MyFitnessPal helped me lose 28 pounds in four months

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• MyFitnessPal, along with healthy
  diet and
  exercise, helped author Chelsea Greenwood lose
  weight.
• The app helps her stay accountable by tracking calories
  and her weekly workouts.
• Here’s how MyFitnessPal
  app helped her lose 28 pounds in four months.

On the night of my 35th birthday,
I spent an hour in my closet, desperately trying to find
something to wear.

It’s not that I didn’t have a
diverse enough selection of clothes — quite the opposite,
actually. The problem was that I was at my highest-ever weight,
and I didn’t look or feel good in anything I owned. In fact, I
didn’t feel comfortable in my own skin — and I certainly didn’t
feel like being the center of attention as the birthday
girl.

That was in July 2018. Since
getting married in 2014 and facing personal and family struggles
over the previous few years, the pounds had slowly accumulated
until I barely recognized myself in the mirror. All told, I was
about 40 pounds over my ideal weight.

It was time to make a change — a
lasting change. I was tired of trying fad diets and watching my
weight yo-yo. I decided to lose weight the old-fashioned
way:

diet

and

exercise

.

But I had an ace up my sleeve: an
app that counts calories and provides nutritional advice. A
friend of mine had used


MyFitnessPal

(made by
Under Armour) with great success, and it immediately came to mind
when I made the decision to diet.

Tracking calories with MyFitnessPal

MyFitnessPal; Chelsea Greenwood/Business
Insider

The day after my birthday, I
downloaded the MyFitnessPal app, filled out its survey with my
current weight and goals, and started keeping track of every
calorie I ate. I also committed to working out five or six days a
week for an hour at a time on my stationary bike.

At first, counting calories was
hard. I kept forgetting to log snacks — which made me realize I
was snacking too much — and had trouble meeting my daily calorie
goal of 1,200. Considering I’m a writer and math-averse, it was
also difficult to figure out the calorie content of foods I’d
prepared myself. (Boxed foods are easy, though, because you can
just scan the barcode with the app, and it logs all the nutrition
info.)

Soon, I got used to tracking my
calories — thanks in part to the regular push notifications from
MyFitnessPal to log each meal — and I started making progress. I
lost about eight pounds within the first month and could already
see a difference around my midsection. And I don’t feel like I’m
depriving myself, either.

MyFitnessPal; Chelsea Greenwood/Business
Insider

In addition to being mindful of
calories, I pay attention to the fat, carb, and protein content
of the foods I’m eating, as noted by MyFitnessPal in a handy pie
chart, and adjust accordingly. At one point, I realized my
high-protein breakfast sandwich was nearly blowing my daily fat
allotment before 9 a.m. and immediately made a switch.

The app alerts you when you’re
nearing your fat, carb, sugar, or sodium limit for the day so you
can try to avoid foods laden with those for the rest of the day.
It also cheers you on with positive messages when you hit
milestones, such as losing five pounds or tracking for a certain
amount of days in a row — kind of like a personal diet coach in
your pocket.

Read
more: 
8
free fitness apps that can help you get in shape — and what
they’re best for

I’ve stuck with it as best I can,
generally toeing the line during the week and sometimes veering
off track on weekends. But the key is getting back on track when
I fall off — something I wasn’t so great about doing during past
diets. If I’m afraid I’ve gone up in weight and don’t want to
face the scale for a weigh-in, I just stick to my regimen for
another week or two until I feel confident that I’ve compensated
for my transgressions.

Seeing results

It’s been a little over four
months now, and I’ve lost 28 pounds. I feel and look better than
I have in maybe a decade, and I find I’m actually enjoying
getting dressed and trying new fashions. Now that I’m 35, it’s
kind of like a new chapter in my life, and I’m deciding what that
means for me and the way I present myself to the world.

I still have about 12 pounds left
to lose before I hit my goal, but I’m confident I’ll get there.
Whether it’s this year or next, I’m taking my time and enjoying
the ride.