Did you know that your phone can help you lose weight? Weight loss apps can help you shed pounds simply by counting calories.
Abe Mohammadione used to weight 260 pounds. But when he turned 30, it hit him that all this weight could shorten his life.
"I didn't know how long I was going to be around," he admits.
So he reached for his phone for help. He uses a weight loss app for smart phones called "Lose It." It's one of many apps available that keeps track of the number of calories in the food you eat. "The initial shock was finding out actually how many calories or how much fat or how much sodium was in a lot of the stuff that I was eating on a regular basis."
It's basically a high tech food journal. He scans bar codes on grocery store items which automatically tallies the calories.
Research shows that keeping track of what you eat and drink.
"Makes you more mindful of it and therefore you're more able to lose weight," explains Ann Dunaway Teh, a registered dietitian.
Abe still eats fast food from time to time, much of which is listed in the program. He also looks up specific items, like this serving of tuna salad for lunch. At the end of one year, he had dropped 75 pounds using just the app and no exercise. "So I'm about a thousand under my allotted 2,700 calories for the day."
Abe now uses his app to maintain his weight.
"I feel like I've gained a couple of years. A new lease on life to a certain extent for sure."
And to add more life to his years, he's taken up running.
(Holly Firfer for CNN's Health Minute)
Abe Mohammadione used to weight 260 pounds. But when he turned 30, it hit him that all this weight could shorten his life.
"I didn't know how long I was going to be around," he admits.
So he reached for his phone for help. He uses a weight loss app for smart phones called "Lose It." It's one of many apps available that keeps track of the number of calories in the food you eat. "The initial shock was finding out actually how many calories or how much fat or how much sodium was in a lot of the stuff that I was eating on a regular basis."
It's basically a high tech food journal. He scans bar codes on grocery store items which automatically tallies the calories.
Research shows that keeping track of what you eat and drink.
"Makes you more mindful of it and therefore you're more able to lose weight," explains Ann Dunaway Teh, a registered dietitian.
Abe still eats fast food from time to time, much of which is listed in the program. He also looks up specific items, like this serving of tuna salad for lunch. At the end of one year, he had dropped 75 pounds using just the app and no exercise. "So I'm about a thousand under my allotted 2,700 calories for the day."
Abe now uses his app to maintain his weight.
"I feel like I've gained a couple of years. A new lease on life to a certain extent for sure."
And to add more life to his years, he's taken up running.
(Holly Firfer for CNN's Health Minute)
