Weight Loss and Leadership

During my weight loss journey, one of my greatest tools was my IPhone and the multitude of applications that I downloaded to help and guide me on meeting my goal.  I used a multitude of applications but I will cover the top 10 today.

1. Weight Watchers – I am amazed at this application and consider it one of the best mobile applications that I have ever used.  This is coming from a guy who builds applications for a living.  The best feature is it’s tracking application that allows you to scan food bar codes and track the WW points that you use.  It also has a Connect feature that allows you to connect to other people on the weight watchers journey.  In addition, it has a feature where you can reach a weight watcher employee any time of the day through instant messaging to answer questions and provide inspiration.  This feature once prevented me from eating a seemingly healthy wrap which was actually 17 WW points!  This application has a monthly subscription but if you want to lose weight it is far superior to myfitness pal and other such free applications.
2. Calm – One of the greatest contributors to weight gain is stress.  Calm is a free application that offers meditations both free and for a fee.  I have used this application often to reduce stress.  For instance, when I was stuck in the Dallas Airport overnight I used the rain sound meditation on the application to block out the noise in the airport and get some sleep.  Serenity Now!
3. Stride – This application allows you to set repeating habits and track them on a daily basis.  A key to achieving goals related to weight loss and otherwise is to establish habits and track them.  Some of the habits I have on a daily basis that help with weight loss is journaling for 15 minutes a day, writing 7 blogs a week, and saying a rosary a week.  These all reduce stress for me and help me to be thankful which brings me to my next app!
4. Happyfeed – This is a simple but powerful application!  Each day it reminds you to log three things for which you are happy.  It helps you on a daily basis to think of the good things and not to get depressed.  It also has a feature so you can add pictures and look at history.
5. Facebook –  People do not usually think of Facebook of as a Weight Loss application but it can be.  First join groups that promote positivity and Weight Loss.  Also the simple act of liking posts that do the same and you get more of the same.  My Facebook instead of a bastion of fake news is a cornucopia of positive messages.  I have over 100 saved posts and sites that I read whenever I feel down and want to eat a cheeseburger.
6. Overdrive – Absolutely, positively the most impactful application that I have.  With this application and a library card, you can download audiobooks.  These keep you occupied when working out and going on 50 mile walks (or less).  I have listened to over 70+ books in the last year,
7. HayhouseVB  – This application provides you the ability to create a vision board to help you achieve your goal.  I created one to drive me to lose weight before my 30th West Point Reunion.  I speak about this application in this previous blog.  Vision Board You need to keep your why nearby and HayhouseVB does this!
8. Fitbit – This is a fantastic application and a tool.  I use it daily to track my exercise, measure my heart rate, and to have competitions with my friends.  I no longer have a watch.  Instead I wear my Fitbit as a watch.  It also has a feature to track the number of glasses of water to drink a day which is another key element of weight loss.  Here is one of my most prized possessions from Fitbit – the 100,000 step Olympian Sandal for walking 50 miles in one day. 
9. Podcast – This is much like Overdrive.  I subscribe to a series of podcasts that I listen to a daily basis when I am not listening to books.  I listen to them when walking and also to gain inspiration.  I have a particular favorite Father Mike Schmitz who is an awesome Homilists who I listen to regularly.  When first starting on my weight loss journey, I used to gage my workout by how many Father Mike podcasts I listened to.  (3 Father Mikes equal an hour).  Another is Tim Ferris (who my son turned me on to) and Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History which is phenomenal when you have long walks (the history of Ghengis Kahn is like 19 hours).
10. Jiff – My company Accenture has established a program with Jiff that provides for rewards when meeting fitness goals.  It is very motivating to get a free Amazon Prime annual membership for gaining 1,200 Jiff points through eating right and walking.  Check with your company to see if they have this awesome tool (or if not consider joining Accenture!).

I could go on but that is enough today.  Being a computer nerd does not mean you need to be a couch potato.  Learn the power of Digital to lose weight!