MyFitnessPal vs Lose It
MyFitnessPal vs Lose It: Which App Fits You?
This page cannot establish which service is the better fit. MyFitnessPal and Lose It may ask you to track in different ways; How It Felt offers a journal for noticing how eating feels. Read the current details and choose only what feels supportive.
What each app optimises for
MyFitnessPal vs Lose It
The available research does not compare MyFitnessPal with Lose It. Their current features, prompts and plans can vary by platform, region and subscription, so check each service's own information.
How It Felt
Private self-reflection: noticing hunger, fullness and the experience of a meal without scores or an assigned programme.
Side-by-side
| Feature | MyFitnessPal vs Lose It | How It Felt |
|---|---|---|
| Primary approach | MyFitnessPal vs Lose It The two services may differ in how they structure tracking, prompts and progress information. Review their current descriptions rather than relying on a universal ranking. | How It Felt A short, private check-in about the experience of eating. |
| What gets your attention | MyFitnessPal vs Lose It A structured record and the progress information each service chooses to show. | How It Felt Hunger, fullness, feelings and sensory details, if you choose. |
| Routines | MyFitnessPal vs Lose It The structure and prompts depend on the service, plan, platform and region. | How It Felt No assigned programme or routine to maintain. |
| Privacy questions | MyFitnessPal vs Lose It Read each service's current privacy and app-store data information before signing up. | How It Felt Review How It Felt's current privacy information before adding personal notes. |
| Looking back | MyFitnessPal vs Lose It Review the records and progress views available in the service you choose. | How It Felt Look back at entries and your own notes without a score or ranking. |
| Cost and access | MyFitnessPal vs Lose It Check current subscription, platform and location details for either service. | How It Felt Free to use, with an optional Supporter tier. |
When to pick which
Pick MyFitnessPal vs Lose It if…
- Read MyFitnessPal's and Lose It's current descriptions, plans and privacy information before deciding whether either is right for you.
- Notice whether target-based tracking or progress prompts feel neutral, stressful or activating. You can stop at any time.
- If you are in eating-disorder recovery or feel unsure, ask an eating-disorder-informed clinician to help you think through the options.
Pick How It Felt if…
- You want a private journal rather than a tracking programme to follow.
- You want to notice how eating feels without translating meals into numbers.
- You want a journal that does not ask you to maintain an external target.
Verdict
There is no supported head-to-head winner here. MyFitnessPal and Lose It may differ in their tracking prompts and targets; How It Felt is a quieter journal. The gentlest fit is the one that leaves you feeling supported rather than monitored.
Frequently asked
Is How It Felt a replacement for MyFitnessPal or Lose It?
No. It serves a different purpose. MyFitnessPal and Lose It offer structured tracking; How It Felt is a private reflection journal with no numerical targets.
Does How It Felt have a food database or barcode scanner?
No. How It Felt is not a food-information lookup tool. It gives you a place to note hunger, fullness, feelings and sensory details if you choose.
Which app is the most private?
There is not enough like-for-like information here to name one app as the most private. Review each service's current privacy and app-store data disclosures for your region and plan.
Can I use a structured app and How It Felt together?
You can, but notice how each one affects you. If logging or progress tracking starts to feel stressful, pausing and discussing it with an eating-disorder-informed clinician may be a kinder next step.
Sources and review date
The official service pages below are the place to check current features, plans and privacy practices. The linked paper is included for safety context only; it does not compare these services or support their product descriptions.
- How It Felt product page
- MyFitnessPal official site
- Lose It! official site
- Fairburn C.G. et al. (2015): Apps and eating disorders: A systematic clinical appraisal
- This clinical appraisal is included for safety context only: it discusses considering eating-related apps in light of users' needs and vulnerabilities. It does not compare these services or verify their current features, plans or privacy practices. [Fairburn C.G. et al. (2015)]
Last reviewed: April 30, 2026.
Learn the concepts
Plain-language explainers behind the comparison.
Try How It Felt
A calmer way to be with food.
A private, reflection-led journal for noticing how eating feels.