By Niki Holt, RD, CD, Registered Dietitian at PRO Medical
Are you feeling like you could use some additional nutrition support amidst the chaos of the world? Below is a list of mindful eating apps that will help you stay on track with your nutrition goals in a kind and mindful manner. Using these apps can help you identify areas that you can work on to create a healthier relationship with food and your body. Read more to learn which of these mindful eating tools is right for you!
ATE app
ATE app is a visual, mindful and nonjudgmental app that focuses on how meals make you feel rather than just counting calories. To start a log, take a photo of your food and answer mindfulness questions like why you ate, who you ate with, where you ate and how the food made you feel. The app provides a summary at the end of the day that includes your delicious food pictures in addition to a recap of your mood findings. Share your colorful journal with friends and your dietitian for additional support.
Download in the App Store here.
Get it on Google Play here.
Riseup + Recover
This app was designed as an eating disorder recovery app, but it can be used as a mindfulness tool for anyone wanting a healthier relationship with their food and body. The app allows you to journal your food and the feelings associated with it, identify behaviors, such as restricting or overeating, and learn ways to cope with them. Skills encouraged include setting regular mealtimes without distractions and identifying triggers for emotional eating. This app also allows for linking your account with a health care provider for discussion and support.
Download in the App Store here.
Get it on Google Play here.
In The Moment
Improve your body awareness and mindfulness with “In The Moment”. This positive app will help guide your food choices and encourage mindfulness in the moment by asking simple questions to determine if you are eating due to emotional or physical reasons. The purpose of this app can guide you to use healthy coping skills when you are dealing with emotions such as stress, anxiety, or even boredom. The more you use “In The Moment” the more easily you will be able to create healthy habits and understand how emotions are impacting your eating.
Download in the App Store here.
Get it on Google Play here.
Head Space
Headspace teaches us how to manage stress through meditation and mindfulness. The root of disordered eating patterns is linked to underlying emotional issues which can only be identified when we learn how to quiet our minds and identify the trigger. An exciting addition to the Head Space platform is a 10-day Mindfulness Eating Series developed by psychologists, and nutrition experts to help you apply mindfulness concepts to eating. The series focuses on the why and how of what you are eating in short 10-15 min sessions.
Download on the App Store here.
Get it on Google Play here.
Plant Nanny
Just as it is important to be mindful of what you eat, it is important to remember to stay hydrated. Plant Nanny gamifies health to remind you to drink water regularly. You choose a plant and then watch it grow as you drink your water and record it daily. In order to keep your plant alive, you must water it appropriately throughout the day. Once you grow one plant, you can collect others and create a garden!
Download it in the App Store here.
Get it on Google Play here.
For more support, schedule 1:1 with a dietitian and counselor at PRO Medical.
