Efforts To Trim Calories Boosted By Diet Tracking Apps

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- The quickest way to help you lose weight may be apps on your cell phone and some of the best ones at that.

It's about taking a picture, scanning or logging items before you take that bite! If you have a smart phone, it's easier than ever to drop those pounds.

Turns out, the "Fat Secret App" was the secret for Jessica Roubitchek.

"It's been easy. It's free. It's intuitive. I can pull it up on the computer. I can pull it up on my phone," said Roubitchek.

That app, combined with "Google Fit," which keeps track of Roubitchek's steps, has helped her lose about five pounds.

For her and a lot of other people, the tech is holding her accountable and she's less likely to cheat.

"When I'm not logging it, for some reason, I feel more of a freedom to just put a little something extra in my mouth," said Roubitchek.

Holly Herrington is a registered dietitian at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Researchers there found that people who used an app that tracks calories and activities lost about 15 pounds.

"I encourage all of my patients to use some form of tracking app…because we know that it works over and over," said Herrington.

One app that makes it incredibly easy to track and log your food is "Spark People." All you do is scan the barcode.

Another app, "PACT" requires you to put your money where your mouth is.

"So you're putting money into a pool with your friends or with strangers and every time you track, whether it's your food or your activity, you can lose money or you can gain money," said Herrington.

"Diet Assistant" is an app for people who have no idea where to start.

For those who are really into logging pictures versus calories, check out "My Food Diary."

"So you can take pictures of your food all day long," said Herrington. "We've also seen people be very successful just by visually seeing their food and seeing how much they've eaten."

The key is finding the app that's right for you. If you're looking for some motivation, try an app combined with nutrition classes and exercise.