Why You Should Give up Myfitnesspal When Looking for a Chronometer
Myfitnesspal seems to be the default calorie counter in the fitness world and I can’t figure out why. He tries to show you ads and articles while you try to record your food, puts the calories of your workouts into an equation at the top of the screen ( not the best way to track , frankly ), and his food database is a minefield of inaccurate ads. There are better apps out there, and my favorite is one of the lesser known: Cronometer .
One of the main reasons I like it is that you can use the app without getting hung up on calories. Myfitnesspal puts your daily calories right at the top of the home screen, and the entire app seems to be built on the assumption that you’re trying to lose weight. But if you just want to eat better while conserving your food, or gain muscle mass without dieting, the Cronometer will allow you to pay less attention to calories.
Instead, when I open the Cronometer, I see bar charts (accompanied by tiny numbers) for my calories and macronutrients – protein, carbs, fat – per day. The paid version has a feature that allows you to track your protein levels at a time. Proceed to the next screen and you will see another view showing how well you are meeting your “goals” for the day. Calories don’t have to be involved; mine currently include fiber, added sugar, protein, and several vitamins.
Basically, I love the Cronometer because it allows me to keep track of what I want to track and doesn’t feel like a continuation of the diet. It doesn’t bother me with constant notifications, and it doesn’t have a tab full of articles on low-calorie snacks and why I don’t spend enough time in nature. Yes, this is a food tracking app and tracking food itself can be problematic. But this seems to be one of the less bad ways to do it.