When making resolutions for the New Year, there are three common themes:
- Improve Your Health
- Learn Something New
- Try Something New
NOTE: All of the apps mentioned in this post are free and available for most devices (iPhone, Android and Google Play), so you mostly have no excuse... mostly.
Improve Your Health: Get Yo' Fit On
There are a bazillion different exercises and diets and general fitness tips out there, so let's keep this super simple with something everyone needs—water.
Water is also probably the easiest health/fitness resolution goal with seven solid benefits. Details of the benefits can be found through WebMD.
Water is the great equalizer in the health and fitness world. Everyone needs it no matter what your lifestyle is. And odds are, you're not drinking enough of it. You always mean to, but then you get distracted by your day and forget. It's like flossing; we all agree it is good, but we rarely follow through to make it habit.
Perhaps you don't even know how much water you should be drinking. I aim for about 72 fluid ounces a day, but it all depends on various factors like your age, weight and activity level. Don't worry. The app I'm about to recommend will take this into account, which is how I got my goal.
Hydro Coach
Like I noted at the top, it's free and available for Android and Google Play (not for iPhone though**). There are in-app purchases available, which are mostly ads that pop up every now and then. But if I don't have to pay for something, then I'm ok with the occasional X-button hitting to make an ad go away.
**Although I have not used it personally, Waterlogged is a similar app that is available for iPhone. I can't share the details, but it is rated pretty highly, so it may be worth checking out. Please feel free to comment below if you have had any positive or negative experiences with Waterlogged.
There is also a paid PRO version, but I haven't used it. If you're curious about it, there is an option for a three-day trial within the menu of the free app.
What's cool about this water reminder app is that you can tell it what size glass you normally drink out of and what time of day you're awake, and it will break up your awake day into segments in order to achieve your goal.
Mine, for instance, is broken up into four and a half sections. Each section has a goal of 16 fluid ounces (that's the cup size I chose and the volume unit I prefer). There is a count down between each section that will remind me that I should have drank my 16 ounces by now.
The reminders at the end of each section are based on the time you tell it you are awake. I play it safe and cushion my times by half an hour or so. This ensures that the reminders do not go off when I am trying to snooze (you also have the option of setting different times for different days in case you like to sleep in on your weekends).
I was concerned that the reminders might become obnoxious, but the sound that goes off is a pleasant bubbly tone. And the notifications that pop up on my phone are usually encouraging in nature rather than judgmental. Sometimes there are even little water facts, which are also posted on their Facebook page.
I have definitely been upping my water game since I started using this app. And the gamer in me likes that I can hit a button every time I finish a glass of water and have a feeling of accomplishment. There are even achievements that you can earn, which of course, makes me feel even prouder and more motivated every time I hydrate myself.
I've also become determined to make the little water drop guy, who appears near the end of the day, happy. It brings me a strange sense of satisfied responsibility. It's like the same part of your brain that lights up when you take good care of your Tamagotchi (remember Tamagotchi?!?).
Learn Something New: Exercise That Brain
Remember taking a language class for like 1–3 years in high school? Remember how you've forgotten nearly everything you learned about that language? Well, Duolingo can help!
Duolingo
It doesn't have to be a language that you have already "learned" and then completely forgotten. You can start a whole new one. There are fifteen from which to choose.
I've only tried the Spanish option so far, but I'm really curious about the Irish one.
This language app is neat because you don't have to sit through a lecture. It's a lot of repetition in both typing and speaking form. So it feels faster paced than a sit-down class because there is more interaction, but the repetition is what is going to make the words stick in your head.
Again, this is fun for a gamer mentality because you unlock achievements and get points. You can even invite your friends and try to outrank them in points.
Some of the Lingots (Duolingo currency) that you earn can buy lessons for less common topics—like flirting—which is bonus learning fun.
I confess that it has been over a year since I used this app, but I've been excited to get back into it. This also brings me to another interesting feature: you have to keep practicing your skills or your lesson meters deplete.
Where all of these meters were once full, you can see that after a year's neglect, they are super low. When you think about it, it's like a chart for your brain, showing how little you remember now because it's been so long since you practiced and reinforced these skills.
And don't think that you'll have to go back to the basics every few weeks to keep the meter up. The lower lessons are incorporated into the newer lessons and keep those meters filled as they're taught in different ways.
The biggest reason I stopped using this app is because two little wiggle worms entered my life over a year ago, and there wasn't any time or energy in me to try to learn extra stuff. But they're over a year old now, and I feel like I'll be able to fit it in here and there. You can do a short lesson for only like five minutes. Duolingo is good about breaking everything up into manageable pieces.
Also, don't worry about parts of the lessons that you are supposed to speak out loud. If you're in a public place or don't have a device with a microphone, you can simply click that you cannot speak right now, and it skips it.
Easy and fun and languagey (Disclaimer: Languagey is not part of any real language)!
