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MyFitnessPal vs. Lose It!: A Battle of the Fitness Tracking Apps
Weight Loss

MyFitnessPal vs. Lose It!: A Battle of the Fitness Tracking Apps

HR_author_photo_Edibel
Written by Edibel Quintero, RD | Fact checked by Fact checked by Rosmy Barrios, MD check
Last update: March 20, 2023
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10 min

Multiple health and fitness apps encourage weight loss, but which ones truly work? In this review, we compare MyFitnessPal and Lose It!, two apps with features designed to help you shed some pounds and reach a healthy weight. Discover the benefits, pros, and cons of each.

myfitnesspal vs loseit
Health Reporter edit

Finding the right weight loss program can be the first of many hurdles when shifting stubborn weight. Once you find it, though, you can start making real progress.

From calorie counting and food logging to meal and exercise planning, several methods can suit your lifestyle and help you reach those body goals.

MyFitnessPal and Lose It! are two contenders. These apps offer features to support your journey as you try to lose weight and better your overall health. You can use them alongside your current routine or use their assistance to create a lifestyle you can maintain.

Do you want to know more about these apps? Keep on reading for our complete review of MyFitnessPal and Lose It.

Which Is Better: MyFitnessPal or Lose It?

These two apps are very similar in terms of their purpose. Both help you track your food intake, count calories, and subtract exercise calories from your daily target. They offer you digital assistance as you progress through your journey to reach your dream body.

After comparing MyFitnessPal with Lose It!, we found Lose It! to be the better app overall. It has a better interface with a simple design that is very user-friendly. You can also enjoy this app’s visual aspect by using the smart camera to detect multiple foods.

It’s quick and easy to record foods and doesn’t require users to be particularly tech-savvy. While it doesn’t offer a monthly subscription, it is cheaper for the year than MyFitnessPal. The annual price is reasonable for a lump-sum payment for the many features it includes.

Summary

MyFitnessPal is a calorie-tracking app that supports users in reaching their nutrition and fitness goals. You create a food log to monitor how many calories you eat daily, making meal planning easier. It also calculates exercise calories as part of your daily calorie budget.

Lose It! is another calorie-counting app with a food diary to log your food choices daily. It prioritizes nutrition to help you reach your weight loss goals and build long-term habits. Users can benefit from meal and exercise planning and track macros and water intake.

MyFitnessPal

MyFitnessPal
  • You can easily track your caloric intake by logging food
  • Encourages you to make healthy choices when food shopping
Our rating:
4.2
Learn More
Pros
  • Extensive food database
  • Calorie counter
  • Exercise tracking
  • Promotes mindful eating
  • Daily calorie budget
  • Compatible with lots of apps and devices
Cons
  • Logging food is time-consuming
  • Slow user interface
  • Technical issues with the barcode scanner
  • The free version has ads

Lose It!

Lose It!
  • Provides a personalized weight loss plan
  • Goal setting encourages you to reach your goals
Our rating:
4.4
Learn More
Pros
  • Easy food logging
  • Intuitive logging
  • Water tracking
  • Macro tracking
  • Barcode scanner and smart camera
  • Community support
  • Generates behavioral reports
  • Connects with other apps and devices
Cons
  • Smaller food database
  • Logging food is time-consuming
  • The free version has ads

MyFitnessPal vs. Lose It! Comparison

BrandMyFitnessPalLose It!
Rating4.24.4
What can you eat?Nothing is off-limitsNothing is off-limits
Option to log foodYesYes
Personalized programYesYes
TrackersMacros, calories, and exerciseCalories, macros, meals, and exercise
Linkmyfitnesspal.comloseit.com

What Is MyFitnessPal?

MyFitnessPal is one of the most popular calorie-counting apps. It helps users reach their health and fitness goals by recording foods eaten each day and tracking calories. It also accounts for calories burned during exercise so that you can review the effectiveness of your workout routines.

The food diary feature is great for monitoring your diet. The barcode scanner allows you to quickly access the nutritional information of pre-packaged foods at home or in the supermarket. It is easy to find a food item because it has a large food database.

Caloric intake is essential for human health. While everyone has different calorie requirements for weight loss, calorie counting and increasing exercise can help you hit your goals. With MyFitnessPal, you can stay on track with your diet and within your calorie budget.

The MyFitnessPal program is available on their official website and on iOS and Android devices. You can sync your account across devices by logging in with your information.

What Is Lose It?

Lose It! is an app that allows you to count calories with ease. By counting calories, users can make progress throughout their weight loss journey. It delivers a personalized weight loss plan to support users in building long-term healthy habits to encourage sustainable weight loss.

In the Lose It! app, you can track everything you eat by logging your meals. It gives you a calorie budget based on your personal information, such as age, current weight, and goal weight. Meeting your daily calorie goals will help you lose weight quickly and safely.

You can scan the barcodes on food labels to gather calorie and macro information. You can create recipes and record portion sizes for a complete overview of your daily caloric intake. It also tracks your daily steps and the calories you burn from physical activity.

