These MyFitnessPal Mistakes Are Keeping You From Losing Weight
You've seen some insane success stories from people who swear by using MyFitnessPal. If you have a [...]
You've seen some insane success stories from people who swear by using MyFitnessPal. If you have a tendency to snack mindlessly or you're a calorie-counting rookie, tracking your meals can be a life-changing weight loss tool, says Christy Brissette, R.D., president of 80 Twenty Nutrition to Women's Health.
But before your break out your app, know that losing weight with MyFitnessPal isn't foolproof. Actually, Women's Health notes that some mistakes could push you further from your goal.
Just start the slideshow to learn them!
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.
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.
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.
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.
Want to see more MyFitnessPal mistakes you could be making? Check out te original article on Women's Health.
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