Calorie tracking apps streamline the process of keeping tabs on what you eat and how active you are. They may also provide information about your lifestyle choices, nutritional quality, meal timing, and how often you fulfill your daily objectives.
Furthermore, these applications replace the old-fashioned paper-and-pencil way of tracking calories, which may be more challenging to keep up with.
The top calorie tracking apps include large food databases, barcode scanning, calorie, and nutrient monitoring features, recipe ideas, and meal planners. Some applications are entirely free to download and use.
Still, others need a paid membership to get access to premium features. There are a lot of food and fitness apps out there that let you record and keep track of your activities, but this is not a must for a calorie counter app. Here are the top 5 calorie-tracking apps to help you keep track of your diet.
5 Best Calorie Tracking Apps:
Lifesum:
Lifesum is also one of our favorite top diet apps due to its versatility, simplicity of use, connected platforms, and motivating features. You will not only enjoy an easy and fast method to count calories with Lifesum, but you will also know how to eat better, plan meals, understand the nutritional content of various foods, and much more.
If you’re just started, the app offers a three-week Kickstarter weight reduction program for as low as $4.17, which includes pre-planned meals, simple five-ingredient recipes, shopping lists, and assistance. You may then continue with another Lifesum plan or return to the free version and manually count calories and monitor nutrients.
The calorie counter function of Lifesum contains an outstanding food database and a barcode scanner for convenient entry. Lifesum also supports macronutrients and net carb monitoring, which may help you count calories on a keto diet. Lifesum provides daily updates and a Life ScoreTM regardless of what you monitor, so you always know how you’re doing.
Pros:
- Integrates calorie tracking and healthy eating
- Includes a barcode scanner and image recognition software.
- Record and monitor calories, macronutrients, water, and activity.
- Rating of daily meals based on objectives
Cons:
- Premium services such as meal planning need a paid membership.
MyFitnessPal:
MyFitnessPal is now one of the most popular calorie trackers. It monitors your weight and estimates your daily calorie consumption. You may also keep track of your meals and workouts with this.
The home page shows you how many calories you’ve consumed throughout the day. It also displays your remaining recommended intake and the number of calories you’ve burnt by exercising.
If you have a fitness monitoring gadget, MyFitnessPal will most likely be able to connect with it and put its data in the workout log.
The software keeps track of your progress toward your objectives and provides conversation forums with other users. Conversations, recipes, suggestions, and personal success stories may all be present in the media.
The nutrition database on MyFitnessPal is extensive, including over 11 million items. You may also get recipes from the internet or make your foods and dishes.
The app even remembers your favorite meals for easy tracking. Furthermore, MyFitnessPal’s barcode scanner lets you rapidly input nutritional information of certain packaged goods.
Each day is shown as a pie chart, with your carbohydrate, protein, and fat intake broken out. You may also keep a note for each day, noting how things went or how you felt.
MyFitnessPal has a free version. Some of its features, however, such as meal prep and recipes, macronutrient counters, and guided workouts, are only available in the premium edition.
Pros:
- The most extensive database accessible in a diet tracker
- Contains several restaurant meals
- Downloadable recipes with calorie counts
- “Fast add” calories when you don’t have time to record a meal
Cons:
- Multiple listings for the same product may exist.
Lose It!:’
It is difficult to argue against a cumulative weight reduction of more than 112 million pounds, which is the amount that Lose It! According to the website, Lose It! create a customized calorie budget based on your height, weight, age, and gender.
The app syncs with your gadgets, such as your iPhone’s health data, Fitbit, or other monitors. You may also engage with numerous groups and networks to maintain accountability and motivation.
Upgrade to the Premium edition for $39.99 a year for further options such as designing wellness challenges, forming private support groups, and getting a daily or weekly report of your progress.
Pros:
- An easy-to-use interface
- The starter edition is available at no cost.
