… by Nathalie Lussier
Often we hear about the bad sides of technology: how it causes us to get addicted to social media, how we spend our sedentary lives in front of screens, and how we eat processed food.
But I’d like to remind us of all the ways that technology can actually help us improve our overall well-being. After all, wasn’t the promise of robots and technology to reduce the amount of work we would do so we could enjoy life more? Yes, yes it was.
Blogging for Accountability
Have you ever used accountability to stick to a goal or intention? You know like telling everyone that you were quitting smoking and that if they saw you with a pack of smokes to take it away from you? Or perhaps you’ve teamed up with a friend so that every morning you meet at the gym or on the sidewalk in front of your home to go running.
Accountability has a way of getting us to do the things that we want to do, but that we might not do if we lose motivation. You see we all want to “give face” and appear smarter, cooler, and more motivated to our friends, so we stick to our intentions.
That’s where blogging for accountability comes in: if your goal is to work out 3 times per week, eat a salad every day for lunch, or stop buying junk food… you can announce it to your blog readers, your Facebook friends, or your Twitter buddies. I promise that having to admit to the Internet that you caved and ate a tub of ice cream will keep you on the straight and narrow.
And it will make you healthier.
Planning Your Meals Online
Most of the time we eat badly because we haven’t planned ahead. When hunger hits, you’re a lot more likely to grab the first thing you see than wait it out and cook or prepare something healthy. This in turn sends you on a sugar rollercoaster, with ups and downs, and lots of regretful food choices.
On the other hand if you have a stocked fridge, planned meals, and some prepared snacks you can sail through the week eating stuff you know is good for you. And yes, that will make you healthier, and it will be lighter on your wallet to boot.
Another thing that the Internet allows you to do is research healthy meal options and recipes. There are even programs to help you plan your meals, automatically creating shopping lists for you, doing almost everything except eating the food for you.
Using Apps to Track Progress
If public accountability isn’t quite your thing, you can still track your progress using apps that run on your mobile devices. There are apps to track the number of miles you run, the calories you eat, and lots more.
I think there’s something to be said about being able to look back at your progress as your fitness improves. If you started out huffing and puffing after a 5 minute jog, and now you can run a few miles… you can bet you’ll want to celebrate this achievement!
Human beings are always looking forward to the next thing, so it’ important to have something to remind us of how far we‚Äôve come. And how much healthier we are too.
So there it is, three ways to use technology to better your health. Pick one and start today, and you’ll be reaping the rewards before you know it!
Nathalie Lussier writes about the intersection of technology, business, and wellness at her blog. She’s passionate about eating fresh whole fruits and vegetables and helps people through her Magick Menu program, and can even keep you accountable on Twitter if you need it.
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