3 free wellness apps that will turn your life around
BY MOLLY WINDING
The term 'wellness' can have multiple meanings. It can mean physical fitness, nutrition, healthcare and much more. The truth about wellness is that it actually encompasses a balance of everything we just mentioned -- it's about the overarching umbrella of health, which is both physical and mental. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be one streamlined way to keep on top of everything having to do with our personal wellness, but if you can spare a little space on your phone, we found a few apps that can help.
Let's begin with physical fitness. Prioritizing physical health is the first step to revamping our approach to overall wellness, because of its effects on one's mental health -- according to the Mayo Clinic, exercise can ease symptoms of depression and anxiety, so talk about killing two birds with one stone, right? Cardio and strength training have myriad benefits, including weight maintenance, fat burning, increased relaxation, better sleep and a strengthened immune system, to name a few listed on WebMD. However, exercise is one of those tricky things we have a terrible time working into our daily routines. Joining a gym can be expensive and hiring a personal trainer can make an even bigger dent in your wallet, not to mention that working out takes up a significant amount of time.
Sworkit
In an attempt to combat the difficulties of getting our workouts in, Sworkit is a fitness app that doesn't require any special equipment, so you can do the workouts in the comfort of your own home, and it allows you to set the time limit for each session so you can never use the excuse, "I don't have time!" Select your workout type and the length of time you want to exercise and you're good to go! Download Sworkit for free here.
Now let's talk about mental health. You're already one step closer to being super zen now that you're getting regular exercise, but there's always more we can be doing to de-stress, stay organized and feel happy. This is where meditation comes in. "Sure, sure," you say, "everyone says that." There's a reason for that! Don't pass the chill-out method by just because it seems trendy and of-the-moment. Yes, it is popular, but put your hipster philosophy aside for just one moment because meditation is LEGIT. The Huffington Post reports that a regular meditation practice can reduce stress, enhance your ability to concentrate, increase self awareness and flat out make you a happier person. How can you argue with that?
Omvana
Omvana is the perfect app to introduce you to meditation because, if we're being honest, some of this app's best features aren't even for meditation. Obviously you'll find tracks for guided meditations, but the cool part is that you get to choose between two types of tracks - vocal or ambient - and you don't actually have to meditate to relax if you don't want to. Vocal tracks can be guided meditations or they can be inspirational speeches, poetry, hypnosis and more. Ambient tracks can be nature sounds, relaxation audios, calming music and even beats designed to relax your brain! Download Omvana for free here.
So you're super fit and super chill. What's next? Time to start eating super healthy. Unfortunately for us, swapping our Friday morning bagel for an apple is a little harder than one might imagine, but that's why we have motivational technology to help us through. And let's be honest, we can't be working out and meditating and then going and eating a jelly donut, now can we? Healthy eating is not a diet, but it is the cornerstone of every other aspect of our wellness, because if we aren't putting good food into our bodies, we won't have enough energy to do things like workout.
Fooducate
With the Fooducate app, learn what's really in your food, find healthier foods to purchase at the grocery store or order at a restaurant, get healthy recipes and track what you eat. Say goodbye to mindless snacking! While this app can be great for people looking to diet, it's also just a great way to learn about what you're putting in your body on a daily basis and helps you be more aware of what you consume. There's even a fun 'Daily Tip' feature for fun food facts. Download Fooducate for free here.
We don't want to overload your phone or your brain with too many things to keep track of, so these three apps are our go-to recommendations for improving your overall health and wellness. You don't need a million mediocre apps to try to get your wellness on track, you just need a couple good ones. Try them out and let us know what you think!
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