Ask An Owl: Apps and Tips for Physical Health

Flo 

By Nicole Litvinchuk

Flo is a health app that helps you track your menstrual and ovulation cycle. The app is very easy to operate because it is set up like a calendar and it gives you the option of logging your cycle or editing “period” dates if the cycle changes for the given month. Based on your date input, the app generates a prediction of when your next menstrual cycle will begin. Additionally, the app allows you to log, for each day, your mood, bodily symptoms, physical activities, whether you have taken your scheduled oral contraceptives, your weight, or even your water intake for the day.

Review: This app has allowed me to keep track of my health. By keeping track of my menstrual cycle, I can identify any irregularities early on. This app and the information you log can be valuable when you go to your yearly check-up at the gynecologist to discuss  unusual symptoms or new irregularities. Also, since the app lets you track other information like your sleep and mood, the app can give you a better understanding of your overall health throughout the year, helping to keep you in tune with your body. As college students, we have a lot on our plates, and we tend to forget or overlook things about ourselves and even about our bodies. Given that menstrual cycles and our overall well-being are important aspects of our health, keeping notes of such details can help flag things about our health to discuss with our primary care physician and maybe eventually prevent further health complications along the line. Also, since the app creates predictions of when your next cycle should arrive, it can relieve some anxieties or reduce surprises.  

 

Flo

By Autumn Abbas

This is an app that is mostly used to track menstruation cycles, which is really helpful overall. However, the part that I want to talk about is the forum/post side of Flo. The app has a lot of really educational information surrounding sexual and reproductive health all in one place, which I think is a really important resource for a lot of people. There are polls, essays, open chats, and more about reproductive and sexual information, but also information outside of that scope - I see posts about emotions, sleep, relationships, and more. The posts are all anonymous, with people freely speaking about problems they may have in a judgment-free zone. In addition to the posts and forums, the tracker automatically refers resources to you about the things it predicts you may be experiencing, depending on which part of your cycle you are in. 

My review:

I started using Flo when I was really young since I wanted to track my period like a lot of people did. Because I have a hormonal disorder, being able to track my menstrual cycles is really helpful as it helps me understand why I might be feeling the way I am at any given point. The one main critique I have had with the app, as I've used it for so long. is that the developers have steadily created MANY paywalls for the app. Many of the informational resources offered are now hidden behind fees, mostly in the form of a paid membership. It is disappointing to see so much crucial information otherwise available to many young women being placed behind a paywall. This makes it more difficult for people to learn things they need to know. However, if you can afford the $15 a-month membership, there truly is a lot of information to be found on the app, but I remember a point in which the membership was not necessary to access these things, which makes it disappointing. 

 

Strava GPS Cycling and Running App

By Alexis Shermett

Strava is a fitness app tailored for cyclists, runners, and other athletes to track and analyze their performance using GPA data. Strava stands out for its social networking features, allowing users to share their rides, runs, and workouts with a community of like-minded individuals. Users can compete in challenges, set goals, and monitor personal progress over time. The app offers features such as route mapping, performance stats like speed, heart rate, distance, elevation, and leaderboards to compare performance.

 Alexis Shermett’s Review: I initially started using Strava to monitor my running performance, focusing on improving my speed and distances. Witnessing my mile time improve from 15 minutes to 12 minutes gave me the motivation to push myself further, setting new goals and challenges. This was not only beneficial for my physical fitness but it also improved my mental health and stress management. Over time, I began to explore Strava’s social features, sharing workout summaries and photos of the beautiful scenery from my runs. The ability to set my profile to ‘Followers Only’ allowed me to stay connected with my athletic friends and family. This feature fosters a sense of community, enhances my overall experience with the app, and provides a healthy form of social media.

 

Pedometers

By Spencer Brown

Many apps can be purchased that function as pedometers. Some are more intricate than others using your movements or GPS tracking to see your movements. Some apps just track your distance, but there are others that record the time it takes you to walk a distance, how fast you move, the theoretical calories you burn on the exercise, and so forth. Some apps have goal lines with rewards or not, to entice users to walk more.

Review: While using pedometers is usually very easy and helpful, I have difficulty remembering to use them. Though they are, as said, easy to use and helpful when I remember.

