For many users, MyFitnessPal's default setting of adding calories burned from exercise can be counterproductive to their weight loss goals. The assumption is that you can 'eat back' the calories you burned, but this can often lead to stalled progress due to overestimation of calories burned or simply a desire to maintain a stricter deficit. By adjusting a few key settings, you can prevent the app from automatically increasing your daily calorie budget.
Disabling the 'Exercise Calories' Setting on Mobile
This is the most direct method for preventing MyFitnessPal from automatically adjusting your calorie goals for exercise, and it works for both iOS and Android apps.
- Open the App: Launch the MyFitnessPal application on your smartphone.
- Navigate to Goals: Tap the 'More' button located in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
- Find the Goals Section: In the menu that appears, tap on 'Goals'.
- Turn Off Exercise Calories: Scroll down to the very bottom of the goals page. You will see a setting labeled 'Exercise Calories' or 'Burned Calories'. Tap on this or toggle the switch to turn it off. This prevents the app from telling you to eat back calories burned during exercise, thereby maintaining your initial daily calorie target.
Stopping Automatic Calorie Adjustments from Connected Devices
Another major cause of added calories is the syncing of data from third-party apps and devices, such as Fitbit, Garmin, or Apple Health. These integrations often report your total daily calorie burn, which MyFitnessPal then uses to make a 'calorie adjustment'.
Method 1: Disconnect the Device
For the most reliable method of stopping all adjustments, you can simply disconnect the device entirely. On mobile, navigate to the 'More' menu, then 'Apps & Devices'. Find the connected fitness tracker and select 'Disconnect'. This completely stops any data transfer between the apps.
Method 2: Adjust Settings for Syncing
If you still want to track some metrics but not have them affect your calorie budget, you can adjust your privacy settings on your phone or within the app's integration settings. For iPhone users, you can go into 'Settings' > 'Privacy & Security' > 'Health' and turn off MyFitnessPal's ability to read your 'Activity' data.
Dealing with MyFitnessPal's Initial Activity Level
When you first set up your account, MyFitnessPal asks for your activity level. This choice creates a baseline calorie burn estimate. If you set it too high, any exercise data synced from a device might show a negative adjustment if your activity is lower than the app's initial assumption. To avoid this, it's best to set your activity level conservatively.
- For most users: Set your activity level to 'Sedentary' or 'Lightly Active'. This ensures MyFitnessPal provides a lower, more realistic calorie goal, and any additional logged activity will be an actual 'bonus' rather than just making up for an inflated initial estimate.
- Resetting your level: If you already have an active account, you can change this by going to 'More' > 'Goals' > 'Activity Level'. Adjust your setting and save the changes.
Understanding Negative Calorie Adjustments
When an integrated fitness tracker is synced, MyFitnessPal compares the tracker's total reported calorie burn with its own estimate for your basal metabolic rate (BMR) plus your activity level. If the tracker reports a lower total than MFP's estimate, you can get a negative calorie adjustment, which lowers your daily calorie allowance.
To enable or disable negative calorie adjustments, you need to use the MyFitnessPal website, as the option is not available in the mobile app.
- Log in to the Website: Go to www.myfitnesspal.com on your computer and sign in.
- Go to Settings: Click 'My Home' > 'Settings' > 'Diary Settings'.
- Manage Adjustments: Check or uncheck the box for 'Enable Negative Adjustments'. Check this box to allow MFP to deduct calories if your tracker reports a lower burn than anticipated. Uncheck it to prevent this.
Comparison of Methods
| Method | Best For | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turn off 'Exercise Calories' | Most users who manually log workouts or want a simple fix. | Quickest and easiest method directly in the mobile app. Prevents any exercise calories from being added back. | Does not address potential issues with third-party syncs if not also handled. |
| Disconnect Device | Users who want to completely stop sync adjustments from a specific tracker. | Provides a clean break from third-party data. Stops both positive and negative adjustments. | Cannot track steps or other data points in MFP from that device. Must be done for each device. |
| Set 'Activity Level' to Sedentary | Users who rely on a fitness tracker and want accurate adjustments based on actual activity. | Most accurate method for true adjustments. Reduces risk of overeating based on inflated calorie estimates. | Requires understanding of how MFP calculates its estimates. May still see minor, more accurate, adjustments. |
| Disable 'Negative Adjustments' | Users who want a safety net against losing calories on sedentary days while using a tracker. | Prevents your calorie goal from dropping on low-activity days. | May lead to slight overconsumption on low-activity days. Only available on the website. |
How to Stop MyFitnessPal From Adding Calories: The Final Takeaway
For most users focused on weight loss, the most effective strategy is a combination of adjustments. First, use the mobile app to turn off the 'Exercise Calories' toggle under 'Goals'. Second, set your baseline activity level to 'Sedentary' or 'Lightly Active' to ensure MyFitnessPal's initial estimate is conservative. Finally, review your connected devices and either disconnect them or manage permissions to ensure no other app is pushing unexpected calorie data into your diary. These changes will give you full control over your calorie budget and provide a clearer picture of your intake and expenditure.
Conclusion
Stopping MyFitnessPal from adding calories is a straightforward process once you understand the different mechanisms at play, from manual entries to integrated fitness trackers. By implementing the steps outlined in this guide—including toggling the exercise calories setting, managing device syncs, and correctly setting your activity level—you can take control of your daily calorie targets. This empowers you to maintain a consistent calorie deficit and achieve your weight management goals more effectively without the confusion of fluctuating daily allowances. For further support, consulting official MyFitnessPal documentation or customer service is always an option.
