Whether you’re considering weight loss surgery or have already embarked on this life-changing journey, you’re in good company. According to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, the number of people getting weight loss surgery has increased by 24 percent in recent years, going from 158,000 in 2011 to 196,000 in 2015. As the community continues to grow, support is just a smartphone away — with apps aimed at keeping you on track to reach your goals every step of the way. Here are eight of our favorites.
1. Get food smart
After weight loss surgery, you start looking at food in an entirely different way. Fooducate empowers you with nutritional knowledge to help you make better decisions. More than just a meal tracker, the app works by assigning a letter grade (based on nutritional value) to each food item. Every time you make a new meal entry, you’ll see a full ingredient breakdown, so you can get the most bang for your bite.
2. For the journey
Specifically tailored for the weight loss journey, Baritastic provides pocket-sized support for all your pre- and post-surgery needs. Unlike basic nutrition tracking apps, this handy tracker understands the unique needs of weight loss surgery patients. With features like their “seminar to surgery checklist,” the app helps you stay on track get approved for surgery. After surgery, use the app to set up daily reminders for water, protein shakes, vitamins and supplements.
3. Drink up
Proper hydration is especially important in the healing months following weight loss surgery, as it is extra hard to retain enough fluid, according to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. The Waterlogged app (for iOS and Android) turns drinking water into a competitive sport against yourself. Simply select the amount of water you’ve had to drink and watch your virtual water bottle fill up until you reach your hydration goal. Too busy to keep track of water intake? The app also lets you set reminders so you can drink your way to better health.
4. Healthy buddy
With MyFitnessPal, on-the-go food tracking is simple. The app provides users with access to the world’s largest nutrition and calorie database featuring over 5 million foods. As one of the top-rated calorie-counting apps, you’ll find a community of like-minded individuals to help you along your journey. Plus, the app also features an extensive resource library, so you can learn more about nutrition and reach your goals. The app also measures your calorie output as you exercise, giving you accurate calorie count based on your activity levels.
5. Positive thinking
Bariatric surgery is about more than just weight loss – it’s a total mind, body and soul journey. When times get tough, turn to the power of positive thinking. A positive attitude improves outcomes and life satisfaction across a spectrum of conditions, Johns Hopkins Medicine reports. The ThinkUp app helps by providing daily affirmations and motivation. It lets you create your own self-improvement program to develop the motivation and the positive mindset you need based on your goals. The app allows you to customize affirmations by recording them in your own voice and setting them to music.
6. Lose big
Keeping a food diary can double a person’s weight loss, according to Science Daily. To shed big pounds, tracking is key. The Lose It app does just that. Consider it your daily go-to for tracking food, fitness and nutrition. Plus, as one of the hottest food-tracking apps out there, you can take part community activities and competitive challenges with fellow members and have access to coaches. The platform’s newest feature, Snap It, takes food-tracking to the next level by identifying nutritional data of the food you’re eating by simply snapping a picture of it.
7. C’mon, get happy
With any lifestyle change, getting and staying on track takes discipline and self-control. The journey is tough – but definitely worth it. To help get you through any bumps along the way, Happify brings you effective tools and programs to help you take control of your feelings and thoughts. Once you download the app, Happify measures your current state of well-being and assigns a number. From there, users can complete daily activities tasks and games to increase the number. The science-driven app aims to retrain your brain to think positively by adopting new thought patterns.
8. Doctor recommended
Wish you could bring your doctor with you everywhere? With BariApps, you can. The app is tailor-made for bariatric patients. BariApps works with surgeons and medical practices to created tailored post-surgery programs so doctors can more accurately track your progress. Because every patient is different, this app connects to your specific weight loss plan. Doctors can trigger reminders and action steps based on what you’re actually eating. Make the most out of every office visit with customized reports based on real-time results.
Ami Soma
Ami has served as the patient coordinator for Soma Weight Loss for over five years, and is responsible for calling new patients, discussing procedures and scheduling consultations and follow-ups. She assists patients with setting up financing for their procedures and advises patients on their non-surgical weight loss options.