Lose It! is available for both Android and iOS devices. You can sync your account with other health and fitness apps and devices for more accurate readings, like your Fitbit and Apple Watch.

MyFitnessPal vs. Lose It! Key Features

These food-tracking apps have similar functions, making it difficult to choose between them. The key features can help you understand which might work best for your goals. Just remember to check the basic features and premium features before subscribing.

Here are the main features of these two tracking apps:

MyFitnessPal key features

Arguably the best feature of MyFitnessPal is its enormous food database. With around 14 million food items, you’re sure to find what you are looking for. You can add food manually into the database or use the scanning feature to scan nutrition labels quickly.

Once you log food, MyFitnessPal calculates the number of calories consumed from food and the number burned from exercise. With all this data logged, you can create a calorie deficit. A deficit is the most vital factor in weight loss and is a must if you want to see noticeable results.

The macros tracking feature is another key aspect. You can monitor your carbs, fats, and protein intake to ensure you eat a balanced diet. MyFitnessPal automatically sets your macros target, but you can easily tweak it to match your requirements.

Lose It! key features

Lose It! has several features to support weight loss. Its most significant feature is food logging. You can track your daily food intake by logging the foods you eat. The app can then monitor how many calories you consume to help you stay within your budget.

A premium subscription to Lose It! gives you access to more features. You can track your macronutrients, encouraging balance from all essential food groups. The meal planning feature makes it easier to stick with your diet plan, and you can stay motivated with delicious recipes.

Another bonus feature from Lose It! premium is the automated reports. These reports give you an insight into your behavior and lifestyle habits. If there is anything stalling your weight loss progress, you can identify any potential problems by reading your reports.

MyFitnessPal vs. Lose It! Benefits

Calorie-counting apps can be ideal sources of assistance for tackling unwanted weight. You can check out the main benefits before committing to a paid subscription to ensure the program will match your long-term health objectives.

MyFitnessPal benefits

Below are two benefits of using MyFitnessPal.

#1 Promotes healthy eating

This app can encourage you to make healthier choices for your diet. As it tells you the calorie and nutrient content of every food item, you can make an informed choice on what you put into your body. Viewing the essential macronutrients ensures you cover all groups.

#2 Tracks calories

An unawareness of calories can lead to unwanted weight gain. Even if you’re eating slightly less, you might unknowingly consume excess calories. MyFitnessPal makes calorie counting simple and easy, as it cuts out the confusion of having to figure out things yourself.

Lose It! benefits

Below are two benefits of using Lose It.

#1 Manages calories

Tracking your calories is the key benefit of using Lose It. The app centers around calorie counting to help you slash calories where needed and only consume what your body needs. You can quickly access your data in one place, so you always keep sight of your targets.

#2 Promotes intuitive eating

Lose It! steers away from extreme dieting. It encourages users to learn to eat intuitively rather than pushing an unhealthy or unrealistic diet. You can eat whatever you want when using this app, but the idea is that you learn to make better choices that benefit your mind and body.

MyFitnessPal vs. Lose It! Cons

No app is perfect, as everyone has different bodies, goals, and personal preferences. Still, a particular drawback can significantly affect the decision-making process. Knowing the main cons will help you make the best choice.

MyFitnessPal cons

Below are two cons of using MyFitnessPal.

#1 Not always accurate

The MyFitnessPal database is extensive, but it doesn’t have everything. It is possible to log food that is not in the system. While this is helpful, it can lead to inaccuracies from human error. Furthermore, some users report having trouble finding food using the barcode scanner.

#2 May encourage unhealthy habits

Calorie counting has several benefits for weight loss, but a person might become too invested in the concept. Counting calories every single day might lead some users to obsess over how many calories they eat. Eventually, this could trigger disordered eating.

Lose It! cons

Below are two cons of using Lose It.

#1 Doesn’t prioritize healthy eating

Lose It! advertises that you can eat anything you want and that the only requirement is to meet your calorie budget. While it hopes to encourage intuitive eating, some people might take advantage of this freedom and opt for foods with limited nutrients and health benefits.

#2 Time-consuming

Most food tracking apps take time, especially at first. Some people might grow tired of entering every meal and snack they eat in a day. That said, once you get the hang of things, you will likely be able to speed up the daily food diary process.

MyFitnessPal vs. Lose It! Cost

Cost is important when it comes to paid apps. The subscription fees should fit your budget. Otherwise, you will need help to make the payments. It’s always worth taking advantage of the free trials that both MyFitnessPal and Lose It! offer before purchasing premium versions.

At the time of writing this review, the pricing is as follows:

MyFitnessPal price

MyFitnessPal offers a free version with basic features, which is suitable for those who only want to count calories. You can upgrade to the premium version with more features for a monthly fee of $9.99 or an annual fee of $49.99. MyFitnessPal also offers a 1-month free trial.

Lose It! price

The basic version of Lose It! is free to download and use. You can upgrade to the Lose It! premium for advanced tracking features. It offers a 1-year subscription for $39.99 and a lifetime account for $189.99 or $149.99 if you already have a premium membership.

