Today, we will be discussing a topic that is of great interest to us all and is becoming increasingly important with each passing day – our physical body. Much like how we previously discussed health apps and applications for losing weight in a healthy manner, today we will be talking specifically about apps designed for counting calories.
Technology and physical (and mental) well-being go hand in hand, as we also saw in the post about how to quit smoking with your cell phone or the best mobile apps to exercise without leaving home.
Important: you don’t have to get obsessed with these mobile calorie counters. Simply use them wisely and as a complement to a healthy diet and a life full of healthy habits.
The best applications to calculate calories
If you enter the app markets, you will see that there are hundreds of applications to count calories. How do you know which one works best? Do they really work? Are they all free? You don’t have to worry about any of this, because our team has been in charge of selecting the best ones. Keep reading!
1. Yazio
It is a complete calorie counting app that offers useful information to maintain a healthy diet, records muscle mass, shows calorie tables of 2 million foods and classifies foods according to their nutritional value, proteins, carbohydrates, sugars and fats.
Yazio records all the meals you have eaten during the day. It should be noted that it includes an integrated barcode reader to identify the most convenient products according to your physical condition. In addition, it is capable of recording and calculating the steps you have taken to motivate you to exercise more.
In its PRO version, you will be able to obtain faster results and you will have more than 200 delicious and healthy recipes.
The free version does not allow calories to be added automatically but must be done manually.
2. My Fitness Pal
This application to calculate calories stands out among its competitors because it includes the largest database, with more than 6 million foods for Android and 4 million for iPhone. Its interface shows the information on each of the edibles very clearly.
You can sync your data on both your mobile and laptop to view and study it easily. Likewise, you can also save them online.
If you have started a healthier eating plan with your partner or friends, you can share your achievements with them mutually thanks to the functions of this application.
Regardless of the operating system of your smartphone, you can download My Fitness Pal through the App Store or Google Play for free.
3. Fat Secret
This calorie calculator will help you feed yourself in a healthier and more comprehensive way thanks to its functions, among which we can highlight: daily food recording, barcode scanner, writing in the exercise diary and integrating data with other programs such as Salud App or Fitbit.
It has a calendar to view the calories consumed and an agenda that you can customize in order to record the progress and evolution of weight and other measures that evaluate your physical condition.
However, FatSecret is free on both Google Play and the App Store, although you need to pay to enjoy certain features.
4. My Net Diary
It is the number 1 application according to the American Journal of Preventive Medicine thanks to its complex system that allows you to set a weight goal by entering your own schedule and daily record of meals and exercises. This way, you can follow your regimen without distractions or forgetfulness.
It has complete information on 40 main nutrients. With this application, it will be easier for you to keep track of all your achievements. It has more than 500 registered exercises, from which you can choose the ones that best suit your physical needs.
What are you waiting for to access the App Store or Google Play and search for My Net Diary? It is free but, like all those mentioned, it has integrated payment services that enhance its functionality.
5. My Plate Calorie Counter
The functions of this calorie counter are adjusted to your needs thanks to the information you provide (weight, muscle mass, type of food you eat…) in order to give you a personalized daily goal. It will be easier for you to monitor your progress in your fibre, protein, carbohydrate and calorie intake.
It should be noted that it also measures the number of glasses of water you have consumed during the day. This is advantageous for your health and if you are a very busy person, it shows you notifications so that you respect your meal times.
Search for this app on Google Play or the App Store and enjoy many of its functions at no cost. If you want more detailed reports, you will have to request one of their payment packages.
6. Lose It! Calories counter
The designers of this calorie counting app point out that after the first 3 days of use, the first beneficial results for your health will be observed because it is designed to adjust from the beginning to your physical condition and your lifestyle.
It includes recipes with special preparations and has a special function that identifies which eating patterns help you reach your ideal weight. Its library contains 27 million edibles.
You can find the link for its free download from the App Store or Google Play. Like the other applications, Lose It also incorporates in-app purchases.
How do calorie-counting apps work?
These applications are very useful, especially if you want to improve your eating habits, and your physical conditioning and feel fuller. Through a barcode, it identifies the food and tells you all its information, as well as the number of calories and whether it is healthy for you.
It is important that the app proposes a nutrition plan as a goal and motivates you with challenges to obtain it. Some more sophisticated ones offer other readings such as blood pressure, blood glucose level, and sleep cycles.
Are these applications useful? Advantages and disadvantages
Depending on the type of use, there may be some benefits for your health. When using these types of programs, you must be aware and responsible for following the instructions properly. Remember that your well-being comes first.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy to use. | It requires a constant WiFi connection. |
| They are just a few clicks away from your mobile. | They usually consume a significant percentage of the mobile memory. |
| They are for daily use, even on trips and at special events. | They usually consume a significant percentage of mobile memory. |
| Most are free. | People may exhibit compulsive behaviours if they have a history of eating disorders. |
| Information can be synchronized in the cloud. | They do not replace medical supervision. |
As you can see, technology advances more every day, giving us solutions to common problems and being of great help to our physical and emotional well-being. In this specific case, mobile apps are our best allies when it comes to transforming our lives with much healthier habits.
To make them work, remember: honesty comes first! If you enter false information in the app, you will have incorrect results and you will never improve.
Meet your goals with the help of your smartphone. Do you have any extra suggestions? Tell us in the comments!
