• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Amy Hoogervorst

Integrative Health and Wellness Coach

  • WHAT IS HEALTH COACHING?
  • ABOUT AMY
  • SERVICES
  • BLOG
    • FAITH AND SPIRITUALITY
    • MIND-BODY CONNECTION
    • MOVEMENT, EXERCISE AND REST
    • NUTRITION
    • PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
    • PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
    • RELATIONSHIPS AND COMMUNICATION
  • GET STARTED
    • SCHEDULE A FREE CALL
    • ACCESS FREE RESOURCES
    • VIEW ARCHIVED VIDEOS

Oct 6, 2017
MOVEMENT, EXERCISE AND REST· NUTRITION

Set Goals and Track Progress with Apps

use apps for goal setting and tracking, leading to improved healthEveryday technology can be used to help us improve our personal health.

Yes, there’s an app for that. Several apps, actually.

And it can be overwhelming to figure out which ones are worthwhile to use.

I haven’t tried them all, but I do have several that work for me. The list below includes only ones that I use daily or very frequently to help me specify my goals and then track my progress.

The Apps I Use Every Day

Fitbit – I wear a Fitbit tracker daily and use it primarily to monitor my steps and my sleep. I’ve used Fitbit products for several years. This summer, I upgraded to the Blaze. I wanted more detail on my quality and quantity of sleep. I also wanted to know how many steps I take each day. And, the tracker buzzes to remind me to get up and move every hour if I’ve been sitting a lot, doing things like (!) writing a 31-step blog series.

Quite frankly I’m embarrassed to show you how much (or little) I’ve slept this week. I’ve detailed my sleep issues in previous articles here, particularly one called “How to Wreck Your Life in 5 Hours or Less.”  I still struggle to get an average of 7 hours per night. So here’s a glimpse of how my tracker details my sleep habits. You’ll notice I still have plenty of room for improvement.

I wear the tracker and sync it with the Fitbit app so that I can monitor reality. In my mind I could say, “Oh, I’m getting enough sleep.” My tracker, via the app on my smartphone, says otherwise.

MyFitnessPal – Off and on since November 2013, but pretty regularly for the past year, I’ve used this app to record my weight, track my food and calories, and pay attention to my balance of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. I can see my progress. I’ve lost 18 pounds during that time and kept it off, especially in the past year. (Dietary changes and tracking have led to the weight loss and consistency.)

Tracking my food intake has been crucial to my health goals.  I highly recommend this app (I still use the free version) and logging your food daily. The app even allows you to scan a food by bar code and will input the calories, fats and other nutrients for you. If you struggle with drinking enough water, you even can log that. Even if you want to change nothing about what you eat, tracking via this app is eye-opening.

The Apps I Use Frequently

MapMyWalk/MapMyRun/MapMyRide – Depending on how you want to move – walking, running, or cycling – use one of these apps to track your mileage, plan a route, and connect with friends. If you have a step tracker with its own app (such as Fitbit) you may not need this app too. But I still use it because it’s the one I started with in 2010 when I was chased by lightning and began running. It has many more functions than I personally use and can be synced with other devices and apps such as MyFitnessPal.

Mindbody – I use this app to help me find fitness classes near me, such as yoga or Pilates. I input my favorite studios and then can check their schedules and book classes right from the app. (A friend had to postpone our coffee chat tomorrow? Hmmm, wonder if there’s a yoga class I can attend at that time?)

Insight Timer – Since enrolling in the health coach training program at Duke Integrative Medicine, which has mindfulness as a core value, I’ve been focusing on my own meditation practices. This app features guided meditations and a simple timer for your own practice. I’ve tried and liked several meditation apps, but this one I’ve used most consistently.

It’s your turn. What apps do you use to focus on your health? Send me a note. I’d love to hear from you!

Welcome! I’m Amy, an integrative health coach, offering grace and space for a healthier you. This article is Step 6 in the “31 Steps to a Healthier You” series. You can access all posts in the series here.  And I hope you’ll want to stick around for a while. If so, please subscribe at this link so you’ll get updates.

31 steps to a healthier you

Tweet
Share
Pin

Don’t Miss out

Join our newsletter to get all the latest!

