The Best Fitness Apps & Gadgets for 2013 From the CES & More

With all sorts of wonderful fitness-related products debuting at the Consumer Electronic Show this week in Las Vegas, the marriage of technology with health and fitness is a relevant one.  I'm kind of digging the iBitz fitness tracker for kids.

I blogged about the "Cell Phone Diet" last year which basically advocates using your smartphone to  motivate you to lose weight by using inspirational photos, ringtones and reminders.   It's not a totally ridiculous concept. 

TechCrunch provides an exhaustive list of apps, websites and gadgets that can help you reach your health, fitness and weight loss goals.  It is an outstanding reference guide.

Some of the highlights include:

• The Nike+ Fuel Band - a friend of mine who works for the Cowboys uses this and loves it because it helps him keep track of his activity level during the day. 

• Runtastic - looks like a great app.  TechCrunch says it is "focused on tracking and coaching fitness enthusiasts through outdoor recreation, allowing users to take advantage of fitness plans with voice coaching, as well as track and analyze their exercise data, monitoring speed, elevation and distance and storing that info in the cloud to measure progress against yourself and others." 
• RetroFit - an app that incorporates accountability partners, in the form of licensed professionals, into the weight loss equation.  It is a program "designed for busy people that uses a little bit of Skype, Fitbit, connected, wireless scales and live mentorship from wellness experts to help you get in shape."

These are just a few of the myriad of options.  It's a great list if you are looking for a little virtual assistant to help you reach your goals.