by Shelly Stinson
There seems to be a growing perception in our society that poor health is everywhere. We’ve gotten so used to restaurant meals, processed foods, and decadent treats that it can feel difficult to implement better nutrition. Just recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that processed meats can cause cancer, which only made it feel more difficult to determine what’s really okay to eat in our day-to-day lives.
On the other hand, the prevalence of unhealthy foods has been combatted to some extent by a wave of health-conscious and nutritional efforts, many of which can be found online. Indeed, in the face of increasingly unhealthy and artificial food options, the modern era has introduced social tools that help sound nutritional strategies reach wider audiences. In some cases, that means that it’s now easier to connect directly with a certified nutrition or wellness coach. However, it also means that there are various apps and tools that can help you to stay on the right track from a nutritional standpoint.
Signing up for a nutrition program online is the most proactive approach to fighting back against unhealthy eating options, because it gives you the most direct, personal coaching experience. If you’re concerned about what you’re putting into your body, or even if you have a specific problem or illness you’re hoping to reverse via lifestyle changes, you can take heart in the fact that a lot of the health and nutrition coaches operating online started out just like you. Sometimes concern about personal habits leads to an educational process, and then to the desire to help others. Whether or not this is the case, a certified nutritional expert will be well equipped to understand your needs and help you to alter your diet in an effective and sustainable manner.
But if personal coaching seems a little bit intense or expensive for your needs, you can take advantage of a growing number of online tools that can help with forming better health habits. Many are under the impression that apps in this category pertain only to fitness efforts, but in addition to helping you shed pounds, apps can tell you more about what you’re eating. A number of the top fitness and health apps include search features that allow you to find your meals and ingredients and see the nutritional facts behind them, or even to find healthier alternatives to your ordinary meals. Depending on the app, you can essentially build your own nutrition program, figuring out what works for you and what doesn’t and putting yourself on a strategic health schedule.
All of this may sound like relatively simple information—and it is! But it’s truly amazing how easy it is to become complacent about what we eat. We all know that there are fitness apps and health programs out there, but truly understanding the extent of them in modern society is a great first step toward actually taking advantage of them. Whether you go the route of an app or personal program, or choose to actually hire a nutrition coach, there’s a lot you can do to help change your habits and put the right things into your body.
Shelly Stinson is a Denver, Colorado-based freelance writer with a passion for all things related to health and nutrition. She also loves trying new restaurants and traveling, two things she tries to do as much as possible. Follow her adventures on Twitter.