Previous Post: « Explore the Wheel of Health
Next Post: Traveling? Pack Your Healthy Habits for the Trip »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. charlotte tippett says

    October 6, 2017 at 9:21 pm

    I use the fitbit also but not completely.I do parts of it.Tomorrow since your plans got changed,you can come to your old home church to the fall festival.One of the things for sell to bid on is a special yoga class.starts at 8 to 1

Primary Sidebar

MEET AMY

Hi! I'm Amy Hoogervorst, a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, integrative health coach, and creative entrepreneur offering grace and space for a healthier you. Read More…

Amy Hoogervorst is a ReCODE 2.0 Certified Health Coach. Badge is blue and green lettering primarily on a white background

Latest on the Blog

A Bredesen ReCODE coach helps people concerned about or living with cognitive decline implement lifestyle changes that are part of the Bredesen protocol. Colorful image depicts a brain with many synapses and activity

Recently I trained as a Bredesen ReCODE Coach, adding to my professional knowledge base and credentials as I look to help anyone concerned about their brain health. But my desire to prevent and reverse cognitive decline goes beyond a professional achievement. It’s deeply personal, too. About five years ago, someone close to me received a […]

Let’s Connect

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Latest on Instagram

Alzheimer's is a women's health issue. 🧠 Of ev Alzheimer's is a women's health issue.

🧠 Of every three people in the United States living with Alzheimer’s, two are women.

🧠 Even factoring in women’s longer lifespans, they’re twice as likely as men to develop the disease.

🧠 Lifestyle changes such as improved sleep and nutrition, increased exercise and mental stimulation, and decreased stress and toxins, can help reduce a woman's risk of dementia.

If all of that seems overwhelming, focus on just one piece of the puzzle. What's one tiny step you can take to improve your cognition?

Read more here: https://amyhoogervorst.com/women-and-alzheimers/

#worldalzheimersday #walkwalkwalk #freshfood #bettersleep #stressless #useyourmind #creativity #tinyhabits #onestepatatime #brainhealth #integrativehealthcoach #graceandspaceforahealthieryou 

World Alzheimer's Day -
"It does not matter how slowly you go as long as y "It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop." - Confucius

Groton (NY) Labor Day 5k ✔️
Running state #21 (me) and #27 (DH)

#goatyourownpace #keepmoving #5k #walk #run #justdoit #runyourownrace #physicalactivity # #movement #graceandspaceforahealthieryou #integrativehealthcoach
What promise to yourself will you keep today? • What promise to yourself will you keep today?

•

#showupforyourself #saturdaymood #nurture #rest #sleep #nutrition #exercise #connection #creativity #takegoodcareofyourself #graceandspaceforahealthieryou #integrativehealthcoach #wellbeing
Grace & Space (for a healthier you) means ... • Grace & Space (for a healthier you) means ...

• None of us is perfect, and we don't have to be, even when we are working toward something important to us. 💙
• We all need safe spaces in our lives - people and environments - in order to grow and thrive. 🩵
• I solved yesterday's Wordle in two guesses. 😁

#graceandspaceforahealthieryou became my tagline when I started my health and well-being coach practice in 2017. You'll see it on my website and every time I post on IG.

It's a principle I try to live by professionally, as I aim to offer grace and space to my coaching clients and mentees, as well as those who attend my classes and retreats. And also personally, in the day to day of my life - including to myself.

What would it mean to give yourself some grace and space today?

#tagline #healthcoach #grace #space #values #compassion #intention #attention #wordle #wordgames #takegoodcareofyourself
Follow on Instagram

Tags

accountability anxiety best self books challenge choices coaching dreams exercise faith faith and sweat fitness friends goals grace and space for a healthier you habits health health coaching healthy eating healthy food healthy lifestyle holidays inflammation memories mindfulness mindset movement nutrition perseverance personal growth PhotoOrganize Me photos recipes resources rest self-care sleep social media stewardship stories stress sugar wellness what i learned Youngevity
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • DISCLOSURES
  • CONTACT
© 2023 Amy Hoogervorst - All Rights Reserved

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in .

Amy Hoogervorst
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.