This app was recently featured in one of Apple iPhone commercials. I believe the line was "if you want to count calories, there’s an app for that." I was sitting there watching LOST and when I saw the ad, I picked up my iPhone and downloaded it. I was blown away by this app from the start. It’s so much more than just counting calories. This is a complete fitness, diet, nutrition tracking app. I was using Weight Tracker (another fine app) before this one, but Lose It! does everything Weight Tracker does and a lot more.
Getting Started
You start out by simply inputting your current weight and then your goal weight. Lose It! then prompts you with number pounds you would like to lose each week to meet your goal. In my case I could have either chosen 1 or 2 pounds a week. Then it tells you the date by which you should meet your goal. Next it figures out a per day Calorie Budget. Whatever this number is, if you stay under it, you should reach your goal. It even takes into account exercises that you do and adds those calories burned back in to your budget for that day.
Figuring out how much you can eat
I was also blown away by the extensive database of foods that are already in its database. You simply tell it what you have/had for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks and it will subtract those calories from your budget. Of course it can’t possibly know the calories for everything. So you can easily add your own custom foods or foods that aren’t in its database. Many restaurants now have their nutrition information on their websites. This has been very helpful for me. I was surprised to see how many calories there were in some of my favorite foods at like P.F. Chang’s vs. some of the other foods I eat at the same restaurant! It was really eye opening.
Tracking your progress
You enter in your weight each day (or as often as you like) and Lose It! will track your progress with a nice graph. It will also tell you how much you are under or over your calorie budget each day and for the week.
It even has one of my favorite activities/exercises…… er, um Scuba Diving! 😉
The Bottom Line
We are all trying to live a little healthier these days and having this app has really made a difference for me! I much more conscious of calories than I ever would have been without. I’ve already lost 7+ pounds since I’ve been using it. The most amazing thing to me is that this app is FREE! That’s right, there’s no charge. I’m stunned by how well this app is designed and that it doesn’t cost a dime. It works on both the iPhone and iPod touch. Download it today from the App Store.
Wow!!! What a valuable tool for those of us who want to eat healthier. I’ll download it TODAY!!! Have a groovy Friday. P
Hi Terry
Looks Great, but not available in the uk store.
Last weeks app of the week air mouse rocks
Mark Fowlston
Not available in Canada either. Don’t know why we can’t get it.
Grabbed mine today. Your timing for posting this couldn’t have been better:)
Hi Terry
Killer App! Just excellent. Glad to see it made app of the week. You don’t know how many calories you shove in your face until you record it on Lose It! I paired it with iFitness for a workout routine and have lost ten pounds in 2 weeks! No more Taco Bell for me. Also I love that the App is a scale, but I like Apps buttons that look like what they are.(ie the tv for youtube) Great app all the way around! And glad to see you were watching Lost! Maybe Hurley should check out this app, sorry just trying to find a way to connect my two favorite things. Lost and my iPhone.
Matthew Brunson
Thanks for this tip, Terry. I looked at it before but passed it over, thinking it was going to be just another calorie counter but you made it sound so…….. mouth watering. 🙂
BTW, my wife — yes, the one who kept telling me the iPhone is no better than her Blackberry — got an iPhone a week ago. And she got the 16Gb version. Already filled all but 5Gb and she hasn’t begun with apps yet. She will be another regular on your site.
You have to agree to the TOS which clearly states you can’t take it outside of the USA. Must be a reason for that. I guess.
I lov this app. It has hellped me to track what i eat every day and i will get back to you on how much i lost during the summer. Thanks for the write up
What do you think of the app Distant Shores? An interesting why to express yourself to others you do not know and may never know:-)
Brighton MI.
Odd that it is US only. I would have used it if I could. Perhaps even paid.
I’ve been using this application for months. It’s very helpful.
Also not available in the Australian store. How odd!
Hi!
For all of those asking for localized versions (international), this is what the developer says:
“Are there plans for international versions?
Not currently. The largest factor constraining our ability to provide international versions is that the food database would need to be expanded and customized significantly for each supported locale.”
Awesome! Thanks for making me aware of such a useful app. 🙂
What about Canada? Surely the U.S. food database would work fine here.
Hey,
I just double checked the Canadian store and was able to find Lose It! (we make it available in the US and Canada). I’m not sure why you aren’t able to find it!
Sorry that Lose It! isn’t available outside the US and Canada- we’ll do our best to get it more broadly distributed as soon as possible!
-charles
Lose It!
:< also not in the dutch iStore..
i’m so sad now because i was excited about this app!!
Terry, thanks so much for introducing me to this great app. I’ve used it every day! I always knew that I should keep track of what I eat, but it’s always been too much of a pain. This app is so easy!!! I can enter a lot of info within seconds (especially if it’s a meal I had a few days before, I can just select that I ate it again). I’m always aware at the end of the day when I’ve reached my limit on food consumption.
It’s putting me in the right frame of mind to get back in the gym, too.