Nutrition Diet: A Guide on How Do I Manually Enter Macros in MyFitnessPal?

According to user data, millions use MyFitnessPal to track their nutrition, but many require specific macronutrient targets for their diet plans. This comprehensive guide provides step-by-step instructions on how do I manually enter macros in MyFitnessPal?, detailing the process for adjusting daily goals and logging individual food items for accurate tracking.

Quick Summary

This article details the process for manually inputting macronutrient data into the MyFitnessPal application, covering methods for both setting custom goals and logging specific food items within the food diary.

Key Points

• Goal Setting by Percentage: Free MyFitnessPal users can manually adjust macro goals using percentage sliders, which must sum to 100% in 5% increments.

• Precision with Grams: Premium subscribers can manually set highly precise macronutrient goals by entering specific gram amounts for carbs, protein, and fat.

• Use Quick Add for Speed: The Quick Add feature, exclusive to premium members, allows for rapid manual entry of macronutrient totals for a single meal.

• Create Custom Foods: Both free and premium users can create custom food entries by manually inputting nutritional information from a label for future use.

• Navigating to Goals: To set or adjust your overall macro goals, go to the "More" tab and then select "Goals" from the menu.

• Logging in Your Diary: To add a custom food or use Quick Add, navigate to your daily food diary and select the appropriate meal.

Why Manually Entering Macros is Essential

For many on a customized nutrition plan, the default macro splits provided by apps like MyFitnessPal are not specific enough. Manually entering your macros ensures that your daily intake of carbohydrates, protein, and fat aligns perfectly with your dietary goals, whether for weight loss, muscle gain, or performance enhancement. This customization is particularly useful for those following an IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros) approach or a diet recommended by a nutritionist.

Manually Setting Your Daily Macro Goals

The method for setting your daily macronutrient targets differs slightly between the free and premium versions of MyFitnessPal. The free version requires you to adjust goals by percentages, while the premium version offers the added precision of setting goals by grams.

For Free Users (Adjusting by Percentage)

If you are using the free version, you can set your macro goals using a percentage-based wheel. The total of carbohydrates, protein, and fat must add up to 100% and can only be adjusted in 5% increments.

1. Navigate to Goals: From the Home screen, tap the "More" button (three dots or lines) in the bottom-right corner. Then, select "Goals".
2. Access Macro Settings: Scroll down to the "Nutrition Goals" section and tap "Calorie, Carbs, Protein & Fat Goals".
3. Enter Your Target Calories: Tap the "Calories" section to enter your custom daily calorie amount and save the change.
4. Adjust Macro Percentages: Below the calorie entry, you will see the three macronutrient categories. Tap on any of them to bring up the adjustment wheel. Drag the wheels for Carbohydrates, Protein, and Fat to match your desired percentages as closely as possible. Remember, the total must equal 100%.
5. Save Changes: Tap the checkmark in the top-right corner to save your new macro goals.

For Premium Users (Adjusting by Grams)

For those with MyFitnessPal Premium, you have greater control, allowing you to enter specific gram amounts for each macro.

1. Access Goals: Tap the "More" button, then select "Goals".
2. Edit Nutrition Goals: Select "Calorie, Carbs, Protein & Fat Goals".
3. Switch to Grams: Tap on one of the macro sections (Carbs, Protein, or Fat). At the top of the adjustment screen, switch the view from "Percentage" to "Grams".
4. Enter Your Gram Goals: Use the adjustment wheels or number pad to enter your specific gram amount for each macronutrient. MyFitnessPal will automatically calculate and adjust your total calorie goal.
5. Save Your Goals: Tap the checkmark to save your precise gram-based macro goals.

Manually Entering Macros for Individual Foods

If you have nutritional information for a specific food or meal that isn't in the MyFitnessPal database, you can enter its macros manually.

Using the Quick Add Feature (Premium Only)

This is the fastest way to log macros for a food without searching the database.

