Five Apps For Keeping New Year's Resolutions

Every year millions of Americans resolve to change their lives for the better. According to a Thompson Reuters-NPR health poll (and some sleuthing around the web), here are some of the most popular resolutions, and apps that will help you stick to them.

RESOLUTION #1: STOP SMOKING

This is one of the most common resolutions and one that calls for as much support as possible. Try one of these, or check out our list of other apps that'll help you quit.

Livestrong: My Quit Coach

Want to go cold turkey or just gradually taper off? This app lets you pick either method and your motivation, like money, vanity, influence on the kids, etc. By factoring your age, years smoking and reasons for smoking, the Coach creates a custom quit plan that tracks when you smoke, when you’re having cravings, and delivers motivational messages to either deter you or get you back on track. Price: free in Tunes

RESOLUTION #2: GET IN SHAPE AND LOSE WEIGHT

 These are really two resolutions, but they go hand in hand: Experts have long maintained that the best path to weight loss includes both diet and exercise. Check our best apps for weight loss, and try this favorite, fitness app.

Ease Into 5K

The best of the running apps for beginners, it gets you up off the couch and very, very gradually into running. Over the course of eight weeks, using a combination of walking and jogging, you'll build up to running 5K, non-stop. The app includes a GPS function and allows you to program your own music. Prompts along the way tell you when to walk, run and cool down. Price: $2.99 in iTunes and Android Market

RESOLUTION #3: GET OUT OF DEBT

It's a sign of the times that this has become a popular resolution. Getting your finances in order, reformed debtors will tell you, requires careful tracking of how much and on what you spend your money.

Mint

A favorite in personal finance apps, Mint securely allows you to view all your financial accounts -- credit cards, checking, retirement, etc. -- in a single place. You can track spending, create budgets and manage spending and lots more. It's extremely useful stuff and a great step toward paying off debts. Free in iTunes and Android Market

RESOLUTION #4: GET MORE SLEEP

For many, our harried lives leave little time for a full night's sleep. But general well-being depends on getting rest, and we'd like to make sure it happens. There's a fine application and hardware duo for iPhone called Lark that can help. Also, give this app a spin.

Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock

Using the phone's motion-sensitive accelerometer, you'll measure your movement throughout the night. The app then analyzes your sleep patterns, and wakes you when you're in the lightest level of your sleep cycle of your pre-selected, 30 minute time frame. The theory: You'll awaken more refreshed if you're not jarred out of a deep slumber. Price: $0.99 in iTunes

RESOLUTION #5: GET ORGANIZED

Another casualty of long hours working is time with loved ones. Getting family schedules and calendars in sync can be a time-consuming headache.  Your family juggles complex schedules: school sports practices, doctor's appointments, rehearsals, meetings, dates, and a host of other variables add to a complex stew of commitments. And fewer hours managing these calendars can mean more time actually spend with loved ones.

Cozi Family Organizer

This online calendar syncs to mobile devices and allow the entire family to share calendars, to do and shopping lists. It's a great way to keep busy families coordinated. Free in iTunes and Android Market