Peyton Weddle
Matt Montoya
English 102
8 August 2025
Is MyFitnessPal Effective for Getting Fit?
Millions of people turn to MyFitnessPal to get in shape, but can this website really help someone get fit? Since being invented in 2005, MyFitnessPal has grown in popularity, gaining over 200 million users. MyFitnessPal is easy to use, can be downloaded onto a mobile device, and allows people to log their meals and see how many calories, carbs, fats, and proteins they consume each day. It’s meant to help people stay motivated, better understand their eating habits, and build better food habits over time. But can it actually be effective for someone trying to get into shape? Some users see success, while others might start to feel overwhelmed or stop using the app altogether. Today, I’ll break down what different sources say about MyFitnessPal and explain if the app can truly be an effective tool for someone trying to get into better shape.
A study by Slazus et al., published in the Journal of Nutrition, found that MyFitnessPal can be helpful for short-term improvements. In this study, a group of college students used the app for just three weeks. Most of them said they were using it to improve their diet and lose weight. After three weeks, they showed a noticeable drop in sugary food intake. About 91.8% of users said the app helped change their eating habits, and over half said it moved them closer to their fitness goals. The study also pointed out that 93.4% of users found the app easy to use. So, even in just a few weeks, MyFitnessPal seemed to make a real difference in how people ate.
A different point of view comes from Laing et al., whose study appeared in the Annals of Internal Medicine. They worked with 212 overweight patients, splitting them into two groups. One group used the site regularly, while the other didn’t use it at all. Then, they followed both groups for six months to compare the results. At first, the MyFitnessPal group used the app regularly, but most of them stopped logging in after the first month. In the end, the average person in the app group only lost 0.07 pounds, while the control group actually gained about 0.6 pounds. The researchers concluded that the app didn’t lead to any significant changes unless users stayed committed and consistent every single day.
Something both studies agree on is that MyFitnessPal can be a valuable tool for people looking to improve their diets. In both studies, users said the app was easy to use and made them more aware of what they were putting in their bodies. In Slazus et al.’s study, the results showed that users ate less sugar after using the app for just a few weeks. Laing et al.’s study showed that some people felt motivated in the beginning but struggled to keep up with daily tracking. So, both sources agree that the app can be helpful; they also think that motivation and consistency play a massive role in whether the website works.
Where the two studies disagree is in how long the website can be effective for weight loss. Slazus et al.’s study found that people saw positive results almost immediately, even if the time frame was short. In Laing et al.’s Study, students made better food choices and felt like the app helped. But Laing’s study took place over six months and showed that most users couldn’t stick with the app, and those who did see little change. This information raises the question of whether MyFitnessPal can help someone reach long-term goals, or if it’s just a good way to start an improvement journey.
One of the strengths of Slazus et al.’s study is that it shows how quickly people can start improving their habits. Real users saw real change in just three weeks. This being said, that’s also not entirely a good thing, because the study doesn’t look at whether those changes lasted long term. On the other hand, Laing’s study might seem less exciting, but it’s more realistic. It lasted six months and included over 200 participants. Even though most people didn’t lose weight, the study shows how hard it is to stay consistent. One interesting outlier in the experiment was one person in the Laing study who logged into the app 782 times in six months and lost 29 pounds. This proves that the app can work, but only with a lot of dedication and effort.
Personally, I think MyFitnessPal can be a useful tool, but only if the person using it is motivated. I’ve tried it myself before, and while it helped me understand more about what I ate, I wasn’t always perfect with my logging. It became a chore after the first couple of weeks, which lines up with what the research shows. As the study by Leng et al. explained, “Most participants rarely used the app after the first month of the study, and a few individuals continued to log in regularly in the sixth month”. For people with busy lives, logging everything every day can become overwhelming. So, while I think the app has potential, I don’t think it’s for everyone.
A good middle ground between both viewpoints is using MyFitnessPal as part of a larger plan, not as the only solution. Like Slazus et al.’s study shows, the app can help raise awareness and improve food choices. But, like Laing et al.’s research points out, it won’t work for long-term weight loss unless someone stays consistent. So maybe the best strategy is to use MyFitnessPal along with other support, like a gym membership, a personal trainer, or even a supportive group of friends. That way, people get short-term help from the app and achieve long-term success from the other solutions, like the gym.
At the end of the day, it’s hard to say for sure if MyFitnessPal really works for everyone. For some people, it can be a helpful tool that supports their goals and teaches them more about their diet. For others, it can be pressuring or just too hard to stick with. What the question really boils down to is how dedicated someone is to make a change. MyFitnessPal might be part of that journey, but it’s not some magic solution. The best way to reach your fitness goals is to find something that works for you and fits your lifestyle.
Works Cited
Slazus, Jessica A., et al. “An App-Based Diet Monitoring Tool Can Promote Healthier Eating in Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” Nutrition, vol. 93, 2022, 111467. ScienceDirect, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2021.111467.
Laing, Brian Y., et al. “Effectiveness of a Smartphone Application for Weight Loss Compared With Usual Care in Overweight Primary Care Patients: A Randomized, Controlled Trial.” Annals of Internal Medicine, vol. 162, no. 7, 7 Apr. 2015, pp. 465–472. PubMed Central, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4422872/.
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