Getting Started With MyFitnessPal

MyFitnessPal is simple and effective, and can be a great tool to support you in your health and fat loss endeavors. It can be used to count calories, monitor macros and form part of a flexible diet approach to keep you on track.

This guide is designed to help you get started with MyFitnessPal whilst providing some additional pointers to allow you to get the most from its features. Setting Up MyFitnessPal

1. Using your mobile device, download the free MyFitnessPal app from either the Apple App Store or Google Play.

2. Open the app and create an account using a valid email address.

3. MyFitnessPal will then ask you to enter some information including your goals, fitness level, height, weight, age, gender, exercise level, and goals. Enter this information as directed.

4. The app will then construct a plan for you consisting of your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) based on the information you provided.

Tracking your food

1. To get started, click on the diary button at the bottom of the screen.

2. Then click the "add food" button below the appropriate meal. You then can search for a food, enter it manually, or scan the barcode of the food you are eating with your device camera. Adjust the serving size as necessary and then click the tick mark at the top of the screen. The more you do this, the easier it becomes as MFP remembers your prior foods and suggests food you normally eat. Once entered, the food will appear in your diary for that day.

3. Keep track of your Calories as you eat. Scroll to the bottom of the diary screen and click the nutrition button.

It will then allow you to use the tabs at the top to see how your calories, nutrients and macros are tracking for the day in question. “Calories” shows your total calories with a breakdown for each meal and snack. "Nutrients" shows you the gram breakdown in comparison to the recommended daily allowance.

4. At the end of each day click "Complete Entry"

Add HLA as a friend

One way of keeping you accountable to your goals is adding the HLA as a friend on MFP 1)Head into the MyFitnessPal menu, scroll down and seclet friends.

2)Tap the + icon in the top right hand corner

3)Tap the Email option

4)Enter the username: healthylivingacademy.

Calories burned from exercise? MFP allows you to track your activity, but the calories you burn during exercise are automatically added back in for the day. For example, if your daily calorie goal is 2000 for the day and you burn 300 calories, MFP will increase your calorie goal for the day to 2300. If your goal is to lose body fat, then you should not add them back in. (If you’re training for an endurance event, like a marathon or triathlon, then working with one of our nutrition coaches will help you determine your calorie needs.) When you calculate your macro goals, it should take into account your activity level as well as a calorie deficit. If your goal is to lose weight, you want to make sure you’re in a deficit when you “hit your calories” for the day. Adding those calories back puts you at maintenance or even above maintenance, which will not help you get to your goal