Top fitness & lifestyle apps

TOP FITNESS & LIFESTYLE APPS Make your life ‘appier’ with the latest health and wellbeing software

Being vegan just got a whole lot easier, thanks to the popular vegan foodie LiberEat app which has now teamed up with The Vegan Society to show specific products accredited with its trusted and reputable Vegan Trademark. The app, which was created by a Scottish nurse, helps find meals based on individual preferences, as well as filtering food ideas for those with intolerances or allergies. The in-app scanner also allows you to double-check whether a product is suitable for your vegan profile and the shopping cart means you can do a weekly shop from the comfort of your sofa! What’s not to love? www.libereat.com If menopause or peri-menopause symptoms are getting you down, or you want to manage your menopause more naturally, why not download the new Health & Her Menopause App? It features lots of clever tools, such as daily symptom assessments, supplement reminders and guided exercises in cognitive behavioural therapy, guided imagery for sleep, pelvic floor training, deep breathing, and progressive muscle relaxation. The app is designed to work alongside the Health & Her supplement range and, drawing on the knowledge of more than 50,000 women, is thought to be the UK’s first integrated approach for women looking for a more natural way to manage their menopause. Download for free from iOS App or Google Play stores. www.healthandher.com

If you’re feeling tired, anxious, worried or overwhelmed, or just finding it difficult to deal with the impact of coronavirus on your life, Ailsa Frank’s new Feel Amazing hypnotherapy app could be just what you need. Designed to help get your mind and life back into balance, the app is designed to help you sleep better, worry less, achieve more and break bad habits. It features four free hypnotherapy recordings: Stop Worrying; Good Night’s Sleep; Release Daily Stress, and Fit and Well, as well as a selection of calm, easy listening music to help you switch off. Or for an annual membership fee, you can tap into all 45 recordings and continue benefiting from rich hypnotherapy content for long-lasting change. These extra titles include Build Confidence and Self-Esteem, Take Control of Alcohol, Drop a Dress Size, Deep Relaxation, Increase Your Wealth, De-Stress Your Life, Stop Smoking, Stop Taking Cocaine, Easy Menopause, Enjoyable Birth, Inner Calm for Children and more! Available in the Apple App or Google Play stores or from www.ailsafrank.com

Headaches and hot flushes? Consult the UK’s first online menopause clinic

Not quite an app, but the first ever online menopause clinic has launched in the UK – offering personalised treatment options for anyone suffering from menopausal symptoms. Find out more at www.onlinemenopausecentre.com Classical music has been proven to improve mood, lower stress levels and boost overall wellbeing. Discover hidden gems and the history behind the classics, as well as a wealth of in-depth podcasts, with Primephonic which is considered the ultimate streaming service for classical music lovers. If you know your Bach from your Beethoven, or are keen to learn, check out www.primephonic.com

Take control of your diet, fitness and overall happiness with the new Beyond app, which combines a healthy mix of fitness guides, recipes, journal and in-app chats with a likeminded community. Basically, Beyond is here to boost your positivity and wellbeing. Expect positive daily phrases and affirmations to keep you positive and grounded, journaling ideas and lots of tools you can personalise to suit your goals, such as a calorie counter you can turn on and off. www.beyondapp.co.uk

Meanwhile, FLOCK is the first fitness app which allows you to subscribe to your favourite online creators, influencers and instructors. It offers unlimited access to immersive workout experiences anytime, anywhere – and is proving so popular there’s actually a waitlist. Released to a limited number of users at a time, it helps you stay motivated and get creative with your fitness regime one workout at a time – with real people! Request an invite at www.instagram.com/ flockfitnessapp Clinical advice doesn’t often go hand in hand with a holistic approach to mental health, but the NHS-approved My Possible Self app is bucking the trend. The software is designed to help manage anxiety, tackle depression, reduce stress and improve sleep – pretty much what most of us need right now! Its content has been curated and developed by wellbeing experts at The Priory Group and even tackles unhelpful habits such as drinking and gambling. It tracks and monitors individual behavior and offers personalised insights into moods, thoughts and emotions, while promoting helpful activities, such as visualisation and CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) techniques, and positive thinking. Download from the Apple App or Google Play stores for £1.99 a month.

Feel-good fiction Camp Crackers is for anyone who loves a good giggle or is planning to go camping or caravanning this year. If you love the likes of Victoria Wood, Dawn French or Maureen Lipman, you’ll love this. www.lisastewart.co.uk Sunrise by the Sea is the latest release from Scottish writer Jenny Colgan, who serves up a delightful menu of Cornish sun, heart-warming friendship and romance in her return to the Little

Beach Street Bakery series. www.jennycolgan.com

Summer reading 21 Breaths charts 21 simple and effective breathing techniques that will, quite literally, change your life. This beautiful title is all about looking after yourself naturally, using the wisdom of your body. This is a small book with huge potential – and the perfect companion for 21st century living. Available from all good book shops. The Corporate Hippie Handbook is a great workbook and toolkit, with space for notes, for anyone who wants to harness the benefit of ancient knowledge within a modern workplace. It draws on Shamanism, Reiki, astrology, Shambala, aromatherapy, crystals and more for people looking to thrive beyond the job title. This book proves you can be both wild and well-heeled. www.corporatehippiehandbook.com

Fearless is a top travel book all about feeling the fear and doing it anyway. It tells the story of a young woman, author Catrina Davies, travelling alone with almost no money and only her beloved cello for company. Along the way, she navigates tragedy and personal loss and learns the true meaning of love and courage. www.summersdale.com