Review: RunKeeper for iPhone

When I run, which is never as often as I'd like it to be, I like to track my progress both during and after my activity.  I like to share my runs with friends so they can see I don't ONLY sit on my butt all day, and besides, it's encouraging to see people commenting with "way to go!" or similar sentiments.  The RunKeeper app for iPhone (also available for Android or Windows Phone 7) helps me to do all of these things, and much more.  It's a free app, and it uses the GPS feature of your phone to track your runs.  It syncs with the RunKeeper website where you can analyze your runs, view maps, and much more.  There's no way I can cover all the features, but I'll tell you the ones I use the most.

1) Coaching: you can set RunKeeper up with coaching programs.  Trying the Couch to 5K?  You can program in each run before you do it, and it will tell you when your run/walk intervals are.  Looking to  maintain a certain pace?  Set Runkeeper up with your target pace, and how often you want to be reminded, then it will tell you your average pace, current pace, and how far above/below your target you are.  If you are doing speed training, you can set the app up with a coaching plan to tell you when to run fast versus when to recover.  You can set up these intervals by time or by distance, which will likely help satisfy just about any training program out there.  You can even tack on a warmup/cooldown to your workout.

2) Music: if you already run with your phone, chances are, you listen to music during your run.  RunKeeper lets you pick a playlist from your phone to play while you are working out.  The music fades a bit quieter when RunKeeper is telling you stuff (like RUN FASTER, BEE-OTCH! YOU CAN DO IT!  OK, well it doesn't actually say that in so many words...but you get the idea)

3) Post to Facebook: you can post your runs to Facebook and make them visible to everyone, just your "street team" (friends using RunKeeper that you've selected & added through RunKeeper), or just you.  You can make all the run information public, or maybe not the maps if you don't really want people to know where you are running.

4) Analyze your runs: On the RunKeeper website you can check out the details of your run, the elevations of different segments and how that affected your pace.  It sends you encouraging emails every time you break a "record" (such as, Most Distance logged in a month, or others like that).  There is a RunKeeper Elite version (you have to pay for it) that gives you access to extra reports.  I don't have it so I can't comment on it.

5) Live Tracking: OK, so since this is an Elite only feature, it's not one I use, but on certain occasions, you might want to be able to turn on live tracking.  This basically posts your run online while it is happening.  This is a nice feature if you're running in a race and want your family/friends to track your progress (or to give them a heads up when you're near the finish line, so they can make a point of seeing you cross the finish...).  It could also be helpful if you are trail running, or going out for a solo run and just want someone else to know where you are.

If you are a  runner (or walker, jogger, cyclist...) who would like to know just a bit more about each workout, you may enjoy using RunKeeper like I do.  Go check it out over at http://runkeeper.com/home.  If you already use it, let me know in the comments what your favourite thing about it is!

Review: LoseIt! iPhone App

We've all got the baby weight to lose, some of us are lucky enough to lose it while our kids are still babies, others are still toting the baby weight along to preschool graduation, even high school graduation.  I personally called it baby weight til my little boy turned two...then I just called it extra weight.  I did end up losing it though, using an app called LoseIt!  I started using LoseIt! when my son was almost 3, and in about 6 months, I managed to shed almost 20lbs.  Then I got pregnant with my daughter, but instead of abandoning LoseIt!, I adjusted my daily calorie target to account for the extra calories needed during pregnancy.  I don't know if it was just using LoseIt! or if there was something else at play, but I did not gain nearly as much with my second pregnancy than with my first (and that's even with the 9th month of crazy chocolate cravings...).  I'm still using it (most days) now that I'm breastfeeding (again, I added calories to my target to make sure I'm getting enough), and after three short months, I'm only a few pounds from pre-baby weight.

I'm not an advocate for "diets" - fancy and scientific though they may be, the basic concept of weight loss is still limiting your calorie intake while maximizing your calorie expenditure through activity.  LoseIt! app for iPhone helps you to track calories in/calories out in a simple and quick way.  Because let's face it, we're busy moms, we don't have time for fancy journals, point calculations, support group meetings/weigh-ins, or typing in all of the nutritional info of each thing we eat.  LoseIt! allows you to select from the HUGE list of built-in foods, their food database even includes restaurant foods which is handy when you are eating out.  For the odd item that isn't in the database, LoseIt! app allows you to enter in custom foods.  Not only can you enter in custom food data, but you can even enter in custom recipes!  You just add foods to the recipe, say how many servings it makes, and it calculates the calories for you.

The best part is that the app is on your iPhone, so you can have it with you everywhere you go.  That also means there's no excuse to not log your meals.  LoseIt! can be set up to remind you at a set time if you haven't entered, say, your breakfast by 10am.  LoseIt! also tracks your exercise, so anytime you do anything, be sure to enter it in.  It does the calorie expenditure calculations based on the weight you are on the date you exercise, so you'll also want to make sure that you log your weight regularly.

If you want to try LoseIt!, check out their website here: http://www.loseit.com/ or check it out on the iTunes App Store (it's FREE): http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lose-it/id297368629?mt=8