The 10 Best Calorie-Counting Apps to Help You Hit Your Weight Loss Goals | Arena

“Calorie counting apps may be helpful for some but harmful for others,” added Bonnie Taub-Dix, RDN, creator of BetterThanDieting.com. While they can help you stay accountable and keep track of what you're eating, for others, they “welcome disorderly eating and obsession with food details that completely take away the joy of eating.”

With so many calorie counting apps available, it can be difficult to choose one. Jackie Nugent, RDN, CDN, a plant-forward culinary nutritionist in New York City, recommends choosing a product that matches your goals and even your personality, rather than looking at the numbers. She also notes that you don't need to “go on a diet” or be a calorie counter to use dieting-related apps. “Some apps are great if you find community support beneficial, while others are great for helping you reach your fitness goals,” she says.

Newgent noted that MyFitnessPal, which has a free and premium version, is “especially useful if you're focused on fitness goals,” beyond counting calories. Collingwood added that it has a very extensive database. “You can also save foods that you might eat over and over so you don't have to enter all the ingredients each time,” she says. Another great feature of this app is that you can scan the barcodes of packaged foods. “It's helpful for providing feedback at the supermarket to help you decide which foods to put in your cart and which to ditch,” Taub-Dix says. (Free versions available for Android, iOS, $9.99 per month or $49.99 per year.)

According to Newgent, Lose It can be very beneficial for those looking for community support. However, it might not be for everyone. “While some people find food challenges motivating, I've found that they provide more pressure to achieve goals rather than allowing progression to unfold naturally,” says Taub-Dix. “If you enjoy taking on challenges… Then this app might be for you.” (Free versions available for Android, iOS, or $49.99 per year.)

Newgents insists that WW (Weight Watchers) is another great app for anyone looking for community support. “You can also access Weight Watchers' in-person or virtual workshops,” she says. Adds Taub-Dix: “Weight Watchers is built on a sound meal plan that includes balance and variety, so their app is based on the same science-based approach.” (Android, iOS, from $10 per month ).

“Noom uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which makes it stand out from apps that are more focused on calorie counting,” Newgent said. Taub-Dix added, “The positive aspect of the app is that it not only looks at food intake as a factor in the weight loss process, but also looks at eating behavior.” However, she also mentioned the app's biggest drawback: There is no free version, so you have to pay. (Android, iOS, starting at $70 per month or $209 per year).

Collingwood appreciates the convenience of See How You Eat. “You just take a photo of your food and upload it,” she said. “No calorie counting, but still a sense of responsibility when you look at everything you eat that day.” (Android, iOS, free download, à la carte pricing).

While Taub-Dix isn't a fan of the name, she thinks FatSecret has some useful features, including a barcode scanner for evaluating packaged foods, a workout log, food diary, and recipe suggestions. Plus, it's free. “I don't like the way it's presented as ‘net carbs' because it's a term that has no legal definition and is often used by food companies to make their products appear healthier,” she added. (Android, iOS and web, free).

Taub-Dix also appreciates the features of MyNetDiary. “Logging into the app can be done with the food's barcode or with your voice,” she said. This app takes special diets (gluten free, etc.) and special circumstances (pregnancy) into account, however, if you are on a special diet due to medical need, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you should consult your doctor or nutritionist before following before any suggestions made by the app. ” (Android, iOS, and web, available in free version or $9/month/$60/year).

Carrie Underwood is a fan of Livestrong's MyPlate, an app that helps change eating habits through eight-week meal plans. It provides nutritional information for each meal and tracks calories consumed and burned for various workouts. There's a free version, but if you want access to the Clean Eating recipes, you'll have to subscribe to the $9.99 per month option. (Android, iOS, free version available, or $9.99 per month).

For those on a ketogenic diet who care more about carbs than calories, Carb Manager is a great option. Not only does it make tracking carbs and net carbs easy, but it also helps track protein, fat, nutrients, and calories. The app is also handy for keto cooking, with tons of recipes, meal plans and shopping lists. (Android and iOS, available in free version or $39.99 per month).

This simple-to-use app is a calorie counter, and then some. For example, Lifesum offers one- to three-week meal plans for various lifestyles, including ketogenic diets and vegan diets, each with four pre-planned recipes per day. The calorie counter simplifies tracking by allowing you to scan a barcode or select from a food database. It also gives you a daily life score so you can stay accountable. (Available for Android and iOS, free version or starting at $8.33 per month).

Newgent notes that the app may be most effective when used in conjunction with an RDN's personal consultation. You can find nutrition experts through the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Make sure you're logged in live, because you do tend to forget what you ate at the end of the day, especially snacks, says Gidus.

Gidus also recommends weighing and measuring your food so you know exactly how much to log. “There's a big difference between 1/2 cup and 1 cup of rice, how much cereal you pour, how big is that piece of salmon, etc,” she says.

Don't forget dressings like salad dressing, mayonnaise, oil, ketchup, butter, jam, peanut butter, Gidus points out. “Dissect the food you're eating to make sure you're taking everything into account,” she advises. “Try to estimate the fat used in cooking, as if you were sautéing vegetables.”

If the app has that feature and you're eating what's in the package, Gidus recommends scanning the barcodes of prepackaged foods. Also, if there are food chain restaurants in the database, pick the exact food from it.

When in doubt, overestimate. “We tend to underreport,” Gius said. For example, if you eat a cookie, how big is it, is it 3 inches, 5 inches or bigger? “If it's really big, but they don't have that big of a size, for example, put in two smaller sizes,” she says.