MyFitnessPal can be a genius weight loss tool—especially if you have a tendency to munch mindlessly or have no idea how many calories you’re eating in the first place, says Christy Brissette, R.D., president of 80 Twenty Nutrition. Tracking your meals—whether in a journal or an app—helps you eat less because it increases your awareness of what you put in your mouth.
That said, using the app to lose weight isn’t foolproof. In fact, some mistakes could push you further from your goal.
Here are the MyFitnessPal fails that could be sabotaging your weight loss.
MyFitnessPal only works if your input is accurate. And if you’re eyeballing it, you may underestimate portions. “I see this with my clients all the time,” says Brissette. Although the default entry for a serving of cereal, for example, is a half cup, most of us eat about two cups. And that makes a big difference.
When you guestimate, it's easy to get confused when your calories appear to be right on track but your weight stays the same. So for the first couple of days, measure out the foods you typically eat with measuring spoons and cups to get a better feel for your portion sizes. Keep in mind that the serving in the app isn’t necessarily right for you—you might need to eat more or less depending on your activity levels, height, and overall calorie intake. (Speed up your progress towards your weight-loss goals with Women's Health's Look Better Naked DVD.)
You may not think it’s worth adding that smear of mayo to your MyFitnessPal, but it all adds up if you’re trying to lose weight, says Brissette. Condiments and oils can add up to a lot of calories over the course of the day, she says. The solution: If you can’t be bothered to enter it into the app, it’s probably not worth eating. On the other hand, if you’ve gotta have that EVOO on your salad, make sure you measure it out.
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One person’s "turkey sandwich" could be made with lettuce and mustard; another’s with avocado, mayonnaise, and cheddar, making their nutritional value distinctly different. Instead of picking the general entry for a meal or food, break down your foods into their individual ingredients. (By the way, the app can store the meals you eat on the regular so you don't have to log your go-to sandwich every time). "It can be tedious, but it’s the best way to make sure it’s accurate," says Brissette.
Liquid portions are especially hard to judge. When you take the time to measure and log your a.m. juice, you’ll realize that you’re consuming a lot of extra calories and sugar, says Brissette. A few glasses over the course of the week adds up—but it’s also easy to cut back. Just like with your cereal, pour it into a measuring cup before it goes in your glass for a few days to get a sense of your portions. And don’t forget to count that splash of cream in your coffee, too. If you drink four cups of coffee a day, that tablespoon of creamer per cup can add significant calories, she says.
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Newsflash: Many foods in the MyFitnessPal database are user-generated—so some aren’t accurate. For example, one medium apple can set you back 30 calories or 120, according to the options provided by the app. For foods you nosh frequently, check the nutrition facts online with the USDA food composition database.
It’s also worth noting that the "verified" listings (the ones with a check mark next to them) might not actually be accurate either, says Brisette. "The check mark means the information is complete but not necessarily right," says Brissette. In fact, a statement on MyFitnessPal’s website says, "We do our best to ensure the nutrition information for foods accurately reflects nutrition information from the product packaging. Many of the foods in our database are created by users, and occasionally food will be marked with a checkmark that has nutrition information inaccuracies." So if your weight loss has stalled, double check the nutrition info for the foods you eat on the regular online.
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"I’ve seen people put in less nutritious foods and meet their calorie goals, but they’re still not eating healthy," says Brissette. And while you might meet your calorie quota, you’re bound to feel crummy and have a hankering for a snack not long after eating a meal.
For now, ensuring that the food you eat is fueling your body with more than empty cals is on you. So instead of stressing about calorie counts, focus on eating whole foods with the nutrients you need to feel satisfied, like protein, fiber, healthy fats, and whole-grain carbohydrates.
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Research suggests that the accuracy of food tracking drops dramatically the longer you wait to jot down your meals. So if you put off adding everything up until the end of the day, you’re bound to underestimate your portions or forget that your coworker brought in donuts, says Brissette. Instead, enter what you eat as soon as possible for a more accurate count.
While you might be tempted to track your weight as often as your meals, you're not going to get an accurate reading. Around your period or after a salty meal, you might retain a couple of pounds of water weight (here's how to de-bloat). "It can be frustrating after a gold-star day of eating to see that you’re up five pounds," says Brissette. So weigh yourself once a week, naked, first thing in morning, after you go to the bathroom. And if your weight loss graph isn’t a ski slope, don’t despair, says Brissette. Losing more than one to two pounds a week is actually a sign that you’re taking your diet too far.
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Colleen de Bellefonds is an American freelance journalist living in Paris, France, with her husband and dog, Mochi. She loves running, yoga, and wine, and is very particular about her baguettes.
