Can I ask some MyFitnessPal questions please?

[SpringSunshineandTulips]

I used this a few years back and I’ve decided to use it again but it’s changed or I can’t remember. Trying to log my cereal this morning and am scanned the barcode but it automatically comes up as a serving size of 100g. I had 40g but can’t see how to change it. Can anyone help?

Also, do you count your exercise as extra calories. I’ve added my morning walk and it’s given me an extra 200 calories. I’m not wanting to eat the extra calories so don’t think I will add in my exercise tomorrow. What do other people do?

Lastly, I worked out in a calculator the other day that I can eat 1300 calories and should lose a pound a week. MyFitnessPal seems to think I can eat a couple of hundred more calories than this to lose a pound a week. Which would you believe?

There's a box to say how many servings, will say 1 serving of 100g - you can't change the serving size but you can set the '1' serving to 0.4 to give you 40g

The calculators to work out calories all use a slightly different formula so there will be some variation. I'd just pick a number and stick with it, and see a) if it's something you can stick at and b) how much you're losing, then after a few weeks adjust it accordingly. If you're losing loads, you could add some calories back in to make the diet feel easier, if you're not losing enough you can eat a few less. No calculator will get it spot on few each individual so you'll need to tweak the numbers to suit you, it just takes a bit of trial and error

When you click on the unkt it should offer different ones as in screenshot. If it doesn't I just put 0.4.

I do nlt put my exercise cals. It just confuses me and I think it's over estimated.

Re cals. Try the higher and lower as required until you get to pound a week loss? I checked different calculators and went with average.

There is a weightloss chat section if you fancy and lots of lovely threads with support

I don't add my exercise as I don't want to eat back all my calories. MFP does seem to think i can survive on very little at my height and size though, so I ignore it's recommended target. When I started I tracked what I ate normally for a week, then started trying to reduce the number until I started losing weight. You need to find what fits for you

Thank you! I didn’t think of that! Just kept trying to change the 100g. That’s fab. Thanks.

I think they’ve overestimated the exercise cals too. Cant seem to delete my walk either so just won’t add anymore exercise. Will see how I get on with the calories and tweak as I need to. Thanks all!

I pre plan a bit for a day ahead to make it easier on myself.
So in the evening, I spend few minutes logging in for next day. Then at a time, I just adjust slightly if needed. Like if I logged 50g, but in the end I have 40g. It makes it soooooo much less hassle.

@SchrodingersImmigrant

I pre plan a bit for a day ahead to make it easier on myself. So in the evening, I spend few minutes logging in for next day. Then at a time, I just adjust slightly if needed. Like if I logged 50g, but in the end I have 40g. It makes it soooooo much less hassle.

This is exactly what I do too! Plus, at some point, all meals are repetitive, really, so sometimes I just swipe to add yesterday's breakfast 😂

Never log my exercise, I don't want to eat those calories back, MFP has no logic😂

I would stick to the higher calories to start with because then when you start to plateau you can then drop it down. But if you’ve only started on 1,200 there’s not much room to drop it further without starving yourself.

Your exercise calories are already taken into account when you specify how active you are. So if you said you do no exercise in your calculations but then do I think it’s fine to eat these back but if you’ve been truthful with your exercise level this is already accounted for. I wish I’d never linked my Apple Watch to MFP because I can’t seem to unlink and I’m constantly having to subtract my exercise calories

Oh yes definitely plan your meals ahead. I put in what I’m going to have for lunch and dinner and then I know what my allowance will be for breakfast

Same. Just copy to blabla😂

It gets really easy after some time of logging. Your favourite food is saved, you can save meals, create recipes.
I remember when counting calories was printed out table and pen and paper so women had likr book diaries, and I am NOT old😂

@FizzyPink

I would stick to the higher calories to start with because then when you start to plateau you can then drop it down. But if you’ve only started on 1,200 there’s not much room to drop it further without starving yourself.

Your exercise calories are already taken into account when you specify how active you are. So if you said you do no exercise in your calculations but then do I think it’s fine to eat these back but if you’ve been truthful with your exercise level this is already accounted for. I wish I’d never linked my Apple Watch to MFP because I can’t seem to unlink and I’m constantly having to subtract my exercise calories

That’s a good point. I’ve adjusted it to the lower amount now to see how I get on but maybe I should increase it again. If I can find how to do that and remember what it was..... It seems more complicated than it was last time I used it. Do you use the free option or the paid one and if you pay how much is it?

You can set it so it doesn’t pick up your exercise cals from your Apple Watch. I googled it and it was easy to do. I now have my exercise cals as 0 and I’ve put that I’m minimally active. In reality I exercise every day and always hit my Apple Watch target of 500 cals but I don’t eat those back. I’ve set MFP at 1000 cals per day and I don’t worry if that gets closer to 1200 because I know I’ve got my exercise cals stored elsewhere. I weigh all my food.
I’m aiming to get 3-5kg off by mid June and I’m well on track to do that.

I’ve updated it to Mfp’s version of how many calories and will see how I get on. Then I can always drop it if need be. I’ve also deleted my walk this morning and won’t be adding on exercise. I’ve said that I’m lightly active which is true. I just do a half hour walk a day and then a 10 min joe wicks workout at some point so hopefully that will be ok. Just want the weight off now.

I pay. It literally came out today as well😂 nice coincidence.
I pay annual £39.99. totally worth it. Just under 40 quid to hopefully sverve away from diabetes🤞yay

To swerve from type 2 diabetes but not type 1!
What extras do you get if you pay?

I do add my exercise calories but I don’t always eat them Back. I just like having one place logging them. They come from my Apple Watch based on my heart rate so it’s not MFPs own estimates which are usually wildly off.

I’m set at 1520 calories a day and I lose on average 2-3lb a week with eod exercising

That’s about the amount of calories it’s set me too. I would love to lose 2-3 lbs a week. Guess it depends on starting weight too. Will see what happens.

@SpringSunshineandTulips

To swerve from type 2 diabetes but not type 1! What extras do you get if you pay?

Yup. My dad's type 1 was set of by tonsillitis. Mfp wouldn't help tyere🙈

I batch cook so the recipe part is important for me. It makes it very easy.
I calorie zigzag so setting different cal allowance each day.
I think macro settings are on premium too.

Yes. Wouldn’t help my child’s type 1 either. Unfortunately!

I think I will see how it goes and maybe pay in the future. Thanks.