4 Best Apps for Calorie Counting
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Counting calories is an integral part of a weight loss journey. Research has shown that people who log calories are more likely to lose weight and keep it off in the long run. But there's no point in doing it the old fashioned way with a pencil and paper. These days, there are apps to help do the calculations. So which app is best? Farm to Fit did some digging to uncover the four best calorie counting apps out there.
FYI, calories are units of measurement used to describe the amount of energy your body gets from what you eat and drink, and the energy spent on various activities.
MyFitnessPal
Compatible with Apple and Android
The MyFitnessPal app has one of the largest nutrition databases of all of the apps, with 11 million foods. It has a barcode scanner which recognizes prepackaged foods of all kinds, and an automatic calorie counting feature to compile your calorie intake. It can also calculate the calories of recipes uploaded from websites. There's even a restaurant logging feature that has meals from popular restaurants. The chat forum allows you to connect with fellow users to boost motivation and share.
Lose It!
Compatible with Apple and Android
Lose It! has a barcode scanner that works as a food diary, plus graphs to track your weight loss journey. It provides personalized recommendation for calorie intake based on weight, height, age and goals. It also includes an exercise log, and the option to connect a pedometer or other fitness devices to it.
ControlMyWeight
Free
Compatible with Apple only
ControlMyWeight is one of the simplest calorie counting apps out there. The app features clear and straightforward weight charts so you can see your progress, showing you the amount of fat, carbs and sugar you have consumed throughout the day. It can also track protein, sodium, cholesterol, fiber, calcium, and other micronutrients. It includes a large food database and a barcode scanner for prepackaged foods. A lot of reviews say the barcode scanner doesn't work too well, but this still seems like one of the best options out there for its simplicity of calorie counting. It includes a diary for tracking meals and exercise that works offline.
Lifesum
Free or $45 annually
Compatible with Apple and Android
Lifesum supports macronutrient and net carb tracking, so if you're on the keto diet you should be perking up right about now. It also has some cool features like a water consumption log that looks like eight glasses of water lined up along the bottom of the screen—you tap one each time you drink a glass of water IRL. This app doesn't have any community features or coaching, but it does have a bank of recipes you can look to for ideas of what to make. Graphs show your calorie intake and there is a solid food database. It includes an exercise tracking system and the option to develop a health profile where you can put your own diet information and have the app make meal suggestions for you.