By: Jim Buchanan
One of the three principals of having maximum energy throughout each day is to have a nutritionally balance vegetarian or vegan diet. Finding that balance, while maintaining a desired body weight, can be challenging from meal to meal. Well, not any longer!
I started using the mobile App, myfitnesspal about two weeks ago and absolutely love it! I'm now able to precisely manage my calorie intake and macro nutrient balance each meal, and each day. I'm also half way to my weight loss goal of 8 pounds and I have complete confidence that I will hit my goal and be able to maintain my new weight over the longer term. Here is how the App works for me.
First, the set up on my iPhone was super easy and quick. After entering in my personal information I was asked for my weight goal. You can set the app to help you lose, gain or maintain your weight. My goal as noted above is currently to lose 8 pounds. So, given my other personal information, I was given a target of 1500 calories per day. More about how this works in a moment.
With a data base of over 3 million foods and complete meals, I can review the nutritional content of any menu item, recipe or ingredient in advance. So when I'm traveling or out for dinner with family and friends, I look up potential menu items and make my choices based upon the calories and nutritional content of each item. The data base can also be used to evaluate the nutritional content and calories for my own recipes so that I can prepare dishes that are healthy, delicious and fit with my daily goal. The breadth of the data base helps me review lots of options and make choices that are healthy and delicious!
During set up I linked the App to my iPhone health App which tracks my steps and other fitness activity. So, during the course of the day, my calories remaining adjusts when my activity either falls below or exceeds my normal daily activities. This is really helpful because it compensates for fitness and other activities, like lots of walking during a busy work day, and the result is reflected in the calorie target. On a number of days I've checked my calories remaining after lunch and an afternoon snack and found that I wouldn't have enough calories remaining for a planned dinner with friends. So, I simply squeeze in a quick workout, or walk rather than drive to run errands, and I get more calories to cover the dinner plans, or a second beer or glass of wine, and still hit my target!
The App has other functions like daily nutrition reporting. I'm now much more sensitive to the fat content in some of the foods I eat. Just because I'm Vegan doesn't mean I'm not faced with significant fat content of some of my favorite foods, like nuts. You can also connect to friends and family who have the App and share your progress while cheering them on to their goals.
Overall, this is a really great App that can help you reach your weight and overall health goals while contributing to your daily energy levels. Go for it!
