Why MyFitnessPal Is My Favorite Calorie Counting App

Last Updated on May 21, 2023 by Michael Brockbank

With all the fitness apps available, how can you tell which is right for you? In reality, it all depends on what your goals are for losing weight or being healthy. However, I’ve found MyFitnessPal to be a great calorie counting app.

In fact, I am just two days away from hitting 1,000 days straight of using MyFitnessPal. And I can say that it’s by far one of my favorite calorie counter tools.

Why Use a Calorie Counting App?

A calorie counting app helps by showing you how much you consume throughout the day. By watching your intake, you can see how it’s affecting your health.

If you want to see something really scary, record an average $5 meal deal from Taco Bell.

I started using MyFitnessPal as a way to keep an eye on how much I eat. By watching the numbers change from green to red, I know that I’ve eaten far too much.

In a regular day, I have to put more effort into “budgeting” what I eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Otherwise, I run the risk of overeating.

For me, a calorie tracker like MyFitnessPal motivates and inspires to eat healthier.

8 Reasons to Try the Calorie Counting App MyFitnessPal

I’ve been a fan of MyFitnessPal even before Under Armor bought the site. For me, it’s been the best calorie counter app for Android as well as on my PC.

And here are eight reasons why I continue to use it.

1. It’s Free!

The first thing that attracted me to MyFitnessPal was the fact that it’s free. This was way before I had enough money to buy a Fitbit or any other type of fitness equipment.

I signed up through the website and tracked my food that way…at least until I installed the app on my phone a few months later.

And since it’s free, there’s nothing to lose by giving it a try.

2. Barcode Scanning

One of the coolest features of MyFitnessPal is the barcode scanning add-on. With each meal, I can quickly scan it into my daily diary and see the information available. And since it saves recent food in your account, you can quickly add things you eat regularly.

Now, not all regions will have the same data when it comes to barcodes. This is because manufacturers often change recipes, have a different way of processing food or are too generic, such as Walmart’s bakery department.

However, you can easily make adjustments to your food by editing the details.

3. Make Edits to Food

Another awesome feature is being able to edit the entries in MyFitnessPal. This helps create an extensive database for yourself as well as others who use the system.

This way, you can enter precise details about your meal based on the information you have. And I am a bit of a dork when it comes to collecting data. I spend a lot of time “fixing” issues like this.

Luckily, I don’t have to make changes all that often today. With as many people who use the system now, it’s not difficult to find the perfect fit for what you’re eating.

4. You Can Add Recipes and Meals

Want to customize a meal? Perhaps you want to add your own recipes and create a personalized cook book. MyFitnessPal does that as well. And you can share your recipes with others who use the calorie counter.

One of my favorite features is how MyFitnessPal will break down the nutritional information for you when setting up a meal.

For instance, I can see exactly how I stand in terms of calories, vitamins and proteins when I have my BBQ Chicken Teriyaki and Chicken Fried Rice from Trader Joe’s. Because I portion it out differently, MyFitnessPal saves that information for me.

You can even add your own pictures for meals to add a bit of flair to the process.

5. Tracks Nutritional Data

MyFitnessPal is more than a food calorie counter. It tracks a wide range of nutritional information as well. Although you only get a few of the basics in the free version of the app, it’s still valuable when trying to eat healthier.

For example, I’m currently trying to keep my carb intake at a certain level. One glance at MyFitnessPal and I can see where my carbs stand for the day.

Cholesterol, sodium, potassium and other vital elements are tracked each time you enter what you eat. Which means it can work great for those who suffer from high blood pressure to monitor intake.

6. Use with Mobile or Desktop

Like I said, I started using this food calorie counter from my desktop computer system. This was mostly because I never left my desk for extended periods of time.

It has an easy layout from a web browser.

However, I find that I use the Android app for MyFitnessPal far more than the desktop version today. It’s just easier to scan my food from the kitchen with the phone than searching for it on the desktop.

It’s not like a lot of other apps on the market…you know, the ones that work beautifully on a phone but have no real desktop support. MyFitnessPal works great regardless of what system you’re using.

7. Many Integrations with Other Tools

Want to connect it with other fitness apps? MyFitnessPal supports a range of tools for collecting personal data. Right now, mine pulls calorie burn from the Fitbit Charge 3.

It’s a great way to accumulate more accurate data when you’re watching your food intake.

At the time of this article, MyFitnessPal supports connections with more than 50 external apps. Everything from UA Record to Microsoft Health can share data with this system.

At one point, I had Runkeeper and Exercise.com connected to MyFitnessPal. I had to change things up a bit once I connected Fitbit, though. Exercise.com and Fitbit kept doubling the number of calories I would burn in a day.

8. Tracks More Than Just Calories

MyFitnessPal is a great calorie tracker, but it does more than that. It offers a way to record exercises, saving your physical measurements, blogging and engaging with others in the forum.

You can even share your fitness journey by adding a MyFitnessPal badge to your website.

Since I have MyFitnessPal connected to Facebook, I can advise all of my friends and family when I lose weight. It’s kind of a comfort when you’re cheered on by loved ones.

How does this work?

• My Renpho Scale is connected to MyFitnessPal.
• When I step on the scale, data is sent.
• Any time I lose weight, MyFitnessPal updates Facebook for me automatically.

It’s quite motivating when you get praises from those closest to you. In fact, family members I rarely talk to are often cheering me on and telling me how good of a job I’m doing.

And that fuels my fire to close in on my goal weight.

Losing Weight with MyFitnessPal

So far, I’ve lost around 50 pounds using MyFitnessPal. I would have lost more, but I have a problem with motivation and determination. The calorie counting app works great; I’m the one who is defunct.

However, it’s been instrumental in my journey for weight loss. And I know most of you out there would easily surpass my abilities.

With the right data, it’s easy to come up with a dietary plan to help you lose weight without jumping on mainstream fad diet plans.

Just remember that watching your intake is only part of fitness. You need to increase your physical activity as well if you truly want to burn fat and build muscle density.

Find a Calorie Counting App that Works for You…

For me, MyFitnessPal is the best calorie counting app for Android. It’s been an effective tool I use on a daily basis and look forward to another 1000 days recorded in the system.

Find the best calorie tracker that fits your lifestyle. The tool you’re comfortable using and enjoy is going to be the one that helps you the most.[template id=”3591″]

About Author

Michael Brockbank

Since 2015, Michael has put in the effort to lose more than 80 pounds by gamifying fitness and eating proper portion sizes. He conducts extensive research into various health and fitness products to provide the best answers possible according to his own experience and knowledge.

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