Why you need to ignore My Fitness Pal

weight loss Nov 21, 2024

Why My Fitness Pal isn't always right for you

Brilliant piece of free kit, helps with tracking and calorie counting; but that's about it. It lacks the personal touch and doesn't really know you, you are just a number to it. Here's why.

I think the moment you mention calories and app My Fitness Pal comes along like its best friend. The 2 go together like apple crumble and custard (is there any other way?)

My Fitness Pal (MFP) is a great free app, its great for those wanting to calorie count and it is certainly an app I recommend to all clients for tracking calories and what they are eating.

However I know a lot of people use it as their one and only weight loss tool. All too many times I have clients who have used the tools on MFP to set their daily calories.

One of my clients this week highlighted to me an issue that crops up with MFP over and over.

First off lets acknowledge that my client had lost an inch in her first week, this in itself is awesome and I know most people would be stoked with this sort of loss, but as you see My Fitness Pal has put a dampener on on celebrations.

How MFP calculates your daily calories.

Here's the thing, when the app works out how many calories you should be eating to hit your target; despite that you put in your age, height and weight it will work out your calorie target based on the info you give them regarding your goals. i.e how much weight you want to lose.

Nine times out of ten, as a n example, you are going to want to lose at least 2/3 stone. We rarely go into weight loss and calorie counting saying "oh I just want to shift a pound or 2" so we aim for big numbers and MFP will find the quickest way too it and normally by wildly restricting your calories stupidly low.

For example generally speaking, anything below 1800 calories is stupid, it will lead to you struggling, feeling restricted and finding it hard to fit your lifestyle and routines into your new found diet. Yet I have had clients on 1500, 1600 calories or below.

The knock on effect...

These clients have yoyo'd in and out of dieting, found it hard to stick too and got frustrated the moment they couldn't enjoy a takeaway pizza with the family because it didn't align with their daily calorie requirement.

Then to add insult to injury when you submit your days worth of tracking on the app it gives you a message telling you how long it will be to reach your goal eating as you have been.

I mean how demoralising is that? Or it could boost you?

It's ridiculous really. Your adherence to your diet and motivation hangs on one daily statement.

When MFP sets your calories is only takes in to account the very basic of information. It assumes you are not on any medication, do not have any underlying medical conditions, does not have multiple kiddies, likes to cook fresh healthy food, is energised and sleeps well. These are all things I would take into consideration.

For example under or over active thyroid would have a massive effect on weight loss, as would endometriosis, being on anti depressants. Being a busy mother in a demanding household would have a toll on emotional eating or eating habits that may be engrained.

What My Fitness Pal also doesn't know about you:

Your home life
How busy you are
How many kiddies you have
Your work life or pressures
Your stress levels
Your medication
What your cycle is like
Your hobbies
Your exercise style
Your daily activity levels

The personal touch is so different.

When I set calories for clients I take all this and more into account. If a clients priority is fitting in with the family meal plan, has zero time for exercise, likes a glass of wine of an evening and is in a high pressured job then there is no way that restricting calories and adding to stress and pressure will get results. Sometimes if that mum needs the non restrictive eating range to inhale some chocolate at 4pm on a Wednesday, she just bloody needs to!

Initially when trying to eat within the low calories set by MFP you may have positive results for the first week or 2 but as things roll on if there is any chance of you adhering to the diet and sticking to it then you need to allow flexibility and room for ease.

Which is why you need someone like me, myself and any fellow nutritionist is not here to run a mathematical sum that you can find on the internet. It takes someone who understands the reality of weight loss, the reality of home life and how getting long term results really works.

My client in this picture had had a great week, she had lost an inch and nailed her habits. Yet her app told her otherwise, thank goodness I was there to steer along and keep her motivated and seeing sense.

So many want to know the key to long term weight loss, to banish yoyo dieting and to work on emotional and habit driven eating: this is how... Get the basics at the beginning right.

Fancy working with me in my Membership Programme? Its called BOOST and perfect for keeping you on track, accountable and hitting those weight loss goals!