Want be healthier this year? Try a mobile phone app

Is your New Year’s Resolution to lose weight and eat healthier? Health-related resolutions are among the most popular start-of-the-year goals. Unfortunately, they also are among those with the highest failure rates.

Here’s some good news. Studies show that our electronic devices can be a powerful tool in helping you achieve your New Year’s Resolutions. Many of us have our phones and other electronic devices with us most of our waking hours. Some even have their phones close by 24-7. With that in mind, here are two top-rated weight loss apps that can help you throughout the day to jump-start your efforts to adopt a healthier lifestyle:

My Fitness Pal for the iPhone and iPad. This app includes a huge food database of more than four million foods that makes calorie-counting easy. You can even receive alerts from My Fitness Pal reminding you when it’s time to eat. (Research shows that eating smaller, healthier meals and avoiding skipping meals can help with weight-loss efforts.)

Calorie Counter Pro for Android devices. What sets this app apart is the ability to scan barcodes for nutritional information. It’s among a number of top-rated apps that allows users to track calories and the amount of exercise they are getting. Another Android app, Fooducate, also allows users to scan barcodes while shopping and ultimately make healthier choices at the grocery store.

Want to explore more options? Here’s an even bigger list of apps that can help you lose weight in the new year. Good luck!