With the proliferation of mobile technology (mTech) in recent years, our trusty smartphones are no longer confined to solely being a basic communications medium. They can also serve as a tool to monitor our health, thanks to the myriad of health and fitness applications made available for Windows Phone, iOS, and Google’s Android operating system. In case you need a fitness app, a yoga app, or a smart calorie intake counter; you can always find an available app via the applications store.
Based on the 2014 FDA data gathered by Public Health Is, a project by UC Berkeley Center for Health Leadership Fellows, an estimated 500 million smartphone owners across the globe are active users of mobile health solutions and applications. But, how can mobile technology keep you fit and healthy? Is it an effective method? Read on, as we discuss the topic below.
Intelligent Monitoring Through Smartphone Sensors
Mobile manufacturers nowadays are investing heavily in groundbreaking technologies to help ordinary consumers easily gather data on their personal health. Proof of this, is in the recent introduction of the Samsung Galaxy S5 during the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show. A heart rate sensor is embedded in the rear side of the device where you can simply tap on using finger to begin reading. The sensor will then calculate the beating of your pulse and in a matter of 20 seconds; it’ll show your blood pressure level and heart rate per second through its built-in S-Health mobile companion app.
Green signifies a normal heart rate and blood pressure levels. On the other hand, red, represents high-blood pressure or pre-hypertensive case and low-blood pressure or hypotension. Within the app, it also provides links to relevant online reading resources.
Exercise Motivation Brought About By Health Applications
Apart from monitoring your vitals and/or tracking your routines, mobile devices can also motivate you to keep in shape and lead a healthy lifestyle. As pointed out by Ace Fitness, exercise programs offered by mobile applications these days provide objective data concerning your goals and progress in order to motivate you to maintain the workout program. You are also given digital badges to congratulate your working progress and in most cases, the ability to share these badges on social media channels for some virtual high fives.
An example of this is the Fitbit app for Android OS. As featured by Dan Graziano of CNET, the free to install fitness app can transform your smartphone into a digital fitness tracker to count your daily steps, distance traveled, and calories burned. The app utilizes your devices gyroscope, motion sensor, and accelerometer, to gather the aforementioned information. All you need to do is to enter your birthday, height, weight, and gender in order for the app to identify your metabolic rate, which is later on used to determine your burned calorie count.
When you reach a certain milestone (like 5,000 steps in a day), you’ll be awarded by digital badges which can be viewed by your fellow Fitbit app users on the company’s website. If you use the app with the HTC One M8 smartphone, these badges are also displayed on the home screen, as reiterated by Graziano. The HTC One M8, based on the specification’s page of O2, is equipped with a BlinkFeed home screen application, where these achievement badges are displayed.
Keeps You Eating Clean
In a related article from Qualcomm, the author pointed out that “a smartphone is one tool our paleo-dieting ancestors didn’t have, which gives us an advantage when it comes to eating clean.” With a 24/7 access to omnipresent cellular internet connectivity, dieticians and health conscious people can instantly pull out resources or a helpful guide to healthy and clean eating. For instance, the Healthy Food Diet by Fooducate Ltd. Is an intuitive Android-based food guide which helps you grade the food you intake.
There are also mobile apps that will allow you to manage your calorie intake and create your own meal plan such as MyFitnessPal. The app offers more than 3,000,000 foods on its database, the largest of its kind. So, whatever food you consider, you can identify all the major nutrients and calorie count it contains.
No Need For You To Be A Gym Expert
Working out at home has never been easier with smartphones and tablets. Using these devices, you can gain access to free exercise video demos and pictures of custom workout routines to independently follow. However, you are still advised to check the veracity of your resources to prevent unforeseen emergencies brought about by these routines. Always check for trusted resources and health experts before exercising in the absence of a gym instructor.
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