Lose it! Comes to Android – Finally!

I have talked about Lose it! the book in the past.

Back in the day, I remember hearing about this great iPhone app called Lose it! It was free and had been download a bajillion times. Then they came out with a book. The book is filled with great common sense advice, but it really made me wish I had an iphone, or they had a droid app.

It has come to my attention that there is now a BETA version of Lose it! for the android. All you have to do to get a copy (free) is send an email to info+android “at” loseit.com (spelled out to avoid spam) and include this info:

Name
Email Address (if you have a loseit.com account please send us this email address)
Phone model
Android Version
Why you would make a good beta tester

(Emails missing this information will not be considered.)

Not everyone can get in on the beta, but its worth a shot. I was able to get my copy and I am stoked.

Why Lose it is Cool

They took a lesson from the folks at Apple and made a cool interface. They looked at their target goal of their audience and said, “What are these people doing?” and the answer is tracking their calories and exercise. So they set up an interface to make that easy. When I login I get a progress bar. If its green, I’m good. It its red, I better start walking, jogging, cycling, etc to burn some calories.

They have all the things that help motivate you. They have the progress bar which makes it easy to view today, this week (VERY COOL), and your overall goals. I can also see the percentage of nutrients for the day and week (so if I’m counting carbs, etc its all here).

For being a beta version, I have not had a problem and it syncs what appears to be instantly with their website the minute I make a change.

For the record entering food is easy as pie. I may make a video about that. Also, if you are like me (and eat the same stuff over and over) its insanely easy. For example I eat two cups of Post raisin Bran and a cup of skim milk for breakfast in the morning. I set this up as a recipe, and breakfast is done in about three clicks now.

My favorite feature that I have not seen in ANY other food tracking software is a built in accountability partner alert. I can go in and have it send my food log and exercise log to my wife. Would knowing that your actions are being sent to a partner make you think twice before slamming a box of Oreos? Now for the record, that feature is on their website (not in the app), the synchronization of the app and the website make it seem like it’s all one big tool. In fact there isn’t much the app can’t do that the website can (a few reports, and alerts, but that’s it).It also ties into your twitter account and facebook as well (which most calorie tracking programs do).

What’s Missing From Lose it!?

After using Calorie Counter (from fatsecret.com) and Myfitnesspal.com I have to say that ability to scan a barcode and have it apear in the software is a must have. The good news is its already on the list of improvements along with a way to track water consumption (my other suggestion).

Other than that not much. They have a way to view food based on restaurant. This was great the other night when I went to Longhorn steak house. The bad news is I would add one thing, and then take 4 clicks to get back to the Longhorn details (a check box option would be nice here, I ate “this, this, and this” save – like myfitnesspal).This is solved by just searching for “Flo’s Filet” and it came right up.

Other things that are coming to Lose it! is the ability to sync your fitbit wireless activity tracker (very cool tool if you can’t afford the bodybugg). So you will have your Withings Wifi Body Scale that syncronizes (so your weight will show up automatically) your fitbit will put in your activity, and all you do is enter your food.

If you’re looking for the iPod app you can find it here: