Step-by-Step Guide to Copying Your Whole Day
Manually logging your food can be a hurdle for many people, especially when repeating similar meals. The "copy day" feature in MyFitnessPal is a powerful tool for consistency and efficiency, helping you save time while staying on track with your nutritional goals. While the exact user interface may differ slightly between platforms, the fundamental process is the same. This guide will walk you through the steps for both the mobile app (iOS and Android) and the MyFitnessPal website.
Copying a Whole Day Using the MyFitnessPal Mobile App
The mobile app offers a streamlined process for duplicating your food diary. Whether you use an iPhone or Android, the steps are nearly identical.
- Navigate to Your Diary: Open the MyFitnessPal app and go to the "Diary" tab.
- Select the Day to Copy: Use the calendar feature at the top of the screen to find the specific day you want to copy. For example, if you want to copy Monday's food to Tuesday, go back to Monday's diary.
- Initiate the Edit Function: At the top right of the diary screen, tap the "Edit" or pencil icon. This will switch the diary into edit mode and add checkboxes next to each food entry.
- Select All Items: A "Select All" option will appear at the top of your diary. Tap this to automatically select every food item and exercise entry for that day.
- Optional: Deselect Items: If you want to leave out a specific food or exercise, simply tap the checkbox next to that item to deselect it.
- Copy the Entries: Look for the "Copy" icon, which often looks like two overlapping calendar pages or a square with two pages. Tap this icon.
- Choose the Target Date: A calendar will pop up, allowing you to select the date you want to paste the entries to. Select the desired day, and the items will be copied.
Copying a Whole Day Using the MyFitnessPal Website
For users who prefer to manage their nutrition on a computer, the website provides a similar function, though with slightly different navigation.
- Go to the Diary: Log into the MyFitnessPal website and click on the "Food" tab, which will take you to your diary.
- Navigate to the Source Day: Use the arrows above your diary to go back to the date you want to copy.
- Use the Quick Tools Menu: On the right side of the diary, below your calorie total, you will see a section with "Quick Tools." Click on "Copy to a Date".
- Select All Meals: A window will appear that allows you to choose which meals to copy. To copy the entire day, check the boxes for each meal (e.g., Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and any snacks).
- Choose the Destination: Select the target date from the calendar. The selected meals will be copied to that day.
Comparison of Copying Methods
| Feature | Mobile App Method | Website Method |
|---|---|---|
| Initiating Copy | Tap the "Edit" icon or pencil at the top of the diary. | Click "Quick Tools" below your diary's daily total. |
| Selecting All Items | Tap the "Select All" button that appears at the top. | Requires manually checking the boxes for each individual meal. |
| Selecting Target Date | A calendar popup appears after tapping the copy icon. | A calendar window appears after clicking "Copy to a Date." |
| Item Granularity | Allows individual item selection or a quick "Select All" for the whole day. | Copies entire meals at a time, not individual items within a meal. |
| Efficiency | Highly efficient for copying the full day with a single tap. | Slightly less efficient for a full day, but good for individual meals. |
Advanced Tips and Considerations
- Save Frequently Eaten Meals: Instead of copying an entire day, you can save specific meals that you eat often. After logging a meal, tap the three dots or options button and choose "Save as Meal." This saves the meal for future, one-tap logging.
- Premium Feature: Multi-Day Logging: For MyFitnessPal Premium users, a multi-day logging feature is available. This allows you to add a single food item to multiple days at once, which is useful for repeating items like daily supplements or snacks.
- Adjusting Copied Entries: After copying a day, you can still edit the entries on the new date. This is useful for making small adjustments, such as adding or removing an item, without having to start from scratch. Tap the entry and adjust the serving size or delete it with a swipe.
- Understand Platform Differences: Always be aware that the user interface may differ slightly depending on your device's operating system (iOS vs. Android) or if you are using the website. Refer to MyFitnessPal's official support pages for the latest visuals and button placements.
Conclusion
Copying a whole day in MyFitnessPal is a simple yet powerful feature that can drastically reduce the time you spend on logging your food. By following the steps for either the mobile app or the website, you can ensure your food diary stays up-to-date with minimal effort. Consistent logging is a cornerstone of successful health tracking, and using these built-in shortcuts will make the habit much more sustainable over the long term. Start utilizing these features to simplify your routine and focus more on your health goals rather than the logging process. For more official information and support, you can visit the MyFitnessPal Help Center.
Note: The Premium feature for multi-day logging is an added benefit for paid subscribers, but the core "copy day" functionality is available to all users on the mobile app, making it accessible for everyone looking to save time.
