Can’t afford to hire a personal trainer / nutritionist / life coach but curious to find out what kind of health guidance works for you? Don’t shell out mega bucks for a consultation if you don’t have it. There are tons of helpful free resources on the interwebs and in the library to help you identify the cure for what ails you. The trick is, knowing the killer from the filler. Here are a few our favourite tried-and-true apps, books, and blogs to inspire and guide your September health goals.
Apps
HeadSpace – This mediation app takes the mystery out of meditation. It guides you through simple mindfulness techniques, rewards you for regular meditation and sends reminders so you can stay on track with your practice. If you want to make meditation a regular habit, this app is a god send.
Food Detective – This is a great one if you tend to have reactions to certain foods but can’t quite put your finger on what it is. The app tracks what your body does after you eat, (30, 60, and 90 minutes after each meal), so you can identify food sensitivities.
WebMD Pain Coach – If you experience chronic pain (think: migraines, back pain, joint pain, etc.) Spare yourself the crazy-making of Googling symptoms. WebMD is a team of experts in medicine, journalism, and health communication that deliver trusted info. This app gives physician-reviewed tips related to your specific condition and helps you track triggers and set goals.
Books
Foodist: Using Real Food and Real Science to Lose Weight Without Dieting by Darya Pino Rose
Neuroscience Ph.D and former dieter Darya Pino Rose put together this training manual to upgrade your healthstyle based on her community’s comments and questions about food. The goal of Foodist is to simplify health and make your life deliciously awesome.
Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual by Michael Pollan
One of the most respected food writers around, Pollan’s work tends to resonate with people of all types of diets who are straight up, no-nonsense foodies. (That is, believe that the best way to live is eat real food.) This book contains 64 rules on eating in three sections: eat food, mostly plants, not too much.
Make Your Own Rules Diet by Tara Stiles
Yogi Tara Stiles is loveable as she is empowering. Her book gives you all the tools to make your own health rules, whatever your workout and diet style – she offers up her favorite plant-based recipes, illustrated yoga routines, and breathing exercises. She believes you are the most knowledgeable expert on your health and best lifestyle. The more empowered you are, the better you’ll feel.
Blogs
Oh She Glows – Ontario-based Angela Liddon started Oh She Glows to write about her recovery from an eating disorder and personal journey to achieving health. Now, she’s a New York Times Bestseller with over 600K followers. Her vegan (and predominantely gluten-free) recipes are fun and accessible for cooks of every level – even omnivores who have never walked into a health food store.
Fit Bottomed Girls – Here, you’ll find plenty of workout inspiration for a new season. This is a fun, girly community is full of snackable content like roundups for your workout playlist, diet-friendly cocktail and treats recipes, and more.
Fully Raw Kristina – Even if you’re not on the “fully raw revolution train like this lady, 28-year old Kristina’s plant-based tips will inspire you to clean up your diet. Her site is packed with engaging videos, recipes, posts and pics that make a plant-based diet enjoyable. Smoothie junkies, much creative inspiration lies this way.
