Customizing Your MyFitnessPal Meal Plan
For many people, the traditional breakfast, lunch, and dinner structure doesn't align with their daily eating habits. Some prefer multiple smaller meals, while others follow specific protocols like intermittent fasting. Fortunately, MyFitnessPal offers a straightforward way to customize your food diary to better reflect your personal routine. By adding extra meal slots and renaming them, you can create a tracking experience that is both more accurate and intuitive. This flexibility is key to consistent and successful food logging.
How to Add Meals Using the MyFitnessPal Website
For the most comprehensive customization, using the MyFitnessPal website is often the easiest route. Changes made on the website will sync directly to your mobile app once it has an internet connection.
- Log into your account: Go to the MyFitnessPal website and log in using your credentials.
- Navigate to Diary Settings: Click on "My Home" in the top menu, then select "Settings," and finally "Diary Settings."
- Adjust meal names: On the Diary Settings page, you will see fields for your existing meal names. You can rename these to fit your schedule, such as "Meal 1," "Snack," or "Post-Workout."
- Add new meal slots: You can add up to two additional meals by using the options at the top of the Diary Settings page.
- Save your changes: Be sure to click the "Save Changes" button to apply your new meal structure. Your diary will now reflect these updates.
How to Add Meals in the Mobile App (iOS and Android)
While the web version offers more robust editing, you can also customize meal names and add up to two extra slots directly from the mobile app's settings menu.
- Open the app and go to 'More': Tap the "More" button, typically located in the bottom-right corner.
- Access Settings: Tap on "Settings" within the menu.
- Find Diary Settings: Select "Diary Settings."
- Customize Meal Names: Here you can rename your existing meals and add up to two more slots to your diary.
By following these steps, you can tailor MyFitnessPal to your specific needs, making the process of logging meals much more manageable and personalized.
Comparison: Standard vs. Custom Meal Diary
| Feature | Standard (Default) | Custom (Configured by User) |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Meals | 3-4 (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snack) | Up to 6 |
| Meal Names | Fixed (Breakfast, Lunch, etc.) | Fully Customizable (e.g., "Pre-Workout," "Post-Workout," "Snack 1") |
| Flexibility | Limited to fixed eating patterns | Highly flexible for various dietary habits |
| Logging Speed | Can be cumbersome for non-standard routines | Faster for users with specific eating schedules |
| Tracking Accuracy | Potentially less accurate for users with many small meals | Increased accuracy due to dedicated slots for each food entry |
Creating and Saving Custom Meals
In addition to adding more meal slots, you can also save entire meals that you eat frequently. This is a massive time-saver, preventing you from having to re-enter the same list of ingredients repeatedly.
- Log your meal items: First, add all the individual food items for your custom meal (e.g., your morning smoothie or a favorite stir-fry) into a single meal slot in your diary.
- Save the meal: On the diary screen, look for an option to "Save as Meal." In the app, this is often found by tapping the three dots or an "Edit" button, then selecting the items you wish to group. On the website, use the "Quick Tools" menu.
- Name and save: Give your meal a recognizable name, like "Morning Protein Shake" or "Weekly Turkey Chili."
- Log it with one tap: The next time you eat this meal, simply go to your diary, tap "Add Food," and select the "My Meals" tab to find and log your saved creation.
This two-pronged approach—adding custom meal slots and saving custom meals—provides the ultimate flexibility for personalized food tracking. Whether you're a bodybuilder eating six times a day or someone who simply has a unique meal routine, MyFitnessPal can be easily adapted to your needs.
Conclusion
Customizing MyFitnessPal to your specific dietary needs is both possible and highly recommended for improving tracking accuracy and long-term consistency. The app and website allow you to add up to two extra meals and rename all of your meal slots, moving beyond the default "Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Snacks" layout. By using these features in conjunction with the ability to save custom meals and recipes, you can create a food logging system that perfectly fits your lifestyle, saving time and increasing motivation. For detailed step-by-step guidance on creating and logging these custom entries, visit the MyFitnessPal Help Center for comprehensive tutorials. This level of personalization is a crucial step towards mastering your nutrition and achieving your fitness goals with greater ease.