1. Go to Your Diary: Open your food diary for the current day.
2. Quick Add: Find the meal you want to add to (e.g., Lunch) and tap the three-dot menu icon next to it. Select "Quick Add" from the pop-up menu.
3. Enter Macro Data: On the Quick Add page, you can type in the values for carbs, fat, and protein directly. The app will calculate the total calories for you.
4. Save and Log: Tap the checkmark to add the entry to your food diary.

Creating a Custom Food (All Users)

If you frequently eat a particular item not in the database, creating a custom food entry is the most accurate option.

1. Access Custom Foods: Tap "More" > "Meals, Recipes & Foods" > "Foods". Then, select "Create a New Food".
2. Input Food Details: Enter the food's name, brand, and the nutritional information from the label. Setting the serving size to 1 gram is recommended for future accuracy.
3. Fill Out Nutrition Facts: Manually enter the grams of carbohydrates, protein, and fat. You can also include fiber and other micronutrients.
4. Save and Log: Save the food to your database. You can then log it from your diary by selecting "My Foods" when adding an item.

Free vs. Premium Macro Tracking

Feature	Free Version	Premium Version
Goal Setting	Adjusts macros by percentage only (in 5% increments), with a total of 100%.	Allows precise macro goal setting in grams, in addition to percentages.
Manual Entry (Quick Add)	Not available. Requires searching the database or creating custom food entries.	Available. Allows for quick logging of macro totals for a meal without searching.
Dashboard View	Macro display on the dashboard is typically blurred, and you must navigate to the Nutrition page to see a breakdown.	Macro goals are clearly visible on the dashboard for easy tracking.
Logging Custom Foods	Possible, but requires creating a detailed custom food entry to add to your diary.	Possible and can be used in conjunction with Quick Add for speed and flexibility.
Daily Goals Flexibility	Daily goals are fixed for the entire week.	Allows setting custom daily goals based on the day of the week, useful for training vs. rest days.

Conclusion

Effectively tracking your macronutrients in MyFitnessPal, whether through free or premium features, allows for highly personalized and accurate nutritional management. Free users can leverage percentage-based goals and create detailed custom foods for accuracy. Premium users, however, benefit from greater precision with gram-based goal setting and the convenience of the Quick Add feature. By following these steps, you can effectively take manual control of your macro tracking and better achieve your health and fitness objectives. For more information, consult the official MyFitnessPal Help Center.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I manually enter macros by grams for free?

No, the free version of MyFitnessPal only allows you to set your daily macro goals by adjusting percentages in 5% increments. Entering macros by specific grams is a feature reserved for premium subscribers.

Where is the Quick Add feature located in MyFitnessPal?

The Quick Add feature is found within your food diary. When logging a meal, tap the three-dot menu icon next to the meal and select "Quick Add" from the options that appear. This is a premium-only feature.

How do I create a custom food entry in MyFitnessPal?

To create a custom food, navigate to "More" > "Meals, Recipes & Foods" > "Foods." Tap "Create a New Food" and manually input the nutritional details from the food's label. You can then log this entry from your diary at any time.

How do I find my daily macro goals after setting them?

To view your macro goals for the day, go to your food diary and scroll to the bottom. Tap the "Nutrition" button. You can then view your progress in either a pie chart format (Macros) or a detailed gram breakdown (Nutrients).

Does manual macro entry update my calorie goal?

Yes. When you manually adjust your macro percentages in the free version, the calorie goal will automatically update based on the new distribution. In the premium version, entering your specific gram goals will also automatically set your calorie goal.

What is the difference between setting macro goals and creating a custom food?

Setting macro goals determines your overall daily targets for carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Creating a custom food is a way to manually enter the nutritional information for a specific, individual item that you can then log towards your daily totals.

Why won't MyFitnessPal let me save my macro percentages?

This happens if your macro percentages do not add up to exactly 100%. If the total is not 100%, the save button will be red, and the app will not allow you to save the new settings. You must adjust the percentages so they sum correctly.