How do I manually add calories to MyFitnessPal?

December 24, 2025 •

3 min read

Food diaries can increase the chances of reaching health goals. Learning how to manually add calories to MyFitnessPal is essential for accurate tracking when barcode scanning is not possible.

Quick Summary

This guide covers how to manually add calories in MyFitnessPal, including using the 'Quick Add' feature for food, creating a custom food entry, and logging exercise calories.

Key Points

Quick Add Feature: Enter calorie totals for food items using the 'Quick Add' option in your meal diary.
Manual Exercise Entry: Log calories from exercise by creating a custom cardio entry and manually entering the calorie count.
Create Custom Foods: Make a custom food entry with detailed nutritional info for accurate tracking.
Access Quick Add: Find the 'Quick Add' button by tapping 'Add Food' and swiping left on the menu bar, or by tapping the three gray dots next to a meal.
Overriding Exercise Calories: Override MyFitnessPal's exercise calculation by inputting a duration and the desired calorie total for a custom cardio exercise.
Barcode Scanner: Manual entry is a free alternative if the barcode scanner is not available or desired.

Using the Quick Add Feature for Food

The 'Quick Add' feature is the fastest way to log your intake when you know the exact calorie count of a meal or food. This is useful for restaurant meals or pre-portioned foods with clear labels.

Step-by-Step Guide for Mobile App (iOS/Android)

Open your Diary: Access your food diary for the current day.
Select a Meal: Tap 'Add Food' under the meal (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks).
Find the Quick Add Option: Swipe left on the action buttons to see the 'Quick Add' option. Alternatively, tap the three gray dots next to any meal header to bring up the menu that includes 'Quick Add'.
Enter Calories: Input the total calories on the 'Quick Add' screen. You can also log macronutrient information (carbs, fat, protein) if you are a Premium user.
Save the Entry: Tap the checkmark or 'Add to Diary'. The calories will be added to your selected meal.

Creating and Logging a Custom Food

Create a custom food entry for homemade recipes or dishes not in the MyFitnessPal database. This saves you from repeatedly using Quick Add for the same item.

How to Create a Custom Food

Start the Process: Tap 'Add Food' for a meal in your diary. Look for 'Create Food' or 'Add a Food' in the menu instead of searching.
Input Nutritional Details: Enter the food name, portion size, and nutritional information, including calories, protein, carbs, and fat. Have the recipe or nutrition label ready.
Save for Future Use: The custom food will be available in your personal database for easy logging.

Manually Logging Exercise Calories

Manually log exercise to add calories burned to your daily total, even when MyFitnessPal syncs with fitness trackers. This is common if you are using an external monitor or if a sync fails.

Step-by-Step for Manual Exercise Entry

Go to Exercise Section: Find the 'Exercise' section in your diary and tap 'Add Exercise'.
Choose Cardio: The manual override option is typically available under the 'Cardio' section, as it's the category where MyFitnessPal tracks calories burned.
Select or Create an Exercise: Choose an exercise or create a new custom exercise. Naming a custom exercise something generic like 'Correction' can be helpful.
Override Calories Burned: Input the calories burned manually. If your tracker says you burned 400 calories, input that amount. Some users input a short duration (e.g., 1 minute) with the desired calorie value.
Confirm Entry: Save the entry, and the calories burned will be added to your daily diary, increasing your net calorie goal for the day.

When to Manually Log vs. Use Search


Feature	Best For	Pros	Cons
Quick Add	When you know the exact calories for a single meal or item. Restaurant meals, pre-packaged snacks with nutrition info.	Very fast, simple, and avoids searching for food. Premium users can also add macros.	Less detailed nutritional data (free version). Can be inaccurate if calorie count is estimated.
Custom Food	Frequent meals, complex recipes, or homemade items not found in the database.	Highly accurate and repeatable. Saves time on future logs.	Takes more time upfront to calculate and input data. Requires a reliable source for nutrition info.
Barcode Scanner	Pre-packaged goods with clear, scannable codes.	Extremely fast and reliable for packaged foods.	Requires Premium subscription. Not useful for fresh foods or restaurant meals.
Manual Exercise	When using a third-party tracker or overriding MyFitnessPal's calculation.	Allows for precise calorie logging from external devices.	Requires an external source for accurate calorie estimates (e.g., a fitness watch).

Conclusion

Manually adding calories in MyFitnessPal offers flexibility, especially when standard methods are unsuitable. You can maintain a complete and accurate log by using the 'Quick Add' function and manual exercise entry. Consistent tracking helps make informed decisions and stay on track with your nutrition plan.

Visit the MyFitnessPal Help Center for additional tips and feature explanations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Go to your 'Diary', tap 'Add Food' under a meal, and swipe left on the menu bar below the search field to find the 'Quick Add' button. You can also tap the three gray dots next to a meal header.

Yes, manually add exercise calories in your diary by tapping 'Add Exercise', choosing 'Cardio', and either selecting or creating an exercise. You can then override the calories burned.

Yes, 'Quick Add' is available for all users. However, only premium users can use it to enter macronutrient details.

Tap 'Add Food' in your diary, then look for the option to 'Create a New Food'. You can enter nutritional information, including calories.

Manual entry is useful for restaurant meals, homemade recipes, or when you know the nutritional information directly.

No, manual calorie logging is available to all users. Premium features allow you to enter macronutrient details with Quick Add.

Yes, you can edit most logged food entries. Tap on the food item in your diary, and you will see an option to edit the serving size or other details, which will automatically adjust the calorie count accordingly.