar, protein, fiber, sodium, saturated fat, and calories.
Yuka will also give you recommendations on swaps to make, which I find helpful to keep in mind.
For instance, the app isn’t a fan of some of the additives in Diet Coke. Instead, it recommends Poppi as a better alternative. It’s not necessarily saying the Poppi is good for you but rather that it’s a swap to explore. I still drink Diet Coke as well, but I’ve been trying drinks like Poppi recently.
Yuka isn’t perfect, but I have enjoyed scanning common foods I eat and considering if there are healthier alternatives worth exploring.
The app is also totally free, which is refreshing.
You can pay for certain premium features, but the ability to scan a food and see how it rates is 100% free currently.
Additionally, the app’s founder claims to be fully independent from food companies as to not be biased against any additives, etc. I do not have any evidence that refutes that information, so I will take it at face value for the sake of this post.
To Wrap Up
Again, I am no expert in this area. These are just some apps and strategies I’ve played around with.
Maybe you like calorie counting but don’t love the app you use, so you decide to give MacroFactor a try. Maybe you’re looking to make a couple healthy swaps in your life and check out Yuka.
If you’re looking for ways you can make your phone work for you regarding healthier eating, these apps might be what you’ve been looking for. I know I wish I knew about these apps earlier (particularly MacroFactor…no offense to you MyFitnessPal users, but that app’s UI is kind of garbage).
Borrowing from last week’s topic on identity, it only takes a couple actions to begin to change how you see yourself. Maybe using one of these apps can help you begin that identity of being a healthy eater.
What apps help you be a healthier version of yourself?