Accurate tracking is a cornerstone of any effective nutrition diet and fitness plan. While MyFitnessPal's database is extensive, it may not include every possible exercise, especially if you engage in niche workouts, modified movements, or circuit training. Creating your own custom exercise entries allows for a more personalized and precise approach to monitoring your calorie expenditure and workout progress.
Why Add Custom Exercises?
There are several reasons why personalizing your exercise database is beneficial:
- Greater Accuracy: If you have a specific calorie burn estimate from a heart rate monitor or other device for a unique activity, you can log it precisely.
- Personalized Workouts: When performing customized strength training or circuit workouts, creating a custom entry is more efficient than logging multiple individual exercises.
- Comprehensive Log: It allows for a more complete and detailed workout journal, which can help in tracking progress and identifying trends over time.
- Efficiency: Once you add a custom exercise, it's saved to your personal database, making it quick and easy to log in the future.
How to Add Custom Exercises on the MyFitnessPal Mobile App
The process for adding a custom exercise is straightforward and can be done from within your diary on both Android and iOS devices. The steps differ slightly for cardio and strength activities.
Adding a Custom Cardio Exercise
- Navigate to the Diary: Open the MyFitnessPal app and go to your 'Diary'.
- Add Exercise: Tap the '+' button at the bottom of the screen, and then select 'Exercise'.
- Choose Cardio: Select 'Cardio' from the exercise type options.
- Initiate Search: Type the name of your unique exercise into the search bar.
- Create New Entry: When your exercise doesn't appear in the search results, scroll to the bottom of the list and tap 'Create a New Exercise'.
- Fill in Details: Enter the exercise name and the number of calories burned. You can then save the entry to your personal database.
Adding a Custom Strength Exercise
- Navigate to the Diary: As with cardio, go to your 'Diary' and tap '+', then 'Exercise'.
- Choose Strength: Select 'Strength' as the exercise type.
- Search and Create: Search for the exercise. If not found, tap 'Create a New Exercise' at the bottom of the list.
- Enter Exercise Name: Provide the name for your custom strength exercise. Note that MyFitnessPal does not automatically calculate calorie burn for strength exercises, so this entry serves as a workout log to track sets, reps, and weight.
- Log Details: Once created, you can log your sets, repetitions, and weight for the exercise whenever you perform it.
How to Add Custom Exercises on the MyFitnessPal Website
If you prefer to use the MyFitnessPal website, the process is equally simple.
- Go to the Exercise Tab: After logging in, click on the 'Exercise' tab at the top of the page.
- Add Exercise: Under the type of exercise you want to log (Cardio or Strength), click 'Add Exercise'.
- Search and Add to Database: Type the exercise name into the search box. On the search results page, click 'Add an exercise to the database'.
- Input Information: Fill in the required fields for the new exercise. For cardio, this includes the calories burned. For strength, it's a journal entry without an automatic calorie calculation.
- Save the Exercise: Click 'Add Exercise' to save the entry to your personal database for future use.
Comparison: Adding Custom Exercises
| Feature | Mobile App | Website | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initiate Creation | Tap '+' > 'Exercise' > Search > 'Create a New Exercise' | Click 'Exercise' Tab > 'Add Exercise' > Search > 'Add an exercise to the database' | |
| Cardio Calorie Tracking | Requires manual calorie entry during creation | Requires manual calorie entry during creation | |
| Strength Calorie Tracking | No automatic calorie calculation; log for tracking sets/reps | No automatic calorie calculation; log for tracking sets/reps | |
| Editing a Custom Exercise | 'More' Tab > 'Settings' > 'My Foods & Exercises' > 'My Exercises' | 'Exercise' Tab > 'My Exercises' |
Managing Your Custom Exercises
Once a custom exercise is created, it becomes a permanent part of your personal exercise database. You can easily manage these entries to keep your log accurate and organized.
Editing or Deleting a Custom Exercise
If you need to make changes, such as correcting a name or calorie count, or if you no longer use an exercise, you can edit or delete it.
- On the Website: Go to the 'Exercise' tab and click 'My Exercises'. Search for the exercise, click on it, and then update the details or click 'Delete'.
- On the Mobile App: Go to the 'More' tab (or the menu drawer) and select 'Settings' > 'My Foods & Exercises' > 'My Exercises'. Tap on the exercise to edit or delete it.
Using Your Custom Exercise
To log your custom exercise, simply follow the standard process for adding an exercise to your diary. When you search for it, your custom entry will appear in the search results alongside MyFitnessPal's standard database items. This makes it easy to quickly log your unique activities.
Conclusion
Integrating custom exercises into your MyFitnessPal routine is a straightforward process that significantly enhances the precision of your fitness tracking. By taking a few moments to add your unique cardio or strength activities, you can maintain a more accurate and comprehensive record of your efforts. This level of detail empowers you to make better-informed decisions about your nutrition diet and fitness plan, bringing you one step closer to achieving your personal health goals. For further tips and guidance, consider exploring the official MyFitnessPal Blog.
