An 'app' a day to keep the doctor away

The smartphone you carry in your pocket can now inspire you to lead a fit life with a wide range of apps.

Wouldn't it be nice if you could be motivated enough to get to the gym and work out, or eat healthy everyday?

The smartphone you carry in your pocket can now inspire you to lead a fit life with a wide range of apps (free and paid) that can help you track and stay informed about your health.

From nutritional facts that let you know how many calories are in that McChicken to instructional fitness videos, there are numerous ways you can turn your smartphone into more than just a phone and let it help you keep yourself in shape.

For iPhone users

Lose It!

The app helps you keep a track of what you consume.

You can keep in touch with friends and update them with your diet plans, log your exercise, and keep a daily count of calories that you are allowed to consume.

You can enter the food you eat and the app with its database lets you calculate what you need and how you need to exercise to lose the extra calories.

Available: On iTunes; Free

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Sleep machine

Here's an app for those who have a problem getting a good night's sleep.

Sleep Machine has 61 mastered stereo sounds, 54 of which are ambient sound tracks and the other seven are music titles.

This app provides relaxing sounds at the right volume to help you sleep.

You can let it play throughout the night, or schedule it to shut off after a few hours when you know you would be sleeping soundly.

Available: On iTunes
Costs $1.99 (about Rs 90)

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For Blackberry users

iHeadache

For those who suffer from headaches or migraine, there's an app to address your discomfort.

iHeadache helps to track your headache symptoms and medications.

Developed by neurologist, researcher and headache specialist, Brian D Loftus, it can tell you the type of headache you are having by analysing real-time information.

The app uses the International Headache Society Criteria to classify your headache as a migraine, probable migraine, tension headache or unclassified headache.

Available: On Blackberry App World;
Costs $9.99 (about Rs 460)

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No Smoking

An app for anyone who wants to kick the butt.

Designed to slowly wean you off smoking, the app starts in 'learn' mode where it records your habits frequency and severity.

When you are ready to quit you exit 'learn' mode and begin 'quit' mode.

There is also a motivation and tip section for when you are feeling weak and crave a smoke.

The app also keeps track of statistics like averages, saved money, saved tar and nicotine levels.

Available: Blackberry App World;
Costs $9.99 (about Rs 460)

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For Android users

First Aid

One of the first rules of staying healthy is being able to avoid injury and for that you must stay safe.

But how do you protect the health of your family members in emergency situations?

This Android app provides large categories that are very easy to navigate through to find the condition that you're looking for.

For example, under Life Saving Procedures you'll find a number of skills that can save lives in many life-threatening situations like a choking or a heart attack.

Available: Android Marketplace; Free of cost

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Absolute Fitness

If you want an all-in-one app to track your food intake, exercise regimen, fitness goals, you should go for Absolute Fitness app for Android handsets.

The app gives you the ability to see the nutritional composition of more than 10,000 different kinds of food and the calorie expenditure of more than 180 different types of exercises.

Available: Android Marketplace;
Costs $4.99 (about Rs 230)