Studies have shown that keeping track of your food intake can help you achieve your weight loss goals. Fortunately, the App Store has a number of good diet apps that make it easy to keep tabs on your calorie intake and stick to a healthy eating plan. Losing weight is hard work, so any iPhone app that makes it a little bit easier is worth a look.
Read More: Best iPhone Recipe Apps for Dieters
1. Lose It!
FitNow, Inc.
Lose It! (Free) is one of the most comprehensive diet apps, and the fact that it is free makes it a tremendous value. The app automatically creates a daily "calorie budget" based on your personal details and weight loss goals. Enter everything you eat and your exercise totals for the day, and the app will display how many calories you have remaining. The food database is huge and includes calorie counts for a number of restaurants. It is a little time consuming to add everything you eat each day, but it gets faster once you start adding foods to your favorites. Overall rating: 5 stars out of 5.
2. WeightBot
Tapbots
If you just want a simple way to keep track of your weight, WeightBot (US$1.99) is the app for you. It is one of my favorite weight loss apps because it is so simple and easy to use. Simply enter your weight on the homepage and WeightBot will automatically calculate your BMI. Flip your phone clockwise, and the app displays your weight loss on a graph. Turn your iPhone in the opposite direction, and the app shows a bar graph showing how much weight you still have left to lose. The app is password-protected, although I can't imagine many people are sneaking onto your iPhone to catch a glimpse of your weight. Overall rating: 5 stars out of 5.
3. FoodScanner
DailyBurn
FoodScanner ($4.99) isn't as comprehensive as Lose It! (and it costs money), but it has a neat trick up its sleeve -- a UPC barcode scanner that makes it a cinch to add foods to your daily log. The scanner works remarkably well and the app now separates the items you eat into separate meals. For items that can't be scanned, including produce and meat, you can search the database by keyword. The app displays your total calorie intake for the day, but you'll have to set up a free account at DailyBurn.com to see more extensive reports. Overall rating: 4 stars out of 5.
4. The Eatery
The Eatery copyright Massive Health Inc.
5. Calorie Tracker Tap & Track
Nanobit d.o.o
Calorie Tracker Tap & Track ($3.99) has more reporting features than other calorie-tracking apps, which makes it worth the money if you want all your information without having to go online. In addition to a database of 300,000 food items and 700 restaurants, the app has a number of reports. You can see charts for weight, goal weight, calorie intake, nutrient totals, and more. Like the Lose It! app, Calorie Tracker also tracks exercise information, which we all know is an important component of weight loss. Overall rating: 4 stars out of 5.
6. Weight Watchers Mobile
Weight Watchers
If you follow the Weight Watchers diet, the Weight Watchers Mobile app (Free) is a way to track your points on the go. The database includes more than 30,000 foods with their corresponding points value, and the app displays how many points you have remaining for the day. You'll also get daily recipes, success stories, and tips. However, most of the app's features are only available to subscribers of Weight Watchers Online, which requires a monthly subscription and a start-up fee. The app is a no-brainer if you already subscribe, but the cost may be prohibitive for some. Overall rating: 3.5 stars out of 5.
7. Diet2Go
SimpLabs
The sheer number of diets available can be completely overwhelming for those who need to shed a few pounds. The Diet2Go app (Free) cuts through some of that clutter with details and meal plans for dozens of different diets. You'll find a variety of different eating plans, including vegetarian, low-carb, and blood type. Only five days worth of meals plans are included, but that's enough to give you a sense if a certain diet will work for you. Each diet is rated, but the ratings aren't fully explained. Overall rating: 3 stars out of 5.