A 7-day free trial of Lose It! premium is also available.

FAQs

Is the Lose It! app accurate?

Lose It! is accurate for counting the calories of the food you eat. If you enter the information into the food database correctly or use the camera and barcode scanning features, you can expect accurate results. However, it may underestimate the micronutrients you receive from foods.

Why is MyFitnessPal so popular?

MyFitnessPal is so popular because it contains a large database of food items, making it easier to keep an accurate food diary. It offers convenience to those trying to lose or gain weight by calculating your calories so you can keep within your budget.

Does MyFitnessPal and Lose It! help to lose weight?

MyFitnessPal and Lose It! are calorie-counting apps that can assist users in creating a calorie deficit. A calorie deficit means burning more calories than you consume to lose weight successfully. It’s easy to manage your calories with these apps that record everything.

MyFitnessPal vs. Lose It! vs. Alternatives

DoFasting
Lose It!
MyFitnessPal
4.7
4.4
4.2

Progress tracking

Thousands of recipes

Guidance and tips from experts

Customized daily fasting schedule

Challenge modes

Different level workouts

Daily reminders

Motivational notifications

Easy food logging

Intuitive logging

Calorie tracking

Exercise tracking

Macros tracking

Water intake tracking

Generates useful reports

Compatible with other apps and devices

Calorie tracking

Exercise tracking

Macros tracking

Set goals and calorie budget

Large food database

Compatible with other apps and devices

No free trial

Intermittent fasting is not safe or suitable for some people

It can be time-consuming

May encourage obsessive behaviors

Free version has ads

Slow interface

Some issues with the barcode scanner

It can be time-consuming

May cause obsessive behaviors

Brand
DoFasting
Lose It!
MyFitnessPal
Overall Rating
4.7
4.4
4.2
Pros

Progress tracking

Thousands of recipes

Guidance and tips from experts

Customized daily fasting schedule

Challenge modes

Different level workouts

Daily reminders

Motivational notifications

Easy food logging

Intuitive logging

Calorie tracking

Exercise tracking

Macros tracking

Water intake tracking

Generates useful reports

Compatible with other apps and devices

Calorie tracking

Exercise tracking

Macros tracking

Set goals and calorie budget

Large food database

Compatible with other apps and devices

Cons

No free trial

Intermittent fasting is not safe or suitable for some people

It can be time-consuming

May encourage obsessive behaviors

Free version has ads

Slow interface

Some issues with the barcode scanner

It can be time-consuming

May cause obsessive behaviors

How We Tested MyFitnessPal and Lose It!

We use criteria when reviewing products to help generate the final verdict on which we think is better. These include the most critical factors that tend to matter most to customers. As paid apps, the criteria must be considered before spending money.

We look at the following:

Quality

MyFitnessPal and Lose It! both possess high-quality designs and features that are known to encourage weight loss successfully. Some people experience technical issues when using the barcode scanner on MyFitnessPal, but you can still manually enter food items if you are having trouble.

Effectiveness

Effectiveness is tricky to determine without trying the app yourself, as everyone has different needs and expectations. After assessing the quality and the many positive customer reviews, both apps appear to be effective for many people trying to lose weight.

Price

Both programs are fairly priced. Just remember that they do require personal input. MyFitnessPal might suit those who want to avoid making a larger payment for an annual membership. However, the yearly cost of Lose It! is the equivalent of just 4 months of MyFitnessPal.

Brand reputation

Lose It! is a popular app that arrived in 2008. The company prioritizes simple calorie counting to aid weight loss efforts. MyFitnessPal also boasts a strong reputation as one of the most popular food-tracking apps around, with an extensive food entry system.

A Word From a Nutritionist

Self-monitoring your diet and exercise routine with an app can promote mindfulness and help induce weight loss. Unique features like step, calorie, and water intake tracking take the stress of manual calculations away, so you can focus on shifting stubborn belly fat and more.

Reevaluating your diet is crucial. As well as cutting back on calories, you must prioritize eating nutritious foods to improve body composition and overall health. The best healthy diets comprise whole fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, lean proteins, and healthy fats.

Try not to get too obsessive about monitoring what you eat. Sustainable weight loss is about finding a routine that you enjoy. When you discover those habits that you can stick with for life, you can watch the excess body fat melt away as you become a healthier version of yourself.

Conclusion

MyFitnessPal and Lose It! are two calorie-tracking apps that can give you the boost you need to hit your target weight. You might get similar results from these apps, but based on the interface and user-friendliness, we recommend Lose It! as the better choice.

HR_author_photo_Edibel
Written by
Edibel Quintero is a medical doctor who graduated in 2013 from the University of Zulia and has been working in her profession since then. She specializes in obesity and nutrition, physical rehabilitation, sports massage and post-operative rehabilitation. Edibel’s goal is to help people live healthier lives by educating them about food, exercise, mental wellness and other lifestyle choices that can improve their quality of life.
Fact checked by Rosmy Barrios, MD
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