Betty Fitness

Weight Loss on the Web

How to use technology to improve your health and wellness

-The Betty Editors

Unfortunately, Facebook doesn't burn fat, and tweeting isn't going to tone your triceps, but there is a huge array of convenient, cost-effective and confidential options for weight loss on the Web. Here are five of our favorites:

1. The Daily Plate  Now housed at Livestrong.com, (yep, Lance Armstrong's org.) The Daily Plate allows you to set and track a weight-loss goal, keep an online food journal and look up nutritional information for thousands of foods. It contains inspirational stories from bloggers about their weight-loss journeys and other motivating content and advice. The basic membership is free. A "gold" membership runs $29.95 for six months and gives you more options and features, such as the ability to track the inches you, hopefully, will lose.

2. Yoga Trainer Lite  For the downward dogs out there--at least those with an iPhone--there's Yoga Trainer Lite, an iPhone app that provides pictures and instructions for performing a variety of poses and also lets users create their own routines. Free.

If you don't have an iPhone, you can always check out a site like the obviously named Yoga Download, where you can, yes, download yoga routines to your phone or computer. There are some free classes, but most range from about $4-$7.

3. Active Trainer  If you want to train for a 5K, triathlon, marathon or other fitness event, Activetrainer.com  may be just what you need to meet your goal. It offers a host of training plans for a variety of competitions and fitness goals based on abilities ranging from beginner to advanced. The basic functions are free, but the PLUS edition provides extra features such as training videos and the ability to track your heart rate data for $9.95 a month. You can also get your own personal coach that will give individual guidance through phone calls and e-mails; prices range from $75-$125 for four weeks.

4. Sensei.com  Sensei acts as a virtual diet coach that goes where you go. You get to select from one of three meal plans--Mediterranean, balanced or low-carb--and Sensei then creates personalized menus based on your lifestyle and tastes, even providing options for eating out. You receive daily reminders, tips and words of inspiration throughout the day, and you can track your progress. A 14-day trial period is free, then there is a fee of $15 for the standard version or $20 for the "Sensei Anywhere" version that brings Sensei to your mobile device.

5. FitSync  At FitSync you can download and log your workouts on any mobile phone or PDA. It then "syncs" with your Web page to analyze results and track your progress. You can also connect and even compete with other fitness buffs through the online network. There is a free version on the Web, but the premium version that allows you to do all this via your mobile device is $4.95 per month or $39.95 for a year.

So tell us, how are you using technology to get fit? Do you have a fitness strategy for  weight loss on the Web?

Read more about fitness: Fun and Free Exercise Program and Fitness and Weight Loss on the Go...