BONUS SUGGESTION: Khan Academy is another great source of free knowledge. It's great for any age and covers various topics including Chemistry of Life, Probability and Statistics and Coding. I usually go right to the website for the free learning, but there are free apps for iPhone and Android now too.
 |
| from opening title of Legend of Korra My husband is a Water Bender. Are you? |
- Stay slimmer
- Boost your energy
- Lower stress
- Build muscle tone
- Nourish your skin
- Stay regular
- Reduce kidney stones
Water is the great equalizer in the health and fitness world. Everyone needs it no matter what your lifestyle is. And odds are, you're not drinking enough of it. You always mean to, but then you get distracted by your day and forget. It's like flossing; we all agree it is good, but we rarely follow through to make it habit.
Perhaps you don't even know how much water you should be drinking. I aim for about 72 fluid ounces a day, but it all depends on various factors like your age, weight and activity level. Don't worry. The app I'm about to recommend will take this into account, which is how I got my goal.
Hydro Coach
 |
| Hydro Coach |
Like I noted at the top, it's free and available for Android and Google Play (not for iPhone though**). There are in-app purchases available, which are mostly ads that pop up every now and then. But if I don't have to pay for something, then I'm ok with the occasional X-button hitting to make an ad go away.
**Although I have not used it personally, Waterlogged is a similar app that is available for iPhone. I can't share the details, but it is rated pretty highly, so it may be worth checking out. Please feel free to comment below if you have had any positive or negative experiences with Waterlogged.
There is also a paid PRO version, but I haven't used it. If you're curious about it, there is an option for a three-day trial within the menu of the free app.
What's cool about this water reminder app is that you can tell it what size glass you normally drink out of and what time of day you're awake, and it will break up your awake day into segments in order to achieve your goal.
Mine, for instance, is broken up into four and a half sections. Each section has a goal of 16 fluid ounces (that's the cup size I chose and the volume unit I prefer). There is a count down between each section that will remind me that I should have drank my 16 ounces by now.
 |
| Each section and water goal will be different depending on your individual variables. |
The reminders at the end of each section are based on the time you tell it you are awake. I play it safe and cushion my times by half an hour or so. This ensures that the reminders do not go off when I am trying to snooze (you also have the option of setting different times for different days in case you like to sleep in on your weekends).
I was concerned that the reminders might become obnoxious, but the sound that goes off is a pleasant bubbly tone. And the notifications that pop up on my phone are usually encouraging in nature rather than judgmental. Sometimes there are even little water facts, which are also posted on their Facebook page.
I have definitely been upping my water game since I started using this app. And the gamer in me likes that I can hit a button every time I finish a glass of water and have a feeling of accomplishment. There are even achievements that you can earn, which of course, makes me feel even prouder and more motivated every time I hydrate myself.
I've also become determined to make the little water drop guy, who appears near the end of the day, happy. It brings me a strange sense of satisfied responsibility. It's like the same part of your brain that lights up when you take good care of your Tamagotchi (remember Tamagotchi?!?).
 |
| Don't worry, little guy on the left. We'll get to the party-hat-wearing finish line together. |
Learn Something New: Exercise That Brain
 |
| Duolingo |
Duolingo
It doesn't have to be a language that you have already "learned" and then completely forgotten. You can start a whole new one. There are fifteen from which to choose.
I've only tried the Spanish option so far, but I'm really curious about the Irish one.
This language app is neat because you don't have to sit through a lecture. It's a lot of repetition in both typing and speaking form. So it feels faster paced than a sit-down class because there is more interaction, but the repetition is what is going to make the words stick in your head.
Again, this is fun for a gamer mentality because you unlock achievements and get points. You can even invite your friends and try to outrank them in points.
Some of the Lingots (Duolingo currency) that you earn can buy lessons for less common topics—like flirting—which is bonus learning fun.
 |
| Thank goodness I have a year to earn 30 Lingots and unlock the Christmas topic. |
I confess that it has been over a year since I used this app, but I've been excited to get back into it. This also brings me to another interesting feature: you have to keep practicing your skills or your lesson meters deplete.
 |
| My meters are all dangerously low! I must learn now!! |
Where all of these meters were once full, you can see that after a year's neglect, they are super low. When you think about it, it's like a chart for your brain, showing how little you remember now because it's been so long since you practiced and reinforced these skills.
And don't think that you'll have to go back to the basics every few weeks to keep the meter up. The lower lessons are incorporated into the newer lessons and keep those meters filled as they're taught in different ways.
The biggest reason I stopped using this app is because two little wiggle worms entered my life over a year ago, and there wasn't any time or energy in me to try to learn extra stuff. But they're over a year old now, and I feel like I'll be able to fit it in here and there. You can do a short lesson for only like five minutes. Duolingo is good about breaking everything up into manageable pieces.
 |
| Hear that, my darling, little faces? Mommy is blaming you. |
Also, don't worry about parts of the lessons that you are supposed to speak out loud. If you're in a public place or don't have a device with a microphone, you can simply click that you cannot speak right now, and it skips it.
