Last updated on July 22nd, 2022 at 03:34 pm

As sure as the giant crystal ball descends on Times Square on New Year’s Eve, many people will make resolutions for 2018. They’ll vow to lose weight, stick to a budget, eat better, quit smoking, or spend more time with their families.

But most resolutions are doomed to fail. Why? Perhaps it’s because too many people set unrealistic goals or don’t have a way of tracking their progress. That’s where technology comes in. PC Magazine has tracked down some of the most useful apps so you can stick with your resolutions all year long.

• MyFitnessPal (iOS and Android) makes calorie tracking easy, with more than 5 million foods in its database. MyFitnessPal works with fitness trackers and apps so users can see how many calories they’re consuming and how many are being burned off.
• SparkRecipes (iOS, Android) has a searchable database of more than 500,000 recipes to find the meals you actually want to make and eat. Videos and tips are available for the cooking challenged.
• MyQuit Coach (iOS) creates a personalized plan for you to quit smoking. Android users can do the same with Quit Smoking.
• Want to learn a new language? Try Duolingo (iOS, Android) – the lessons are brief and to the point and interactivity provides reinforcement.
• If your checkbook is a mess and budgets are alien to you, try Mint (iOS, Android). Add your banking information, decide what you want to spend on what, and Mint keeps you in line.
• Pacifica (iOS, Android) tracks and analyzes your mood each day and guides you through ways to improve it and reduce stress. Pacifica’s community of users is a resource for additional support.

• And if you’re concerned about your health, Boiron’s handy and easy-to-use Medicine Finder app (BoironUSA.com/app) helps you pinpoint your symptoms and find the right medicine in just three clicks.