Have you ever wished for a diet that allows you to eat whatever you want, whenever you want, and that can work without an insane amount of exercise? The answer to this wish has always been calorie counting – meaning that you can eat the foods of your choice when you want to, you just need to keep a log of how many calories are in each portion, add them up, and then make sure to stay under your set limit. In the past, calorie counting was a difficult process with meals on the go, eating out, and even factoring in the occasional coffee shop drink that does not list calories; however, there is a modern-day solution in the form of an app named MyFitnessPal.
While visiting a friend recently, I noticed that every time she ate or drank anything, she would get on her smart phone. After enough prodding, she revealed to me that she was using the MyFitnessPal app as part of her new weight loss routine. She explained that not only did it count the calories for her, the app is loaded with a searchable database of over 1 million foods, ranging from an apple to a brand-name candy bar, even to the calories found in specific dishes from hundreds of fast food chains. With this app, she no longer had to search restaurant websites to find calorie counts, or even look at the nutritional information on the individual ingredients that went into making her famous beef stew, as MyFitnessPal did all of that for her.
A quick visit to www.myfitnesspal.com will overwhelm you with information, testimonials, and facts about the proven weight loss of the MyFitnessPal app, which is available for all smart phones. They claim that the “best way to lose weight and keep it off forever is to simply keep track of the foods you eat.” Compared to fad diets of only carbohydrates, or lack thereof, the MyFitnessPal app makes it possible to still enjoy the foods you love, even if they are not extremely healthy. Medical studies have even proven that keeping a food journal, such as found in the app, doubles weight loss. My friend is a testament to this claim, as she has lost nearly 12 pounds in two weeks, when using the app combined with a tri-weekly trip to the gym.
One of the best parts about MyFitnessPal is that it is completely and totally free. Simply download it onto your smart phone, and begin using it immediately. It is simple to use as well. The app will start you out each day with the calorie goal of your choice. Enter in your breakfast, and the app will tell you how many calories left for the day. Follow the guidance of the app, and combine it with a few exercise sessions per week, and you will be well on your way to a happy and healthy new year.
