Accountability for your fitness goals is at your fingertips
By Greg Sager, store manager for U.S. Cellular in New Bern
Summer weather is here, bringing with it outdoor activities, bathing suits, and other motivators for many people who want to get healthy and get in shape.
One of the best, most readily available tools to meet those health and fitness goals is a cell phone, say “Mobile Health Nuts.” “Mobile Health Nuts” account for 10 percent of U.S. Cellular (NYSE: USM) customers who recently participated in the wireless carrier’s Better Moments online survey¹ and specified that they use their smartphones for health and fitness.
With just 10 percent of our customers qualifying as ‘Mobile Health Nuts,’ this suggests that many Mainers aren’t using the convenient health-related tools for instruction, motivation and accountability that are readily available on their cell phones.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 79 percent of adults in the U.S. aren’t meeting federal physical activity recommendations. In North Carolina, only about 46.8 percent get enough exercise.
In addition to these “Mobile Health Nuts,” all smartphone users surveyed provided insight on the top ways they use their phones to achieve wellness goals.
Families are already relying on technology in their daily lives, and we want to provide tools to help people use this technology to enjoy Better Moments with family. Your phone can make it easier to manage your health and fitness goals wherever and whenever it’s convenient for you, and we’ve learned some of the best ways to make it part of your daily routine thanks to all the smartphone users we surveyed.
Focus on good nutrition
Your smartphone phone can help you eat healthier, according to 16 percent of smartphone users surveyed. By looking up nutritional information before purchasing food or ordering at a restaurant, you have the opportunity to make healthier choices.
This is especially helpful in restaurants that may cook meals with more butter, oil or sodium than you realize. Restaurant Nutrition is a free app available on Google Play that provides nutrition facts for more than 100 restaurants and 15,000 food items. You can look up foods quickly on-the-go to place a healthier meal order thanks to 4G LTE speeds that are up to 10 times faster than 3G and similar to a cable Internet connection.
Be healthy, feel healthy
Of the smartphone users surveyed, 12 percent use their phones tools to help them make good choices to feel healthier. You could do this by tracking the nutritional value of what you eat, reading health articles and wellness tips online, or utilizing many other smartphone tools.
One simple but sometimes hard-to-accomplish healthy task is drinking plenty of water each day. Water Your Body is a free app used to track your daily intake of H2O. The app will help you determine how much water you need and provides reminders to drink more water throughout the day. By drinking water, you can help balance your body’s fluids, control calorie intake, energize muscles, support your kidneys and keep skin hydrated.
Get motivated to get active
Finally, 11 percent of smartphone users surveyed say their phones help them stay on a regular exercise schedule. There are many apps that provide exercise instruction, schedules and goal tracking. Whether you’re in a hurry or traveling, it’s fast and easy to get a workout in by watching a video tutorial on a smartphone like the 4G LTE™ Samsung GALAXY S® 4 thanks to its quad-core processor and 5-inch full HD display.
If you’re new to exercise, you might want to try an app like Couch-to-5K for only $2.99. With just 30 minutes per day, three days per week, for nine weeks, you’ll be ready to run your first 5K. The app gives you the training schedule, reminders and tips, so all you have to do is stick with it. It also makes sure that you don’t try to do too much, too fast, which could lead to injury and set back your progress.
Check out the apps available on your phone and find the ones that are right for you. In a short time, you might be a ‘Mobile Health Nut,’ and with increased energy and a healthier lifestyle, you’ll be enjoying many Better Moments.
¹ Between April 1-5, 2013, a total of 527 online interviews were conducted among U.S. Cellular post-paid customers by Consumer Insights, in partnership with Directions Research Inc.
4G LTE service provided through King Street Wireless, a partner of U.S. Cellular. LTE is a trademark of ETSI.
Submitted by: Melissa McIntyre, Public Relations Council, U.S. Cellular