Can You Manually Put in Calories on MyFitnessPal?

According to MyFitnessPal's own support, users can use the "Quick Add" calories function to enter a caloric value directly into their food diary without needing to search for specific items. This feature is essential for people who know the calorie count of a meal and want to log it quickly and efficiently. By understanding how to manually put in calories on MyFitnessPal, you can ensure your daily tracking remains accurate, even for foods not found in the database.

Quick Summary

This article explains the various methods for manually logging calories in MyFitnessPal, including using the Quick Add feature for single entries, creating custom foods for repeat use, and adjusting exercise calories. It provides step-by-step instructions for both the mobile app and website interfaces.

Key Points

• Quick Add: Use the Quick Add feature on the MyFitnessPal mobile app or website to log a specific calorie number for a single meal entry.

• Custom Foods: For frequently eaten meals, create a custom food entry in the "My Foods" section to save a recipe with complete nutritional information for future use.

• Override Exercise Calories: Manually adjust the estimated calories burned during an exercise session by tapping the calorie field and entering a specific value.

• Free vs. Premium: Free users can use Quick Add for calories, while Premium users have the option to manually enter macronutrients as well.

• Diary Flexibility: These manual input options allow users to maintain accurate logs for homemade meals, restaurant dishes, or generic foods not found in the standard database.

How to Manually Add Calories with Quick Add

The most straightforward way to manually input a calorie total for a meal is by using the Quick Add function. This method is perfect for situations where you already know the precise caloric intake, such as from a food label or restaurant menu, and don't need to log individual ingredients.

Using Quick Add on the Mobile App

1. Open the MyFitnessPal app and navigate to your Diary.
2. Tap the "+" button to add a food entry for the appropriate meal (e.g., Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner).
3. At the bottom of the food search screen, you may need to swipe the action buttons to the left to find and tap the "Quick Add" option. Alternatively, you can tap the three gray dots next to the meal name to find the option.
4. Enter the number of calories and tap the checkmark or "Add" button to log the entry.

Using Quick Add on the Website

1. Log in to the MyFitnessPal website.
2. Go to your Food Diary by clicking "My Home," then "Food."
3. Under the desired meal entry, find and click the "Quick Tools" link.
4. Select "Quick Add Calories" from the menu that appears.
5. Input the calorie amount and click "Add to Diary."

Creating a Custom Food for Reusable Entries

For meals or recipes you eat frequently that aren't in the database, creating a custom food entry is a more efficient long-term solution. This allows you to add detailed nutritional information once and log it quickly in the future.

How to Create a Custom Food

1. Navigate to the "My Foods, Recipes & Meals" section from the app's "More" menu or the website's "My Home" tab.
2. Choose the "Foods" tab and select "Create a new food."
3. Enter the name of the food, the number of servings, and the complete nutritional information, including calories and macros.
4. Save the custom food. It will now appear in your "My Foods" list and can be searched for and added to your diary just like a standard database item.

Comparison: Quick Add vs. Custom Food

Feature	Quick Add	Custom Food
Ease of Use	Extremely fast for one-time entries.	Requires initial setup but faster for repeat logging.
Detail	Only logs calories (and macros for Premium users).	Allows logging of full nutritional details (calories, macros, micronutrients).
Reusability	None. Each entry is a single use.	Fully reusable and saves time for frequently eaten items.
Best For	Quickly logging meals with a known calorie total, like a restaurant meal or a generic snack.	Homemade recipes, unique brand-name items, or any food you plan to log regularly.
Macro Tracking	Basic calorie entry for free users. Premium users can manually enter macros.	Logs comprehensive macros and micronutrients for all users.

Manually Adjusting Exercise Calories

MyFitnessPal's exercise logging can sometimes overestimate or underestimate calories burned. For more accurate tracking, particularly if you have a known burn from another tracker, you can manually override the calculated value.

1. Log your exercise as you normally would under the "Exercise" section of your Diary.
2. After the estimated calories burned appear, tap or double-tap on the calorie field.
3. Enter the correct, known calorie count you want to record for that exercise session.
4. The system will adjust your remaining calorie budget accordingly.

Conclusion

In conclusion, MyFitnessPal offers multiple ways to manually input your calorie data, giving users complete control over their nutrition logging. The Quick Add feature provides a fast and simple method for single, known calorie counts, while creating custom food entries is the best long-term strategy for tracking personal recipes or unique items. By utilizing these tools effectively, you can ensure the highest level of accuracy and personalization in your calorie tracking journey. This flexibility empowers users to stick with their fitness goals, regardless of their unique dietary needs or logging preferences.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I use Quick Add to manually enter calories?

To use Quick Add on the MyFitnessPal mobile app, go to your Diary, tap the 'Add Food' button for the desired meal, and then tap 'Quick Add' at the bottom of the screen. Enter the total calories and save.

Can you manually add macronutrients with Quick Add?

Yes, but only if you have a MyFitnessPal Premium subscription. Free users can only input the total calorie count using Quick Add, while Premium users can enter macros like protein, fat, and carbs.

What is the difference between Quick Add and creating a Custom Food?

Quick Add is for one-time, single entries where you only have the total calorie count. Creating a Custom Food is for saving a reusable recipe with full nutritional details (calories, macros, etc.) that you plan to eat again.

How do I create a custom food on the MyFitnessPal app?

Go to the "More" menu, select "My Meals, Recipes & Foods," and then the "Foods" tab. Tap the "+" icon to begin creating a new food and enter its nutritional information.

Can I manually change my daily calorie goal?

Yes. From the "More" menu, navigate to "Goals." Under "Nutrition Goals," you can select "Calorie, Carbs, Protein & Fat Goals" to manually enter a new daily calorie target.

Is it possible to override exercise calories?

Yes. When logging a cardio exercise, double-tapping the automatically calculated calorie field allows you to manually type in a new value, such as a more accurate number from a separate fitness tracker.

What if I need to log a food that isn't in the database?

If a barcode scan or search doesn't yield results, you will be prompted to create a new food entry yourself. This allows you to add its nutritional details for both your personal use and the public database.