1. Apps for Your 2013 New Year’s Resolutions
2012 is nearly over, which means it’s time for a fresh list of New Year’s resolutions. Chances are
that most of the set goals for this year weren’t fully satisfied. According to an interview with
John Norcross of the University of Scranton, less than half of people retain their goals after 6
months. Maybe they held their ground for a few months but were eventually forgotten through
laziness or daily life. Don’t let what happened to last year’s goals be a deterrent in creating a new
list for 2013. Here are a few popular resolutions and some mobile apps that can help keep those
goals alive all year round:
Losing weight:
According to Time Magazine, over 60% of those who vow to lose
weight after the New Year don’t utilize their gym membership
beyond February. This could be attributed to forgetfulness or
(possibly more likely) laziness, but GymPact wants to help change
all of that. The app encourages its users to attend the gym by
requiring money be put on the table. Every week the user sets a
goal for how often they would like to go to the gym and adds a
monetary value to that goal. Based on the attendance, which is
determined by a location check-in, the user is either punished by
losing their bet or rewarded with a cash bonus.
Quit smoking:
This year, the CDC released statistics labeling tobacco use as the
“leading preventable cause of death.” In that release, the CDC says
that 69% of smokers want to quit completely. There are a number of
mobile apps that act as a guide to help smokers quit, but one of the
most popular is MyQuit Coach. The app, built by LiveStrong.com,
tracks daily consumption, allowance, and budgets. It also allows the
user to upload personalized motivations and earn awards. MyQuit
Coach offers a support network to connect with other quitting
smokers and even integrates with Facebook and Twitter for friends
and followers to offer support.

2. Eat Healthier:
It’s no coincidence that this resolution comes after a string of holidays
shaped around large meals and rich desserts. According to Steve
Shapiro, nearly 40% of people who set New Year’s resolutions say
they will set a goal to lose weight. Fooducate, winner of the US
Surgeon General Healthy App Challenge, scans your food items’
barcodes and reports back with a simple to understand A, B, C, or D
grade. It also provides a detailed account of where the food originates
from, what unhealthy ingredients it contains, and healthier
alternatives.
Save Money/Spend Less:
The holiday season can be a burden on a bank account. To help
with money management after the New Year, Intuit, Inc. offers
Mint. The Mint app tracks spending on all savings checking and
credit card accounts and compiles it into a single statement. The
app’s analytic tools show spending graphs and categorize each
purchase. Personalized budgeting and billing alerts are also
available. Are you setting goals for 2013? Do you have an app idea
that could help you keep them? Let Zco give you a hand. Call 603-
881-9200 or email to discuss your idea!
Article Source: http://blog.zco.com/apps-for-new-years-resolutions/