Eight in ten of us access the internet more than three times a day on our mobiles. The ever ready access to data and content has many practical benefits for modern life. You can do your shopping, navigate from A to B using maps, and communicate with friends and family in any location. While many caution that there is a downside to being constantly connected (and interrupted and distracted) by this technology, mobile phones can also help you to focus on your health. There is an ever growing market for free and subscription-based applications (known as apps)  to help you to lead a healthier life; covering everything from diet, exercise tracking to guided meditation, mindfulness and yoga.

Do these apps really work? And how do you find the best apps for healthy living? We have reviewed our top 15 favourite mobile apps for healthy living in Australia.

1. Bodywise

Bodywise is a home grown Aussie app that allows you to track the areas of well being you want to, with a bespoke dashboard.

What can it do?

It can track up to 40 areas of health, well being and lifestyle and you can choose which areas to focus on. You then input daily data to track your goals.

How Can You Download It?

Via the app stores.

How Much Does It Cost?

The app is free.

2. Streaks

This is another Aussie app which is a virtual to-do list. You choose six health based activities you want to achieve and then every day you do you add to your ‘streak’. Don’t miss out an activity or you’ll be set back to zero days.

What Can It Do?

You choose six activities. You can decide if they are everyday activities or to be done on certain days. Then you start. Every day that is a success adds to your ‘streak’. But fail to do just one task and you restart at zero. A fun way to develop positive habits.

How Can You Download It?

On the app stores or on their site https://streaksapp.com/

How Much Does It Cost?

There is a small charge to buy this app.

3. iPhone Health App

This app is one that all iPhone users will already have on their smartphone as it is a standard feature.

What can it do?

The Health app has four main sections:activity, sleep, mindfulness and nutrition. You can use it in conjunction with an Apple Watch or on its own to track exercise, sleep patterns, track nutrition or follow simple mindfulness exercises. You can set it to track steps, sleep patterns and exercise levels. You can also input data on body measurements, heart and health stats.

How Can You Download It?

It will automatically be on your iPhone. If you have deleted it, you can redownload it for free from the App Store.

How Much Does It Cost?

It’s free, but is only available for iPhone users.

4. Keelo

Keelo is a great app for HIIT workouts.HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is an increasingly popular exercise choice, focusing on short high intensity bursts of exercise. Keelo has a number of workout options that allow you to set the time and level of training to create a bespoke workout.

What can it do?

Designed to make HIIT training more accessible for everyone, it is ideal if you’d like to work out but don’t know where to start or you can’t always attend exercise classes or the gym. It is also handy if you frequently travel with work, as the majority of exercises can be done anywhere and with minimal exercise equipment. You simply choose a length and intensity of workout. Another benefit is that all exercises are demonstrated with a short video clip to show you the technique if it is unfamiliar.

How Can You Download It?

It’s available for either iOS or Android from the relevant app stores.

How Much Does It Cost?

You can download a free version, but there are limited workouts. To access more, you need to pay for a subscription.

5. Nike+ Run Club

The Nike+ run club is the latest in a line of Nike running apps. It is the best app we found for outdoor running and cardiovascular fitness.

What can it do?

It tracks your route and distance with an easy to read interface. It has incredible accuracy which is great for both casual runners and those training for an event. You can easily share your results, access hints and tips and track your progress.

How Can You Download it?

Either via the Nike site, or your app store.

How Much Does It Cost?

It’s a free app.

6. Freeletics

This is a bodyweight training app, complete with hundreds of workouts that only requires your bodyweight to do the exercises andachieve your health and fitness goals.

What can it do?

The free version offers hundreds of bodyweight workouts and training guides. You can choose the amount of time you have and your goals. The subscription option gives you a bespoke training plan across a number of weeks, with the ability to set specific goals.

How Can You Download It?

On the Freeletics site or via the app stores.

How Much Does It Cost?

There is a free app, but there is also a subscription that gives more bespoke training plans.

7. MyFitnessPal

A fast and easy to use calorie counter, with options for more tools.

What can it do?

It can track your calories from your daily meals with accurately. By inputting your food diary daily, it gives you an accurate calorie and macronutrient analysis, to help with healthy living and weight loss. You can also track your daily water intake as well. With more than 5 million foods in the database, including popular food brands and some restaurant meals, it is pretty accurate!

