Understanding MyFitnessPal's Automatic Calorie Adjustments
MyFitnessPal's automatic calorie adjustment feature is designed to help users maintain a consistent net calorie target, which is the difference between calories consumed and calories burned through exercise. The app estimates your total daily energy expenditure based on your age, height, weight, and activity level. When you connect a wearable fitness tracker (like a Fitbit or Garmin), the app compares its own estimate to the data from your device.
If your tracker reports a higher calorie burn than MyFitnessPal’s initial estimate for the day, the app adds a positive calorie adjustment, effectively increasing your daily calorie budget. For example, if your daily goal is 1,800 calories and you earn a +200 calorie adjustment from a long walk, your new target becomes 2,000 calories. While this sounds helpful, many people find the feature counterproductive because fitness trackers often overestimate calories burned. This can lead to inadvertently overeating and stalling weight loss progress.
If your tracker indicates you've been less active than MyFitnessPal's estimate, the app may apply a negative adjustment. This feature is off by default and can be enabled via the MyFitnessPal website. Whether the adjustment is positive or negative, many people prefer a static, predictable calorie target. Thankfully, several methods exist to regain control over your nutrition plan.
How to Stop MyFitnessPal From Adjusting Calories
Method 1: Turn Off Exercise Calories (For the App)
This is the most common and effective method for preventing MyFitnessPal from automatically adding calories to your daily target based on logged exercise or synced activity.
- Open the MyFitnessPal app on your mobile device.
- Tap the "More" button, typically located in the bottom-right corner.
- Navigate to the "Goals" menu.
- Scroll to the very bottom of the Goals page.
- Tap on the "Exercise Calories" option.
- Toggle the switch to the off position,.
With this setting disabled, any exercise you log will no longer result in additional calories being added to your daily goal. You can still manually log your exercise for your own records, but it will not impact your daily calorie budget.
Method 2: Disconnect Third-Party Fitness Trackers
If you have a fitness tracker (like a Fitbit, Garmin, or Apple Watch) synced with MyFitnessPal, it could be the source of your unwanted calorie adjustments. To stop this, you must disconnect the devices.
- Open the MyFitnessPal app.
- Tap "More" and go to the "Apps & Devices" section.
- Find the device you want to disconnect (e.g., Garmin, Fitbit) and tap on it.
- Select the option to disconnect or unlink the app.
It's also a good practice to check the settings within your fitness tracker's own app (e.g., Garmin Connect) and revoke MyFitnessPal's permissions there as well. This ensures the connection is completely severed.
Method 3: Disable Negative Calorie Adjustments (Web Version)
While MyFitnessPal typically only adds calories, it can also deduct them if your activity level is lower than its baseline estimate, provided you've enabled this setting. This option can only be changed on the website, not in the app.
- Log in to your account on the MyFitnessPal website at
myfitnesspal.com. - Click "My Home" and then "Settings" at the top of the page.
- Select "Diary Settings".
- Uncheck the box next to "Enable Negative Adjustments".
- Click "Save Changes".
Method 4: Manually Set a Custom Calorie Goal
For Premium users seeking the most precise control, you can override the app's recommendations and set a specific, fixed calorie target. This is useful for those following a specific meal plan or who have calculated their own targets.
- Tap "More" and go to "Goals."
- Tap on "Calories, Carbs, Protein and Fat Goals".
- Enter your desired calorie number manually.
- Adjust your macronutrient percentages if desired (ensuring they total 100%).
- Save your changes to set your custom, fixed goal.
Pros and Cons of Disabling Calorie Adjustments
Deciding whether to disable automatic calorie adjustments depends on your personal goals and preferences. Here's a comparison to help you decide:
| Aspect | Disabling Adjustments (Pros) | Allowing Adjustments (Cons) |
|---|---|---|
| Accuracy | Gives you a more predictable, fixed target based on your own calculations, reducing errors from overestimated exercise burns. | Relies on potentially inaccurate fitness tracker data, which can lead to overeating and hinder progress. |
| Consistency | Maintains a consistent daily calorie goal, simplifying planning and sticking to a routine. | Fluctuating calorie targets can be mentally challenging and create uncertainty in your diet plan. |
| Mindset | Promotes the idea that your diet, not exercise, is the primary driver of weight loss, fostering a healthier relationship with food and movement. | Can lead to a compensatory mindset, where you feel the need to "eat back" calories burned, potentially erasing your deficit. |
| Simplicity | Reduces complexity by eliminating a variable element from your daily tracking. | Requires constant monitoring of exercise adjustments, adding an extra layer of complexity to your tracking routine. |
Strategic Alternatives for Managing Exercise Calories
If you're hesitant to completely disable calorie tracking for exercise, consider these alternative strategies to stay on track:
- Ignore "Earned" Calories: Simply choose not to eat back the exercise calories the app adds. Treat your base calorie goal as your firm target, and view the "bonus" calories as an extra buffer.
- Manual Entry with Conservative Estimates: Instead of syncing a device, manually log your exercise but use a more conservative estimate for the calories burned. For instance, if the app suggests a 300-calorie burn for a workout, manually enter only 150-200 calories.
- Don't Log Low-Intensity Activity: For routine activities like walking or light chores, consider them part of your baseline daily activity level and don't log them separately. This prevents small, potentially overestimated adjustments from accumulating throughout the day.
- Focus on Diet First: Adopt the mindset that your diet creates the calorie deficit for weight loss, and exercise is primarily for fitness, strength, and health benefits. By relying on your nutrition for deficit, you avoid the risks associated with tracking exercise calories.
In conclusion, MyFitnessPal offers various options to control how your calorie goals are managed. By following the steps to turn off exercise calorie adjustments or disconnecting synced devices, you can gain greater precision and consistency in your tracking. This helps eliminate the guesswork associated with automated adjustments and provides a more reliable path to achieving your nutrition and weight management goals.
Conclusion
Controlling how MyFitnessPal manages your daily calorie goal is a key step towards more precise and consistent nutritional tracking. By turning off the automatic Exercise Calories setting or disconnecting third-party fitness devices, you can prevent unwanted adjustments that may stall your progress,. Furthermore, for those who want absolute control, setting a custom calorie goal or disabling negative adjustments offers a more tailored experience. Ultimately, finding the right strategy—whether it's disabling adjustments entirely or simply choosing not to eat back those earned calories—is essential for fostering a healthy and sustainable approach to diet and fitness. Taking manual control ensures your focus remains on your core nutritional plan rather than relying on potentially inaccurate automated calculations.
Check out the official MyFitnessPal Help Center for additional support.
