Benefits of MyFitnessPal?

[ktsecor]

I've seen so many people linking their fitbit accounts with MyFitnessPal and I just want to know why?  Fitbit has a food/calorie counter so I just don't understand the benefits of using MFP.  If anyone could fill me in, that'd be great 😄

[whome]

The food database on MFP seems to be much more comprehensive. The app on my older android phone (version 4.1) can use the barcode scan feature.

[SunsetRunner]

I started with MFP before I had a Fitbit and have found it very easy to use.  I sync several apps to the MFP site (Fitbit, Digifit, MapMyFitness...) and let MFP sort them out.  The food list in MFP is quite extensive.  I also like the scanner function on my cell phone that is on MFP.  I scan the barcode of those packaged items I have, set the quantity and it adds it up.  The nutrition information in MFP is easy to customize and gives me the information I want.  Other programs may work as well; I don't know as the only other one I have used is Weight Watchers.  WW also worked, but it has a monthly cost and did not provide as much information as MFP. 

[TCG]

I started with MFP before buying the Fitbit because it helped me keep track of the food I was eating and I was able to find a larger variety of foods listed under MFP also with the new updates, it shows how much protein, fat and carbs you have consumed for the day. I can also share information with my trainer because he can link into My Fitness Pal through his account.

[CAGIRL]

I had this same question. I've linked my account and then tied it without being linked for a week. I think I prefer to have them linked. It does seem like MFP has more options in regards to food. I also like that it updates my calories burned.

[vbreb]

I've used My Fitness Pal for years and love it. Just got the fitbit Charge and would love to link the two. I find the fitbit log for food way more difficult to use. Anyone who can tell me how to link my fitbit to My Fitness Pal (or vice versa)?

[KSUmom]

I have a fitbit charge hr and have them both linked. You just go into your MFP settings and hit apps and then click Fitbit and the two will sync

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@vbreb wrote:
I've used My Fitness Pal for years and love it. Just got the fitbit Charge and would love to link the two. I find the fitbit log for food way more difficult to use. Anyone who can tell me how to link my fitbit to My Fitness Pal (or vice versa)?

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[vbreb]

It works! Thanks so much.

[msfarkee]

I was on MFP for a month tracking calories,  got a Fitbit and  now I prefer it's calorie login.     I don't have to sinc the  2 sites and jump back and forth.  

I find Fitbit's food diary  as easy to use as MFP  but you just have to get used to it.    

If a food is not on the dropdown,  I enter it and then favorite it.     I am getting a list of everything I eat right on the food login page   under my FAVORITES and  alot of times  I don't even enter a food --it is already there and I am sure of the calorie count because I entered it myself.     (this makes it so easy to use)   You can do the same thing on MFP.    

MFP is a great calorie counting site  and I like the Success Forum.   It has over 8000 foods or something like that but I don't need that at all so it is irrelevent to me.   ( MFP created  some of  its huge data base of food with its own members  so I don't mind putting in things I eat  here on Fitbit  if it is not already there.   )     I liked MFP but now I have a Fitbit and don't need 2 calorie counting sites.      

Either site works fine so use the one you feel works best for you  or one that you are used to and prefer.    

[HelenaFitbit]

I have been a MFP member for many years and I particularly like the extensive food database they have; since they also cover really rare foods or brands. Also, being able to add the weight in grams  (instead of pinch, handful, package) gives me an extremely accurate caloric estimation, every calorie counts!   

[ErinScott]

I just joined my fitness pal as I live in the UK and found it was getting annoying to constantly have to create a new food on the fitbit food log. MFP has an extensive UK food list, so it just makes it easy for me to input my food there and then use the fitbit for everything else. 

[Stevinlondon]

I was wondering about this too. I was a die hard MFP fan it's helped me so much and only psychologicaly felt a bit if a loss not having it. Now I've moved to Fitbit I cannot see any reason to link accounts. I doubled up data on 2 independent accounts and saw the results were pretty identical. Now after over 5 years of MFP I only use unlinked Fitbit and live it 

[Stevinlondon]

I was wondering about this too. I was a die hard MFP fan it's helped me so much and only psychologicaly felt a bit of a loss not having it. Now I've moved to Fitbit I cannot see any reason to link accounts. I doubled up data on 2 independent accounts and saw the results were pretty identical. Now after over 5 years of MFP I only use unlinked Fitbit and love it. 

[SunsetRunner]

@ktsecor I use it because it's made for this particular purpose - logging food, analyzing what you eat and planning your diet. MFP has more features and seems to have lot better database. At least here in the UK, I rarely find a product that can't be found. Fitbit app has only a very limited subset of features of MFP but it's quite understandable as it's made for a different use case. On the other hand, I totally ignore any exercise data in MFP ( the adjustment, burnt calories etc. ). For this purpose I use Fitbit. I simply need both of them 🙂

One of the ways I use MFP I have described in this thread in details:

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Manage-Weight/Why-do-we-initially-resist-logging-our-eating/td-p/221...

I also elaborated why I use MFP food logging, not Fitbit so I'm not going to repeat myself 🙂