It may not be perfect but far better than writing the day off entirely because something couldn’t be scanned. Use some common sense and any available substitutions.

Again, this can be much more successful if planned in advance.ĭo your best. It can also aid in terms of food prep, adherence and take the pressure off if you have already planned out a days worth of eating.Īn extension of the previous point, start by inputting your protein sources first (for breakfast, lunch and dinner) and construct your remaining calories around this.įor Client’s of mine who are following resistance programmes they will have a set protein target in which to hit each day. Input the foods you intend to eat the day before - that way you have the opportunity to adapt food types and quantities well in advance. Have absolutely no idea where to start in terms of planning your meals or keep being caught out by going over or under your calories? Again, this will be a time saving, particularly if you follow a meal plan or are a self confessed creature of habit. Adding your standard quantities (you may need scales) will also save you time further down the line. You only ever need to scan or search for something once and the app will keep these stored for you to quickly add at a later time. Spend some time scanning your household staples. It has no knowledge of your training programme, NEAT (non exercise activity thermogenesis) and crucially is unable to adapt to coincide with your progression or allowances you may have to make in a given week (holidays, long weekends etc.).Įnter the human factor! Your Coach will give you your calorie target in accordance with your goals and personal circumstance so change your app accordingly Remember the app is merely guesstimating. Ignore this.įrom past experience this number will tend to hover around the lower end of your calorie needs - more than likely too low for sustained weight loss. Take this first thing in the morning if you can, before having had anything to eat or drink.Īfter inputting your details, weight loss goals and activity, the app will then generate a calorie target for you.

The free version is absolutely fine and will do you just fine to track calories and macros. Let’s start at the very beginning - download and sign up for My Fitness Pal.

Fitness pal website