There are many factors that influence your weight; the main one being the calorie content of the food you consume. Research has shown that calorie counting is an effective weight loss strategy as it is based on the scientific principle of ‘calories in, calories out’. In other words, to burn fat, you must create a calorie deficit by consuming fewer calories than you burn each day.
Keeping a daily food diary can be a great way to track your eating habits and learn to consume food more mindfully. Fortunately, there are multiple apps on the market that offer a variety of food-tracking tools, such as food databases that you can search, healthy recipe ideas and meal plans. Whether your goal is to lose weight, tone up, lower your BMI, or invest in your overall health, these apps will help you get there.
MyFitnessPal for the fitness mogul
Possibly one of the most well-known calorie-counting apps out there, MyFitness Pal’s biggest drawcard is its database of more than 14 million foods, which includes South African products. You can also enter information manually, track exercise, view your weight-loss progress and connect with a community of users for support. Plus, you can connect MyFitnessPal with up to 50 other fitness-tracking apps, including Apple HealthKit, Garmin, FitBit and Samsung Health.
Download on the App Store
Get it on Google Play
FatSecret for the avid calory-counter
Most calorie-counting apps offer a basic plan but require you to sign up for a premium membership to access the bigger features, but FatSecret is unique in that respect as it is 100% free. Features include a food diary, barcode scanner, nutrition database and healthy recipes – what’s more, you can also log your workouts using the exercise diary.
Download on the App Store
Get it on Google Play
Calory for the calory-reminder
While apps with multiple features can be a major drawcard for some, others may find them unnecessary and feel overwhelmed by all the options available. Enter Calory, an app that has been built with only manual calorie counting in mind. The interface of this app is sleek and minimalist, with the homepage illustrating clearly whether you need to eat less or up your food intake. The app allows you to log calories manually, scan barcodes, track macros, water, and all your food intake. What’s more, you can also create customisable plates, food, and reminders to help you stay on track.
Download on the App Store
Get it on Google Play
Lifesum for the healthy eater
Lifesum is unique not just for its calorie- and macro-counting feature, but because it focuses more broadly on the importance of healthy eating. Its food and meal rating system tells you whether a food is nutritious and whether your meal is healthy or unbalanced. Importantly, the app challenges negative food language by not categorising food as ‘good’ or ‘bad’, which is especially beneficial for people who have a difficult relationship with food.
Download on the App Store
Get it on Google Play
