High-Tech Weight-Loss Tools

Need an extra push toward those diet and exercise goals? A host of innovative weight loss tools are here to help. (Now, if only they could run laps for you.)

Text Messages

How they work: A service sends texts to remind you about healthy diet and exercise habits.

How they help: Think of the service as a virtual trainer/life coach who checks in on you and keeps you focused on your goals. In a 2009 study at the University of California, San Diego, people who received texts about healthy behaviors (for instance, “Control portions by dividing a large bag of snacks into smaller containers”) lost four pounds more than those who didn’t. Look for text services created by qualified experts, like medical doctors and registered dietitians.

Check out: Muschealth.com/weight, created by experts at the Medical University of South Carolina, delivers a daily diet tip. Myhealtheme.com gives diet and fitness advice from nutritionists and exercise physiologists.