 

MyFitnessPal

Are you struggling to eat healthy and want to find a way to eat more mindfully? MyFitnessPal might be the right app for you. This app is a popular calorie tracking app that also allows users to track their macronutrients. To track macronutrients in MyFitnessPal, you first need to set your macro goals. You can do this in the "Goals" section of the app. MyFitnessPal will automatically set your macros at 50% carbs, 20% protein, and 30% fat. However, you can adjust these percentages as needed, depending on your individual goals and needs. Once you have set your macro goals, you can start logging your food in the "Food" section of the app. MyFitnessPal has a huge database of foods, so you can easily find the foods you eat and add them to your diary. For each food you log, MyFitnessPal will show you the calorie and macronutrient content.

Sophia Pregadio’s Review : At first, I was skeptical since this is a popular calorie-tracking app. Calorie-tracking apps get a bad rep and for good reasons. Many individuals with eating disorders abuse these apps, which can worsen their preoccupation and unhealthy relationship with food. However, I was told by fitness professionals that to use this app effectively, the user should ONLY focus on macronutrients and IGNORE calories. Are macronutrients the same as calories? Yes and no. Yes, because calories come from macronutrients. However, no, because each macronutrient has a different role in your body. It is essential to eat a balanced diet that includes all three. I was told by a fitness professional that “once you start tracking your macronutrient intake, you won’t even have to worry about your caloric intake.” They were basically saying that it is the quality of your food and not the quantity that matters. This app is similar to Weight Watchers. For those who do not know, Weight Watchers is a popular weight loss program that assigns point values to foods based on their nutritional content. Members are given a daily points budget, and they can eat any food they want as long as they stay within their budget. However, MyFitnessPal puts more emphasis on fulfilling necessary nutrient goals. It educates the user about food quality. For instance, after I log a banana, I see that it is worth 26 grams of carbohydrates AND high in potassium. However, when I log a medium pumpkin spiced latte, I see that this item is 56 grams of carbohydrates and HIGH in sugar. When users are more educated about their food, it helps them take a more mindful approach to eating it. This app allowed me to lose a lot of unhealthy fat and completely changed my approach to food. Of course, being fit now comes with a ton of benefits, but really, I am happier than ever because my relationship with food is healthy. 

I HIGHLY recommend it if you, too, are someone who struggles with excessive eating and IS READY to find a healthy strategy to manage your food intake. However, if you are in a vulnerable place and fear that food logging will cause you to spiral, I highly recommend therapy first. It took me a while to become strong and make better decisions for healthy changes in my life. The journey to a healthier relationship with food is different for everyone. For me, it took two years and a lot of ups and downs. But I held onto hope and did not give up. And there is hope for you, too. 

 

Fini- Mental and Physical Health

This app is an easy and effective way to stay in touch with your personal friends and family while also tracking your own physical fitness, personal wellness, mental health, and any goals you desire to achieve. It is a great app to not only track physical and mental health goals but also hold you accountable for being the best version of yourself.

Nahian Uddin review : This app is a great way to just track yourself in simple words. You can set your account to be specifically personalized to your own goals and even provide feedback to keep yourself accountable. The app provides a mood tracker to help you understand anything triggering or causing a disruption to your inner peace. It honestly feels like a mobile friend who is always there to ask how you feel and make you feel better. There is also a health tracker in this app as well that you can use to track your progress. The only downside for the health tracker is that it links to your Apple fitness information so anyone with an Android might find some trouble using this portion of the app. Other than that this app is completely free, no subscriptions needed, and if you would like you can create groups and invite friends to join you on your mental/physical health journey.

Full Body Flow Yoga Routine

It's a simple and short yoga routine consisting of 12 different poses that help activate various muscle groups. Each pose should be held for five slow breaths, and steps 1-11 should be done twice on both sides. Attached is a picture with the poses and their names for clarity:

Juliana Coronado Review : I find this yoga routine useful because it doesn't take too much time, and it helps me release bodily tension and work on my breathing, which helps with stress and anxiety. Moreover, the body movements and focus required to follow the steps help me empty my head of other worries and provide a sense of calmness and peace. Finally, this routine can be done anywhere and requires no special equipment. If you are not flexible enough for one of the steps, don't force yourself and meet your body where it's at, no pressure.