When it comes to losing weight, two methods are better than one. According to a new Northwestern University study, you’ll be more successful at losing weight if you pair weight-loss apps with regular monthly attendance at diet and exercise meetings, rather than just taking the classes alone.
The study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, tracked 69 overweight adults who attended diet and exercise meetings on a monthly basis. Each participant received weekly calorie goals based on their current weight, and weekly activity goals based on their current activity level. The group was then spilt up: One group recorded their eating and activity on paper, and the other used a weight-loss app. Those who used the app and attended 80 percent of the meetings lost 15 pounds. Overall, the average weight loss for the app users, including those who did not attend the meetings, was 8.6 pounds. Significantly, those who attended the meetings but didn’t use the app lost little to no weight.
“Weight-loss apps provide real-time feedback, which not only helps you track what you’re eating, but helps you make smarter decisions in the first place” says study researcher Bonnie Spring, PhD, a professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. It gives a stronger sense of accountability than tracking your diet and exercise on paper, she adds.
But if you’re substantially overweight—like the study participants—the app alone is not always enough. “The combination of the app and meetings creates a sense of accountability and establishes your peer group,” Spring says. “You’re interacting with folks who are walking the same trail as you,” Spring adds, which gives you a sense of comradery.
Whether you’re looking to lose a handful or a hundred pounds, weight-loss apps are an excellent place to start. If you really want to give yourself a greater chance at weight-loss success, pair your app with a supportive community with similar goals. Here are the three top-rated weight-loss apps that include community support, recommended by Chad Catacchio, a tech expert for thenextweb.com.
MyFitnessPal (free on iOS and Andriod)
“One of the best reviewed weight-loss apps on Google Play, and an editor’s pick from both PC Mag and Wired, MyFitnessPal has a pretty impressive food database of over 2 million foods that it can count calories for,” Catacchio notes. The app syncs with the service’s website, which has a large community where users can exchange weight-loss triumphs and difficulties.
Noom (free & paid on Andriod)
If you like to be told what to do, this is the app for you. Noom tells you exactly what to do every day with daily weight-loss tasks, which it tracks in real-time. Your progress is then graded, which allows the app to continually adjust itself to help you lose weight. Think of it like a game! “The nice-looking app uses gamification tactics to get you motivated,” Catacchio mentions. It’s also integrated with Facebook and Twitter so you can get your friends in on the pound-dropping action.
Diet Point (free & paid on iOS and Andriod)
If you’re looking for the basis, Diet Point is the way to go. It claims to have the largest list of diet plans (55 for free, more than 150 for paid users) as well as the largest mobile weight-loss forum. The app comes with BMI and BMR calculators along with real-time meal reminders. “The app is relatively basic looking, but the reference and community seem to be its strengths,” Catacchio reports.
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