- An extensive food database as well as restaurant items
- Contains a barcode scanner
Cons:
- Promotes daily weigh-ins
MyNetDiary:
If you want to do more than count calories, MyNetDiary can monitor all of your nutrients relevant to any diet. MyNetDiary is more than just a simple calorie tracker; it also lets you focus on a specific diet plan, like macros, paleo, or Keto.
First, you establish your goals and strategy by answering a few questions that MyNetDiary will use to calculate your daily calorie allowance. You may also choose your preferred weekly weight loss pace, macronutrient consumption, and weight loss finish date. Then, via the app, begin recording food.
In addition to solid calorie counting tools, MyNetDiary has excellent connectivity: you can link the software to Fitbit, Apple Watch, Withings, Garmin, Google Fit, and Samsung devices.
Pros:
- Log and easily monitor calories, meals, exercise, and nutrients.
- Contains a barcode scanner
- Select a nutrition emphasis such as Keto, vegan, or macros.
- Weekly goal tracker
- Compatible with Apple Watch, Garmin, Google Fit, Samsung, Fitbit, and Withings devices.
Cons:
- Limited recreational opportunities
- Weight reduction requires a focus on meal monitoring.
FatSecret:
FatSecret is an entirely free calorie counter. A meal diary, a nutrition database, healthy recipes, an activity log, a weight chart, and a journal are all included.
A barcode scanner aids in the tracking of packaged meals. The main page displays overall calorie consumption and carb, protein, and fat breakdowns for the day and each meal.
FatSecret provides a monthly summary view that displays daily calories eaten and monthly averages. This function may help keep track of your overall development.
This calorie tracker is simple to use. The app also contains a chat group where users can share their success stories and get advice, recipes, and other resources.
FatSecret has a ” challenges ” feature that allows users to establish or engage in dietary challenges with a small group of individuals. The website contains helpful information, ideas, and articles on various subjects.
Pros:
- A supermarket and restaurant food database
- Foods reported by users are highlighted so customers may validate veracity.
- Provides net carbs for low-carb dieters
Cons:
- The UI is crowded and unclear.
3 Things To Know Before Using A Calorie Tracking App:
Before you go into the world of calorie monitoring applications, there are a few things you should be aware of.
It Might Not Work For You:
We don’t say this to discourage you from pursuing your health objectives but rather to be realistic. Apps for calorie counting are not for everyone. Because although recording your meals and nutrition on your phone might be a convenient method to check your daily consumption, it can also become a hassle for many individuals.
If you recognize yourself here, you shouldn’t feel bad about it. It’s not possible to make everyone happy all the time. Instead, think of an alternate strategy for accomplishing your goals.
Such as increasing one’s protein intake at each meal, filling half one’s plate with greens, and drinking more water daily. There is no one best method for health, so choose one that works for you.
Your Calories Will Need To Adjust Over Time:
Some calorie counting applications allow you to enter your weight. It is beneficial if you’re attempting to maintain a calorie deficit since the number of calories you’re aiming for varies when your body weight fluctuates.
You may use the app to figure out how many calories you should consume daily, or you can return to the top of the page and utilize the calorie shortage calculator again.
Calories Aren’t The Whole Story:
Finally, but not least, the majority of your calories should come from nutrient-dense whole food sources. Yes, protein smoothies and protein bars may help you reach your objectives, but they should not form the basis of your diet.
In reality, your primary emphasis should be on eating things that make you feel good and energize your life rather than eating foods that fit inside your daily calorie restriction. It may rapidly lead to vitamin deficits and make you feel tired.
Conclusion:
Calorie tracking apps may help you lose weight, adjust your eating habits, or monitor your macros. Although most applications have options for recording and monitoring meals (and calories), some specialize in keeping things simple and efficient. All of the applications we examined include a free version, but access to premium features requires a paid membership.
The free version of Lose It! and FatSecret are often sufficient for most people. If simple access and rapid monitoring are high priorities, choose MyNetDiary, which specializes in calorie tracking. If you want to improve your eating habits while still calculating calories, use Lifesum, our overall recommendation for the best calorie tracker app.
