Tracking carbohydrates, or 'carbs,' is a key part of many dietary strategies, from weight loss to muscle gain. MyFitnessPal, a popular and extensive nutrition and fitness app, offers powerful tools to help you stay on top of your carb intake. Whether you're using the free version or have upgraded to Premium, understanding how to utilize the app's features is essential. This article will walk you through the process, from setting your goals to logging your food and interpreting your daily nutritional data.
How to Set Your Carb Goals
Before you start logging, it's crucial to set your carb targets. The method for this varies slightly depending on whether you are a free or Premium user.
Setting Goals on the Free Version
If you're using the free version, your macronutrient goals are set by percentage, in 5% increments. The total for carbs, protein, and fat must add up to 100%.
Here's how to do it:
- From the app's main dashboard, tap the 'More' menu in the bottom right corner.
- Select 'Goals.'
- Tap on 'Calories, Carbs, Protein & Fat Goals'.
- On the next screen, you will see a percentage wheel. Tap on the blue percentage next to 'Carbohydrates' or any of the other macronutrients to adjust them.
- Drag the sliders to set your desired percentages for carbs, protein, and fat. Remember, if you increase one, the others will decrease to maintain a total of 100%.
- Tap the checkmark to save your new goals.
Setting Goals with MyFitnessPal Premium
With a Premium subscription, you gain greater control and can set your macro goals by exact gram amounts, not just percentages.
How to customize your goals with Premium:
- Follow the same steps as the free version to navigate to your macro goals screen.
- Instead of percentage sliders, you can tap on the gram amounts to input specific numbers.
- This allows for more precise tracking, especially useful for specific diets like keto.
How to Log Your Carbs
Logging food is the core of tracking your macros. MyFitnessPal provides several ways to do this efficiently.
Here are the main logging methods:
- Food Database Search: This is the most common method. Tap the big blue plus sign on your dashboard, select 'Food,' choose the meal, and search for your food item. The app's database contains over 11 million food items.
- Barcode Scanner: This feature allows you to scan the barcode of packaged foods for quick logging. While free users have access to a basic version, Premium unlocks full access.
- Quick Add: For when you only know the calorie count, you can quickly add a food entry. Premium users can also add macros to their quick entries.
- Custom Foods and Recipes: If you frequently eat home-cooked meals or items not found in the database, you can create and save your own custom foods and recipes for easy future logging.
Total Carbs vs. Net Carbs: What’s the Difference?
Understanding the difference between total carbs and net carbs is crucial for those following low-carb diets. While MyFitnessPal tracks total carbs by default, it offers a specific mode for net carbs for Premium users.
What are Total Carbs?
Total carbs include all the carbohydrates in a food: sugars, starches, and dietary fiber. This is the number you see listed on standard nutrition labels.
What are Net Carbs?
Net carbs are defined as the carbohydrates that are fully digestible and absorbed by the body. They are calculated by subtracting fiber and some sugar alcohols from the total carb count. Many low-carb dieters prefer this method because fiber has a minimal impact on blood sugar levels.
Comparison: Tracking Carbs - Free vs. Premium
| Feature | MyFitnessPal Free | MyFitnessPal Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Goal Setting | Percentage (5% increments) | Grams or percentage (1% increments) |
| Net Carb Tracking | No, shows total carbs only | Yes, activate 'Net Carbs Mode' |
| Dashboard View | Macro display is blurred | Clear, customizable macro dashboard |
| Macro Tracking by Meal | Not available | Yes, see macro breakdown per meal |
| Barcode Scanner | Limited functionality | Full functionality for faster logging |
How to Track Net Carbs (Premium Feature)
For those committed to a low-carb or keto diet, the Premium 'Net Carbs Mode' is a game-changer.
To enable this feature:
- Go to the 'More' menu and select 'Settings.'
- Tap on 'Diary Settings'.
- Toggle 'Track Net Carbs' on.
- Note: This feature is currently only available for iOS and Android users in the US and Canada.
How to Monitor Your Carb Progress
After logging your food throughout the day, checking your progress is simple.
Checking Your Diary
- From the Diary screen, you can see a summary of your calories. Swipe right on the summary bar at the top or tap the 'Nutrition' button at the bottom of the page.
- Here, you'll see a pie chart showing your macronutrient breakdown and a table with grams of carbs, protein, and fat.
Using the Premium Dashboard
Premium users can also set their dashboard to show a 'Macronutrient Focus,' displaying the carbs, protein, and fat totals directly on the main screen.
Conclusion
Tracking carbs on MyFitnessPal can be as simple or as detailed as you need it to be. The free version provides a solid foundation for setting percentage-based goals and monitoring total carbohydrates. For users on more specialized diets, the Premium features offer the precision of gram-based goal setting and the convenience of automatic net carb calculations. By following these steps, you can harness MyFitnessPal to gain a deeper understanding of your nutritional intake, making it an invaluable tool for achieving your health and fitness goals. For more on optimizing your macros, refer to the Essential Guide to Macros - MyFitnessPal Blog.
