Apps for Weight Loss Success

Choose the best apps and program for your diet goals

There are hundreds of apps for dieters, many of them free. How can you sort through the choices? There are hundreds of apps for dieters, many of them free. How can you sort through the choices? Look for the apps with the kind of tools you need.

If you’re counting calories, make sure it lists the widest variety of foods in the widest variety of measurements-cups and ounces as well as grams. Because cutting back on fat calories helps weight loss and heart health, look for an app that breaks down the saturated, unsaturated, and trans fats in common foods.

Many apps have built-in motivation. You might want a daily diet tip to stay on track or a digital diary to record and keep a running total of calories eaten every day. There are even apps for following special diets, like tracking carbs and blood sugar with diabetes; apps with low-cal recipes; and apps that let you scan packaged foods at the supermarket to get instant feedback on whether they’re good for you.