Understanding Net Carbs on My Fitness Pal

If you’re someone who’s following a low-carb or ketogenic diet, you may have heard the term “net carbs” thrown around quite a bit. Net carbs are a way of measuring the number of carbohydrates that actually affect your blood sugar levels. In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into net carbs and how you can use My Fitness Pal to track them.

What are Net Carbs?

When you consume carbohydrates, your body breaks them down into glucose, which is then used for energy. However, not all carbohydrates are created equal. Some carbs, like fiber, don’t get fully digested and therefore don’t have as much of an impact on your blood sugar levels.

Net carbs are the total amount of carbohydrates in a food minus the amount of fiber and sugar alcohols. Essentially, net carbs are the carbohydrates that actually affect your blood sugar levels. For example, if a food has 10 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, and 2 grams of sugar alcohols, the net carbs would be 3 grams (10-5-2=3).

Calculating Net Carbs on My Fitness Pal

My Fitness Pal is a popular app that can be used to track your daily food intake and exercise. It’s also a great tool for tracking your net carbs.

To calculate net carbs on My Fitness Pal, you’ll need to make sure you have the correct settings selected. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open the My Fitness Pal app and go to “Settings.”
2. Select “Diary Settings” and then “Nutrition Tracking.”
3. Make sure that “Net Carbs” is selected as the tracking option.
4. Save your settings.

Now, when you log your food on My Fitness Pal, the app will automatically calculate your net carbs for you. Simply enter the food you’ve eaten and the app will do the rest.

Using My Fitness Pal to Track Net Carbs

Once you’ve set up My Fitness Pal to track net carbs, you can start using the app to make sure you’re staying within your daily carb limit.

1. Set a daily net carb goal: First, you’ll want to set a daily net carb goal. This will depend on your specific dietary needs and goals. For example, if you’re following a ketogenic diet, your net carb goal may be around 20-30 grams per day.
2. Log your food: Use My Fitness Pal to log everything you eat and drink throughout the day. Make sure to pay attention to the net carb count for each food.
3. Stay within your daily limit: As you log your food, make sure you’re staying within your daily net carb limit. If you’re going over your limit, you may need to adjust your food choices or portion sizes.
4. Use the “Nutrition” tab: My Fitness Pal has a “Nutrition” tab that shows you a breakdown of your macronutrients (carbs, protein, and fat) for the day. Use this tab to make sure you’re hitting your daily net carb goal.
5. Plan ahead: To make sure you stay within your net carb limit, it’s a good idea to plan ahead. Use My Fitness Pal to plan your meals for the day or week, and make sure you’re choosing foods that fit within your net carb limit.

In conclusion, net carbs are an important metric for anyone following a low-carb or ketogenic diet.