How to Use MyFitnessPal: A Beginner’s Guide Without the Obsession

So, you’ve decided to get a handle on your nutrition. Great! Maybe you’ve heard about MyFitnessPal (aka MFP if you’re into abbreviations) and you’re wondering whether it’s worth the faff. The answer? Yes — but only if you use it wisely.

At Fit with Frank, we believe food should nourish you and be enjoyed — no guilt trips, no weighing every lettuce leaf, and definitely no spreadsheet vibes at dinner. So here’s our friendly guide to the pros, cons, and best practices of using MyFitnessPal as a beginner.

✅ The Pros of Using MyFitnessPal

1. Awareness is Power (Not Punishment)MFP helps you learn what’s actually in your food — which is surprisingly eye-opening. That “healthy” smoothie? Sneaky little sugar bomb. That jacket potato? Surprisingly filling and low in fat. It’s like putting on night-vision goggles and seeing your eating habits in HD.

2. Easy-Peasy TrackingThanks to barcode scanners and a giant food database, you can log your meals faster than you can say “I didn’t know there were that many calories in pesto.”

3. Customisable to YouOnce set up, you can tailor your daily targets to match your personal goals — whether you’re aiming to build muscle, maintain weight, or simply stop inhaling half a pack of biscuits without realising.

4. You’re in ChargeThe app doesn’t shout at you. You can track every gram, or just use it a few days a week to spot trends. You can even log the odd slice of cake and still be on track — imagine that.

🚫 The Cons (a.k.a. Common Pitfalls)

1. Obsession is Not the MissionThe goal is awareness, not perfection. Don’t stress about hitting macros to the exact gram. Your body won’t fall apart if you're off by 27 calories — promise.

2. It’s Not Always AccurateSome food entries are added by users and are, well… let’s just say “optimistic.” Always cross-check with the actual food packaging if you can. Especially if you don’t want to find out your “light” salad dressing was actually 300 calories of sneaky oil.

3. It Doesn’t Know YouMFP’s suggested calorie goals are often too low or just plain wrong. Don’t panic if it tells you to eat like a toddler. Use it as a guide, not gospel.

4. The ‘Exercise Calories’ TrapIt may tell you to eat back the calories you've burned — but remember, your goal already includes your activity level. If you eat them all back, you might end up in a surplus and wonder why your progress stalls. (Been there, got the stretchy jeans.)

🎯 Top Tips for MFP Beginners

Start simple: Track 2–3 days a week to begin with, just to spot patterns.
Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good: A ballpark is better than a blank space.
Log before you eat (if you can): Helps with planning and saves “oops” moments.
Stick to grams: More accurate and easier to track than “1 medium banana the size of a child’s forearm.”
Be consistent: Choose either cooked or raw weights and stick with it.
Ignore the ‘Remaining Calories’ number: Trust your own goal, not the app’s maths.
Create meals or recipes for repeat dishes: Saves time and sanity.

🎁 Want More Help? Grab These Freebies 👇

If you’d like a step-by-step walkthrough of how to set up and use MyFitnessPal without losing your mind, grab our free beginner-friendly eBook here:👉 Download the FREE Fit with Frank MyFitnessPal Guide

Prefer to listen on the go (maybe on a walk or while pretending to clean the kitchen)? 🎧 Check out our podcast episode all about using MFP on Spotify here

🍰 Final Word: Use It, Don’t Be Ruled by It

MyFitnessPal is like a trusty sidekick — great at supporting your mission, but not the one making the decisions. If you find yourself obsessing, take a step back. The goal is to learn, not to track every crumb for eternity.

Nutrition is about the big picture, not daily perfection.

So go ahead — scan that barcode, eyeball that chicken breast, and get to know your food. Just don’t forget to live a little too. 🍕💃

Want help getting started or need a second opinion on your food diary? Just drop us a message — we’re here to help (and we’ve seen every kind of diary, from the super neat to the “I forgot to track after breakfast”).

Stay fuelled, stay fabulous,

FRANK

your Personal Trainer / Human Calculator