New “smart trigger apps” help turn the Apple Watch into a top motivator when it comes to keeping New Year's resolutions. Adam Balkin has the details in the following report.

If this holiday season made you the proud new owner of an Apple Watch — or if you owned one way before December — there are several ways it can help you throughout the day in keeping that number one New Year's resolution: get in shape, thanks to several new types of apps called “smart trigger apps.”

“Basically what they’re designed to do is help people remember to do the right thing at the right time," said Jay Blahnik of Apple. "So that whole entire category — it’s not so much about the one time you do it; it’s about all the times you do it added together leading to healthy behavior change."

Some examples of "smart trigger apps" include the $1.99 Waterminder, which helps you stay hydrated based on your weight and goals, and reminds you throughout the day with little taps and/or dings to drink and log your drinks.

If you’re a member of Equinox, the gym's free app will remind you when your favorite classes are coming up or show you what classes are happening that day, and then you can book your spot in a class straight from the watch.

Lark is a free app that is like a personal weight loss coach on your wrist. Developed by researchers at Harvard and Stanford, using artificial intelligence in a very conversational way, Lark helps keep track of what you’re eating, your exercise, and your sleep. On the watch, it gives you healthy tips and allows you to keep track of your meals.

And in the workout space, several apps allow you to keep focused on the task at hand without having to constantly reach for your phone. The $2.99 7 Minute Workout Challenge gives you a seven-minute workout right on your wrist.

Gymaholic, free with in-app purchases, gives you weight lifting routines and lets you log reps on your watch.

And the $2.99 Pocket Yoga helps make sure all of your body parts are in the proper position.

“If you’re new to yoga, you can actually use the watch in conjunction with the phone and get two screens," Blahnik said. "So when you’re in a low pose you can look at your phone, and when you’re in a higher pose you can look at your wristwatch."

And incidentally, all of the apps we mentioned here, minus Equinox and Gymaholic, are also available as mobile apps for Android phones.