I know that you know that there’s an app for that, but I thought I’d throw even more apps at you to really get you boggled down with more technology. Just kidding – I really love technology and want to share what makes my life easier. I use most of these apps daily, some for over 8 years, and I’ve really come to rely on them for good information and data storage.
Google Photos
One of my (much more tech savvy) friends told me about this app years ago, and I’ve been so grateful to her ever since! In Google Photos, your photos automatically back-up to your Google account. So think, if you lose or break your phone, you won’t lost your photos. You don’t have to pay (unless you have an obcene amount of pics) like you do with the Cloud Storage. All you do is open the app every once in a while and your photos will automatically back-up.
If you’re concerned about privacy, don’t worry. You can change the privacy settings so that no one can see your Google Photos except you. You can also decide which photos to back-up if you’d prefer to only have a select few. I just love this app because I’m a hot mess. I’ve definitely dropped my phone in toilets, on the hard pavement with no case, and possibly may or may not have ketchup buried in its crevices at this moment. It’s good to know I won’t lose my photos + videos just because I’m a disaster.
Photo Editing Apps
I’m just going to list these because I don’t think they need much explanation. They’re in order of most favorite to lesser favorite:
#1: Tadaa
#2: Afterlight
#3: PS Express
#4: Food Photo Editor
#5: Blur Editor
#6: Layout
Also – any photos edited in these apps will automatically back-up to Google Photos as well.
Lose It
Hands-down my favorite app ever made. Ever. It’s definitely not for everyone. I realize most folks who are trying to lose or maintain weight use My Fitness Pal and a couple of other popular ones. This one has always kept me accountable (when I’m using it properly).
In Lose It, you count your calories (and carbs, sugar, fat, etc.) for the day. You set your daily calorie goal using their system for your desired results. You can choose from options such as “lose 1 pound a week” or “maintain” or “lose 2 pounds a week”. Whatever floats your boat. Lose It also automatically syncs to your Apple Watch, so your exercises are recorded as well as your steps (if you reach your goal).
The reason I REALLY, REALLY like Lose It though is for its customizable recipes + food. You can manually enter recipes and ingredients down to whatever specification you want. For example, when I’m making my Hash Brown Quiche, I weigh the hash browns + cheese down to the gram to make sure I’m on track. That way, I know exactly the calorie count for each slice I eat. They do have foods already entered into the system for you to search and choose from, but I really like having ownership over my recipes.
Fitness Apps
I’ll just list these because, again, I don’t know that they need much explanation. In order of most favorite to lesser favorite:
#1: 30 Day Fitness (abs, thighs, butt, total body, etc.)
#2: Daily Ab
#3: MapMyRun
#4: My Trainer Carmen – need a paid subscription, but you can get a free trial – it’s worth it!
The Wonder Weeks
This is a fantastic app to use if you’re a new parent (or doing it for the second or third time and want a refresher) or even if you’re a grandparent. In this app, you get a summary of each “leap” your little one makes. It gives you a forecast for how their moods might be (cloudy + thunder for weeks they may be angry; sunshine for weeks they will probably be cheerful). These are based on two Dr.’s experiences with children and their development.
I found that it was about 90% accurate with regard to Corey’s moods and leaps. As a parent, you really get to know your kid and their mood swings quickly. Most of the time, when Corey was about to make a huge mental leap, he’d get EXTREMELY cranky + irritable + clingy about a week before this big leap. My aunt and sister-in-law confirmed their kids did the same thing. I’d look up his leap in this app, and lo-and-behold, he’d be about to make a huge jump.
I liked the comfort of understanding what he was about to learn or experience. This app really breaks down the phases kiddos go through as they’re learning to grasp the things and people around them. It explains why your kid may have irrational fears or anger at certain times (it at least makes you feel like mayyyyyyybe it’s not just you). And please, if you do get this app or one like it, and your kid isn’t fitting the mold to a T – IT’S OKAY! These things are guidelines not rules, bokay? FYI though – only the first 10 leaps are free with the app (got him to 18 months).
Ovia Fertility
So, to get really honest for a second, we use this as our “natural family planning” go-to. Birth control makes me a crazy person (well, more of one than I already am anyway), so we stick to the “natural” way. In the Ovia Fertility app, I just track my cycle and enter data to see when we’d most likely get pregnant. It even provides a Fertility Score based on your cycle. We choose to avoid or act on it, depending on our state of mind. You catch my drift…
It’s fantastic because once you enter new data [for example: an ovulation test that’s positive], the app automatically recalculates when you’re most likely to get pregnant. It offers tips for how to conceive such as nutrition, mental health, etc. If you’re like me, you probably googled everything down to the color of paint on the walls that’s best for conceiving. No? Just me? Okay.
It gets pretty exciting when you’re entering data hoping that you’re pregnant. You enter your symptoms (I’m not going into those details – you can use the app to figure those out), and it will tell you if it’s a symptom of early pregnancy or not. My suggestion is to not get tooooo crazy with these kinds of apps. It’s just there to help you keep track – not to tell you how to scientifically make a little human. Guidelines – not rules.
Ovia Pregnancy
Gaaahhhhh I was so excited to use this app when we finally got preggo with Corey! It gives you a weekly update on the size of your little embryo + symptoms to watch out for. It even tells you what foods are best for brain development, eye development, etc. It’s super fun! BTW – did you know dark kidney beans are really good for brain growth? Just saying. You’re learning from this app already!
I would get giddy looking forward to the weekly update that explained what organs were developing and how big the big man was. There are also tons of articles to research when you’re experiencing a symptom that you’re concerned about. You can get as into the app as you want – all the way down to entering temperature, diet, exercise, and sleep patterns. I didn’t get that into it, but I did enjoy all the features it gave.
My favorite week in this app was definitely the week they said Corey was the size of a pickle. My aunt decided his name would be Pickle Baby until he was born (we didn’t find out the sex or tell the name until home boy made his debut). We have pickle band-aids and a pickle teether to prove his Pickle Baby Fame.
Pump Log
As the name says it, it’s an app all about breast pumping. I didn’t breast feed Corey; I exclusively pumped. That was my choice, and no I don’t want your opinion. But thank you. This app really helped me learn how much and how long to pump. It even calculated how many ounces I’d need extra in order to quit pumping at my desired time. I liked having the data readily available so I’d know when to start/stop. And to be totally honest, I was in such a mommy fog in the beginning, I’d totally forget if I’d pumped or not.
gUnit
This is the app for people who suck at math. Like me. Or it’s for anyone who cooks, weighs, measures, etc. things all the time. When I’m creating a recipe, I like to stick to simple measurements, so I’ll usually convert things from mL to cups and tablespoons and things like that. This app does that for you automatically without you having to worry your pretty little head. I taught all of these conversions, so I should know them by heart. Sadly, there’s just not room for that info in my old noggin’ anymore.
But also – can we just talk about the name for a second? Hilarious.
What are some of your favorite apps and what do you use them for? I’m always on the hunt for something new!
I love google photos too! It is such a life saver since I’m always out of storage I can delete photos but still have access to them through the app, going to download wonder weeks right now! I like the Ovia Parenting app too! 😊