Easy and fun and languagey (Disclaimer: Languagey is not part of any real language)!
BONUS SUGGESTION: Khan Academy is another great source of free knowledge. It's great for any age and covers various topics including Chemistry of Life, Probability and Statistics and Coding. I usually go right to the website for the free learning, but there are free apps for iPhone and Android now too.
Try Something New: Adventure Go!
This last suggestion is not an app but a podcast. A co-worker friend recently told me about it, and I have already finished the 29 episodes in about a two-week period (the 30th episode just came out today, so Mama gets a treat for the ears later).
It is about three adult brothers, Justin, Travis and Griffin McElroy, and their father, Clint, playing Dungeons and Dragons together. I know it doesn't sound like it would appeal to anyone who has not played D&D, but neither the woman who recommended it to me nor I have ever played the game, and we just love this McElroy family and their silly hijinks.
The podcast is called...
The Adventure Zone
You can subscribe to it through iTunes or steam it directly through this website. Although, if I understand their message correctly, they prefer that you subscribe, which is free, so that they have a higher rating or ranking or whatever—it helps them and costs you nothing is the bottom line.
And again, you don't have to know how to play—or even like the idea of playing—Dungeons and Dragons to enjoy the podcast. Griffin is a word smith of the highest caliber and forges a fun-filled, adventure-packed fantasy world. And all four McElroys play with love, humor and gusto!
The first episode is by far the slowest, but they have a lot of setting up and explaining to do—not unlike any pilot episode of a television show that we later become obsessed with.
Two of my favorite aspects of this podcast are the general jokes and humor that everyone brings to the table and the character voices—the best of which are Taako (played by Justin McElroy) and pretty much every character that Dungeon Master Griffin manifests into being.
Part of the humor that I love so much comes from the three adventures testing the limits of the Dungeon Master's world just for the poops and giggles of it—such as rolling to see if Magnus can swipe a book away from a 10-year-old boy just to play Monkey in the Middle or clarifying the appearance of an enemy's captive by asking the Dungeon Master what celebrity he most resembles.
It is a lot of fun and keeps me smiling and giggling throughout my day. It has even inspired me to make my own 2016 resolution to attempt a beginner's game of D&D.
BONUS SUGGESTIONS for other podcasts I love (all free and available through iTunes):
If all else fails...
... with your resolutions, try some nifty reverse-psychology.
This last suggestion is not an app but a podcast. A co-worker friend recently told me about it, and I have already finished the 29 episodes in about a two-week period (the 30th episode just came out today, so Mama gets a treat for the ears later).
It is about three adult brothers, Justin, Travis and Griffin McElroy, and their father, Clint, playing Dungeons and Dragons together. I know it doesn't sound like it would appeal to anyone who has not played D&D, but neither the woman who recommended it to me nor I have ever played the game, and we just love this McElroy family and their silly hijinks.
 |
| The Adventure Zone |
The Adventure Zone
You can subscribe to it through iTunes or steam it directly through this website. Although, if I understand their message correctly, they prefer that you subscribe, which is free, so that they have a higher rating or ranking or whatever—it helps them and costs you nothing is the bottom line.
And again, you don't have to know how to play—or even like the idea of playing—Dungeons and Dragons to enjoy the podcast. Griffin is a word smith of the highest caliber and forges a fun-filled, adventure-packed fantasy world. And all four McElroys play with love, humor and gusto!
The first episode is by far the slowest, but they have a lot of setting up and explaining to do—not unlike any pilot episode of a television show that we later become obsessed with.
Two of my favorite aspects of this podcast are the general jokes and humor that everyone brings to the table and the character voices—the best of which are Taako (played by Justin McElroy) and pretty much every character that Dungeon Master Griffin manifests into being.
Part of the humor that I love so much comes from the three adventures testing the limits of the Dungeon Master's world just for the poops and giggles of it—such as rolling to see if Magnus can swipe a book away from a 10-year-old boy just to play Monkey in the Middle or clarifying the appearance of an enemy's captive by asking the Dungeon Master what celebrity he most resembles.
It is a lot of fun and keeps me smiling and giggling throughout my day. It has even inspired me to make my own 2016 resolution to attempt a beginner's game of D&D.
BONUS SUGGESTIONS for other podcasts I love (all free and available through iTunes):
- My Brother, My Brother and Me
- Another humorous podcast by the McElroy brothers that is advice-themed
- Below is an animated excerpt from episode 182, animated by Tyler Crowley
- This American Life
- Different stories centered on one theme that can easily make you laugh or cry
- Radiolab
- About curiosity and ideas involving science, philosophy and human experience
- Freakonomics
- The hidden side of everything with an economist's perspective
If all else fails...
... with your resolutions, try some nifty reverse-psychology.
 |
| Resolutions by Lunarbaboon |
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