Many people download MyFitnessPal because they want to lose weight. The app is popular, easy to use, and widely recommended. But there is one very common mistake that people make as soon as they start using it.
They immediately cut their calories.
At first this seems logical. After all, weight loss requires a calorie deficit. So when the app gives them a calorie goal based on their weight loss target, they try to start hitting that number right away.
The problem is that this number is often far from ideal for your body and your current eating habits. It can be too low, unrealistic, or simply not the right place for you to start.
Before you reduce your calories, there is an important step that will make your fat loss plan much more effective and much easier to stick with.
You need to find out how much you are currently eating.
Why You Should Not Cut Calories Right Away
When you first set up your MyFitnessPal account, the app calculates a calorie goal for you. It does this based on your weight, your activity level, and how much weight you say you want to lose.
The problem with this is that the calorie target it suggests is often too aggressive. Many people end up with a calorie goal that is far lower than what's actually right for them.
When this happens, the diet quickly becomes difficult to follow. Hunger increases, cravings get stronger, and many people eventually give up because the plan is too restrictive.
Another problem is that when you cut calories without understanding your starting point, you are essentially guessing. You are making changes without knowing what you are changing from.
A much better approach is to gather real information first.
The First Step: Track What You Are Already Eating
Before you make any changes to your diet, start by tracking your current food intake.
This means logging everything you eat into MyFitnessPal for about one week. During this time, the goal is not to change your diet or start restricting food. Instead, the goal is simply to observe your normal eating habits. If that's what you do, your weight should also not change, at least not significantly, during that first week.
Think of this week as a data gathering phase.
You want to create an honest picture of your current intake so that you can make informed decisions later.
During this tracking week, try to log your food as accurately as possible.
That includes:
Logging all meals and snacks
Logging drinks that contain calories
Weighing foods whenever possible
Many people skip drinks or small snacks when they track their food, but these calories can add up quickly. The more accurate your tracking is, the more useful your data will be later.
Why Accuracy Matters
Accurate tracking is one of the most important parts of this process.
A lot of people estimate their portions using cups, spoons, or by eyeballing their food. While this may seem convenient, it often leads to large errors in calorie tracking.
For example, a tablespoon of peanut butter or a serving of rice can easily be much larger than people think.
Using a food scale is one of the simplest ways to improve accuracy. Weighing your food takes only a few seconds and gives you a much more truthful picture of what you are actually eating.
Even small differences in portion size can add up over the course of a day or a week.
The more accurate your tracking is during this first week, the easier it will be to set up an effective calorie target later.
What to Do After One Week of Tracking
Once you have tracked your food for seven days, you will have a much better understanding of your current intake.
At this point you can look at your average daily calories and use that information as your starting point. Now, when you decide to reduce your calories, you are making adjustments from a place of knowledge instead of guessing.
The following guide, The Calorie Setup Guide, will help you figure out how much you should cut, in other words, what your calorie target and also protein targets should be for successful fat loss.
This approach makes the process much more realistic. Instead of suddenly dropping hundreds of calories from an unknown starting point, you can create a moderate and manageable reduction.
Small, consistent changes are far easier to maintain than extreme restrictions.
A Balanced Approach to Fat Loss
Another important part of this method is that it focuses on balance.
Many diets eliminate entire food groups or macronutrients. Some plans remove carbohydrates completely, while others drastically restrict fat.
While these approaches can sometimes lead to short term weight loss, they often create new problems.
When large food groups are removed, people may miss out on important nutrients. Over time this can lead to nutritional gaps, stronger cravings, and episodes of overeating.
A balanced approach includes all macronutrients. Protein, carbohydrates, and fats each play an important role in supporting your body.
When your diet includes a variety of foods and nutrients, it becomes much easier to stay consistent. This consistency is what ultimately leads to long term results.
More resources:
Fit From Scratch: Free follow-along workouts that are beginner-friendly. Choose between bodyweight only or dumbbells option: https://kerstenkimura.com/fit-from-scratch/
FREE Lean Ladies Calorie, Protein and Workout Guide: https://kerstenkimura.com/lean-ladies-calorie-protein-and-workout-guide-2/
FREE Course Strong and Sensitive: https://kerstenkimura.com/14-day
FREE nervous system regulation guide for anxiety: https://kerstenkimura.com/3-somatic-exercises-free-guide/
Beginner Level Strength Training Program: https://courses.kerstenkimura.com/train-to-build-starter-program/
Intermediate Level Strength Training Program: https://courses.kerstenkimura.com/train-to-build-intermediate/
Fit and Fueled Vault: A collection of 75+ video trainings providing sustainable, holistic approach to strength, nourishment, and nervous system regulation for women. NO DIETS. https://courses.kerstenkimura.com/fit-and-fueled-vault-course/
Emotionally Fit is my emotional awareness program for chronic pain or other chronic symptom recovery. You can find it here: https://courses.kerstenkimura.com/emotionally-fit-program/
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