7 Other Uses of MyFitnessPal Outside of Dieting

Other Uses Of MyFitnessPal
20 Aug

Last Updated on October 10, 2024 by Michael Brockbank

MyFitnessPal is a free app that helps you watch food intake while registering exercise. Although most people will use it to help with dieting, I found several other uses of MyFitnessPal that go beyond just trying to slim the waistline.

And this is just the beginning. With a little imagination, I can see how this app offers a lot of versatility.

Here are just some of the other uses of MyFitnessPal you might have interest in.

1. Discovering Food Allergies

A lot of people walk around with food allergies and they don’t even know it. These allergies can contribute to everything from a light rash to more severe cases of anaphylaxis.

Tracking what foods you eat prior to issues will help you narrow down certain foods as the culprit. Why is this important? Because adults are known to become allergic to things they weren’t allergic to before.

If you’re not feeling well or have noticed certain reactions to foods, you may want to watch what you’re putting into your body. Using the process of elimination will help discover what foods are causing problems.

2. Tracking Body Measurements

Body measurements are one of the best ways to gauge whether you’re losing fat or not. The scale can help, but keep in mind that muscle is far more dense. One pound of fat will take up more room on your body than one pound of muscle.

MyFitnessPal gives you a system which you can record your measurements to see progress over time. Personally, I’ve used it lately to work on my biceps. I am currently sticking to a goal of 16 inches.

The most important thing to remember when taking measurements is that it’s not all about slimming down.

For example, my arm was pushing 15 inches…but it was flabby and lacked definition. A few months ago, it was down to 14 inches and far more defined and solid. Today, it is pushing 14.75 inches and look far better than at 15.

Size doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting fat. It all depends on muscle density.

3. Finding Sleep Disruptions

Certain foods can easily cause sleep disruption at night. For many people, it’s spicy foods. I know I have a hard time sleeping at night when I eat something that is a bit high on the scoville scale.

If you’re having problems sleeping on some nights but not others, it’s probably caused by something you ate. Tracking your food gives you a chance to pinpoint those edibles that are disrupting your sleep.

In my situation, certain foods will cause me to toss and turn throughout the night. Using my Fitbit, I can see how restless I am. Then, I can go back into MyFitnessPal and begin extrapolating what foods cause the problem.

If you can’t sleep, food is the easiest to eliminate as being the cause. It’s something to consider before checking yourself into a sleep study or loading up on pills.

4. Creating a Custom Cookbook

Other uses of MyFitnessPal include creating a custom cookbook. Since the information is saved in the Cloud, it’s easy to pull your own creations up on the phone. You can complete the experience by adding your own pictures of the dish.

One of the things I love most about this feature is how it tracks the nutritional info of the things you’re making. At any point, you can look at the Nutritional Facts of the things you prepare.

For instance, I can look up how much protein, vitamin A and calcium are in my recipe for Lunch Meat Salad. It’s just like if you were looking on the side of a package.

You can also look up entire meals you prepare yourself by saving them. This also gives you a breakdown of nutritional information such as calories, carbs and proteins.

MyFitnessPal Meals

5. Being Social

Many people take advantage of the other uses of MyFitnessPal that include the social element. Forums, blogs and interacting with people is all part of the experience.

While it’s not as robust as something like Facebook, it’s still worth your time as you find many other people out there who are looking to be healthy and fit as well. Think of it as a Facebook group but focused on one topic…and minus some of the drama.

In reality, MyFitnessPal is where I started blogging before I created this website. I wanted a running log of everything I’ve learned and my progress to lose weight. If you don’t have the money for a self-hosted site, this is a good feature to use.

6. Personal Case Studies

I’m all about personal case studies. It’s the best way to discover information for health and fitness based on your own experience.

We are all unique to a degree. Exercises and diets that work for some may not work for everyone. By using the data collected in MyFitnessPal, you can find trends and improvements based on your specific physiology.

Here’s an example of what I mean. Perhaps you’re one of those people who can’t seem to concentrate in the morning or has problems staying awake at around 10am or so. Monitoring what you eat may help.

Some people do vastly better in the mid-morning simply by increasing their protein intake. The data contained in the app can help you determine this.

7. Tracking Sodium and Cholesterol

Eating healthy is subjective to the person. Some people need to closely monitor sodium and cholesterol intake. Instead of trying to remember or writing it down in a notebook, you can enter it directly into your smartphone.

And because you can customize your goals, MyFitnessPal will show if you’re in the red if you go beyond your personal limits.

In essence, MyFitnessPal helps you prepare the day for what you can and cannot eat. There’s a bit of strategy to building a healthy body, and these numbers are extremely helpful.

Find Your Own Other Uses of MyFitnessPal

Originally, I wanted an app that can help me lose weight. Instead, it added far more to my lifestyle while helping me focus on better choices for food. MyFitnessPal turned into one of the most profound tools in my phone.

What other uses of MyFitnessPal can you discover for yourself?[template id=”3591″]

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