OK, OK, of course we know technology has yet to hand us an app that is as resourceful or as accurate as our doctors are. Regardless of the reports that tie health benefits to apps, online trends, and social media usage, the original cliché we stole our title from is still by far your healthiest choice—the classic apple. It’s no secret, the key to good health is in the fuel you feed your body. So, keep those apples in your lunch pails!
However, technology has handed us some crafty gadgets—97,000 at last count—that not only complement our healthy diets, but also work to keep us in line when we try to wander past the gym and into the local bakery. Here are a few suggestion-worthy apps to pass along to your health-committed faculty and staff as part of your Wellness Initiative.
Human
You might not be shocked to see this app first on our list. It’s one of the most popular ones, being featured on BuzzFeed, TechCrunch, and FastCompany—some of the Internet’s more popular publishing sources. There are more than 250,000 active users taking their phones with them on their wellness journey. This app records your daily activity as long as you have it in your pocket, or in your bag. You can set it for daily goals of 30, 60, or 90 minutes of exercise, and it’ll let you know when your goal has been met.
FitStar
NFL fans, this is one app we’re sure you’ve heard of. Tony Gonzalez, NFL record-holding tight end, is the star of this app. Users personalize the app by setting up their workout preferences, and then Tony guides you through various exercises you can do right in your own living room. The trick is, after each session, you have to answer the workout questions honestly so the app can then suggest what comes next. For yoga enthusiasts, FitStar is getting flexible! Yoga sessions will be available this fall.
Nike Training Club
Ladies, this one is for you. Whether you want to get lean, get toned, or get strong, this app will set you on the path to reach your total fitness goals with over 100 full-body workouts. Your sessions can be as short as 15 minutes for those trying to power up over lunch break, or as long as you can keep up for those with serious dedication. Various athletic celebrities have featured videos you can download, and for those who like to brag about their efforts, there are badges and milestones you can spread around your social sites.
Zombies, Run! 3
This is for all of the gamers out there who just love to take down zombies! Who said fitness can’t be more like a game? With a community of 800,000 strong, this app delivers eight weeks of structured training throughout 160 zombie-fighting missions.
Noom
Do you need to plan every step of every day? Are you lost without your planner? If you nodded your head “yes” to either of those questions, this app is for you. It helps you plan and monitor your weight-loss goals with workout schedules, recipes, an archived library of hundreds of healthy-living articles, a weight graph, and notifications. There’s even a built in GPS for those who are still learning to navigate their neighborhoods.
UpCoffee
Coffee addicts, this app is for you. This app measures how much caffeine you drink daily and tests how your body reacts to it. After seven days, it will reveal your Caffeine Persona. More importantly, this app helps you monitor your sleep and analyzes your caffeine consumption based on your input about how much you’ve consumed throughout the day.
Calm
Some of us are just wound a little tighter than others. We find it hard to relax—there’s just always something to do! And so, our mental health takes a back seat. Recognition is the first step to recovery, they say. This app can be your second step. Calm offers meditations, soothing music, and tips for getting through anxiety-riddled moments.
AllergyFT
This app isn’t going to motivate you off the couch on a rainy Sunday or track your calories, but it is a good one for those who love to travel abroad and have food allergies. It’s a multilingual app, translating 62 food allergies into French, Spanish, and German.
Mindshift
This app is designed to help teens and young adults cope with anxiety. It’s not a substitute for professional help, but can be your pocket angel when anxiety sneaks up on you. It offers tips and tricks to conquer social anxiety, performance anxiety, panic, conflict, and worry.
Budge
For the competitive type, Budge will be your favorite find of 2014. This app is designed so users can challenge their friends to just about anything. The winner gains bragging rights, and the loser must make a small donation to a worthy cause. It’s the best of both worlds.
ISM offers creative health care solutions for schools of all sizes and budgets. We’re dedicated to private-independent schools—it’s our mission to assist them in strategically mapping out their future for generations to come. In partnering with our clients, offering excellent health options including state-specific health care consortiums, tailored plans to their mission, and even individual health care options available through the ISM Health Care Exchange, we enable your school to attract and retain talented, mission-appropriate faculty and staff. Contact us for more information about how we can partner with your school.
Protect your students. Protect those who protect your students. Protect yourself.
Additional ISM articles of interest
Private School News Vol. 11 No. 4 Apps Making A Difference
ISM Monthly Update for Risk Managers Vol. 4 No. 9 How Safe Is Your Google-App Driven School?
ISM Monthly Update for Business Managers Vol. 11 No. 8 Just a Few More Wellness Program Ideas
