My Fitness Pal - the Free Online Calorie Tracker

If you are looking to shed a little bit of weight but don't know how to start, My Fitness Pal might be the answer you are looking for! My Fitness Pal is a free online calorie consumption tracker with a whole community of people just like you! Let's take a look at some of the benefits of using this tool and how My Fitness Pal might help you.

Calorie checker

By registering at My Fitness Pal, you can create a private profile where you can keep track of the amount of calories you have consumed each day. When you first sign up you must fill in some personal details, including your current weight. You can then set your goals. How much weight do you want to lose? How many calories will you allow yourself per day? (Please note, there is not an option which tells you how many calories you should eat per day. If you are in any doubt, you must check with your doctor).

My Fitness Pal is not just a calorie counter. It also counts the amount of nutrients you are eating too. There are thousands of foods and brands logged into My Fitness Pal so it is unlikely you will find something it hasn't heard of. Portion sizes can be adjusted within My Fitness Pal, so if you eat more or less than the listed amount, you can change it so your calorie consumption is accurate.

Exercise monitor

When trying to lose weight, many people will up their exercise level to help speed up the process. The problem is, it can be hard to know how many calories you have burned. At My Fitness Pal you can select from a list of practically every type of exercise and sport in existence. You can also select the level of intensity and add the amount of time you spent exercising. When you type in what you have done, the website tells you how many calories you have burned. You can then add it to your profile and keep it on record.

Fitness and Motivational Tools

For extra information on your health, the tools page has a nutrition facts calculator to tell you the nutritional value of any recipe, a BMI Calculator and much more. If you are blogging about your weight loss journey , My Fitness Pal also has weight loss badges and tickers so you can display your progress to the world!

Community Forum

If you have any questions about My Fitness Pal, there is a community forum so you can chat with other people who are also trying to lose weight. It's great on days when it all seems like too much hard work because there is always someone there to give you a boost!

Finally, if you are lucky enough to own an iPhone or an iPod touch, you can take My Fitness Pal with you everywhere by downloading their free app. It's very useful for tracking food on the go!

In the summer of 2010, I used My Fitness Pal with great success. It helped to aid with my weight loss, and I have just started using it again after eating far too much over Christmas. I have already lost 3lbs in two weeks, so it really does help! You can check out My Fitness Pal here.