Navigating Macros – How to track accurately
MyFitnessPal is one of the best calorie-counting apps on the market. It connects you to a large database of foods so that you can easily look up what you eat and record it in the app. The information that it produces is only as accurate as the information that you enter so it is important to track accurately.
Here are our JCN tips for accurate tracking!
Barcodes/ Verified Food
Where possible scan barcodes, this will give you the exact information on the packet. Alternatively, used verified foods. When you come across items with the green check in your search results, this indicates that the item is a Verified Food by MyFitnessPal. This means it has been crosschecked and is likely the most accurate option from the search results.
Raw versus cooked when measuring
It is important not to get caught out with raw and cooked weights/numbers. Where possible always weigh and track raw/dry weight.
USDA approved
When logging we recommend using the USDA database as their figures tend to be more reliable for whole food items. For example, when logging a chicken breast we would search for ‘USDA raw chicken breast’ or for an uncooked sweet potato ‘USDA sweet potato’. The USDA is responsible for regulating nutrition labelling.
Track Everything & Measure
Everything that goes into a meal needs to be included in your tracking. This means that sauces, vegetables, dressings, etc. all need to be entered. It is also important that the amount you are inputting is correct and in grams. Guessing that your portion of sauce is “about 25g” is not going to provide accurate information. Remember, the information from MFP is only as accurate as the information that is entered!