How Can You Download It?

On My Fitness Pal site or via the app stores.

How Much Does It Cost?

The calorie counter is a free app, paid for by advertising pop-ups. You can upgrade to avoid ads and also access specific tools, such as the calories burnt during exercise counter.

8. Calm

Meditation has become an increasingly popular tool for mental wellbeing. Calm is the number one app for meditation and sleep.

What can it do?

You can access basic meditation, relaxation, breathing and sleep tools to help you relax, unwind and improve your mental well being. The free app has a number of tools to help even beginners to meditate.

How Can You Download It?

On the Calm site or via the app stores.

How Much Does It Cost?

You can access a lot of the tools for free and a 7 day programme, but you can also subscribe to access a whole library of sleep stories and longer programmes.

9. Headspace

Headspace offers guided meditation sessions and mindfulness training.

What can it do?

Focusing on mindfulness and meditation, Headspace offers short guided meditation sessions. Mindfulness is about being in the present moment and slowing down the mind, to give rest and time to recover. Headspace is aimed at beginners right through to those experienced at meditation.

How Can You Download It?

On the Headspace site or via the app stores.

How Much Does It Cost?

The app is free. You can subscribe to access more content and bespoke guided meditation exercises.

10. Happify

Happify is a different way into addressing emotional and mental wellbeing, with activities and games for stress and anxiety.

What Can It Do?

You can follow a number of programmes, depending on your individual mental health needs. Happify combines games, exercises and breathing exercises to explore your emotional well being.

How Can You Download It?

Through the app stores or on their site https://www.happify.com/

How Much Does It Cost?

The app is free to download with extra features in a subscription.

11. Vegetarian Scanner

According to an article in News.Com, Melbourne is fast becoming the Vegan capital of the world, with a large number of us choosing to ditch or reduce the amount of meat we are consuming. Vegetarian Scanner helps you to know if a food is Veggie friendly, which could be helpful to anyone who is new to vegetarianism.

What can it do?

Simply scan the barcode of the product you want to know about and it will tell you if it is truly vegetarian. The app will sound an alarm bell if the product you scan is not vegetarian.

How Can You Download It?

Via the app stores.

How Much Does It Cost?

The app is free.

12. ShopNoGmo

More and more of us are making a conscious effort to limit the amount of chemically produced foods in our diet, including genetically Modified (GM) products. This app helps you to know if the product you are buying is GM free.

What Can It Do?

You simply scan the barcode of the product you are buying and it will tell you if it is GM free.

How Can You Download It?

Via the app stores.

How Much Does It Cost?

The app is free.

13. CARROT Hunger

If you need more accountability to eat more healthily and you have a sense of humour, this app might be right up your street. This is a really fun, alternative calorie counter app! It tells you when you are eating not enough or too much and gives prompts for exercise.

What Can It Do?

Billed as the ‘judgemental’ calorie counter app, it is a lighthearted fun app that counts calories in a funny way.

How Can You Download It?

Via the app stores or on their site

How Much Does It Cost?

It is a free app.

14. Whole Living Smoothies

We love smoothies. But sometimes it can be hard to know what to mix and how to create a healthy concoction that is packed with goodness. This app gives you smoothie recipes.

What Can It Do?

There are six recipe bundles, depending on if you are looking for a vitamin hit or weight loss smoothies. In each bundle there are lots of recipes combining different fruits and vegetables.

How Can You Download It?

Through the app stores or on their site

How Much Does It Cost?

A small fee applies for this app.

15. Drinkscape

Many of us would like to drink less alcohol, or at least have more of an understanding how much we drink on a regular basis. This is an alcohol tracker, developed in Brisbane and designed to track Australian products, as well as international choices.

What Can It Do?

You scan the barcode of the drink you are having and it records the information on the app. It is an anonymous app. You can also record where you were drinking to keep a diary.

How Can You Download It?

On the app stores or on their site

How Much Does It Cost?

The app is free.

What Will You Download?

We hope you’ve enjoyed our review of our top 15 mobile apps for healthy living. Maybe you have your own favourites that didn’t make our shortlist. We’d love to hear about them!