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So, you’re ready to lose weight, but the idea of dieting, limiting yourself to certain foods, and abstaining from your favorite treats freaks you out. Hey! I’m a foodie….I get it!

Dieting doesn’t have to mean “all or nothing.” Realistically, weight-loss results from following a basic equation: you must burn more then you consume. Technology has made it easier for us to get results without having to calorie count on our own. My favorite way to add up calories, enjoy what I eat, and not feel deprived, is a fancy lil cell phone app called “My Fitness Pal.”

• This free app calculates your daily caloric needs based upon your age, weight, height, and sex
• It adjusts your caloric needs when you add exercise (it is most efficient when you use a heart rate monitor that can report your calories burned)
• All you have to do is enter the food you have eaten and the portion size
• It stores your commonly eaten foods to make it easier to record those in the future
• The app helps you to learn exactly how much food you need, making it easy to realize just how often we simply eat too much
• My Fitness Pal adds up your calories at the end of each day and provides a report of how much fat, carbohydrates, and protein you have consumed, as well as what percentage of your daily value of vitamins and minerals you have reached

I love this app. It takes out all the guesswork and makes weight-loss so much easier. Give it a shot! It’s free! You’ve got nothing to lose……. Except a few pounds at the very least!

Stay fit, stay healthy, stay happy, and stay tuned for more weight-loss tips!

Lauren Kern

Sports and Conditioning Specialist

Sports and Exercise Nutrition Coach