Nutrition Tracking Software.

November 15, 2007 7:33 PM

I need software that will track my nutritional intake. It would track calories, carbs, protean, fats and keep them in a date base for reference. It should have a good sized date base of foods already in it and be able to have new ones added. This is for a pre-intel Mac preferably, or online if need by. Free or cheap would make me happy.

I am trying to tighten up my exercise and nutritional regimen and should probably make sure I am not getting too much fat or carbs.

What do you fitness buff mefis use for such a purpose?

posted by munchingzombie to Health & Fitness (18 answers total)

I've used Calorie King before with good effect.

It's Java, so it feels a bit clunky, like LimeWire, but it works well.
posted by tomierna at 7:43 PM on November 15, 2007

My boss likes this one: http://www.myfooddiary.com/
posted by 45moore45 at 8:00 PM on November 15, 2007

I've been using Nutrition Data to do this for a little while now. To get a daily total from the pantry you sort of have to game it by making a "recipe" that has everything you ate that day in it, but apart from that it works great.
posted by Who_Am_I at 8:03 PM on November 15, 2007

I've used Calorie King, too, and like it fine; there are also a lot of online options. My favourite online trackers are Fitday (pretty no frills) and SparkPeople (which has a solid community attached).
posted by synecdoche at 8:06 PM on November 15, 2007 [1 favorite]

FitDay. The online account is free, and the PC download is only $30. It tracks nutrition + exercise.
posted by batcrazy at 8:07 PM on November 15, 2007

D'oh. Synedoche beat me to it. Oh well. :)
posted by batcrazy at 8:07 PM on November 15, 2007

Seconding FitDay. Some of my coworkers swear by it. The online version is free. I've tried it, and it seems like the food list is pretty thorough, and you can add your own. It also tracks your activities so you know how many calories you're burning. I only quit using it because I decided I didn't want to track my whole life in that kind of detail.
posted by teg at 8:09 PM on November 15, 2007

Response by poster: I was using FitDay earlier this evening but stopped when avacado wasn't on their list... however, going back their again after your recommendations I was able to find avocado on their list...

I can't stress it enough. Spelling is an important skill to have. I would have been pleased as a clam if the first food I went to look up was on there and not bothered you all with this question. But nope.

Feel free to use this folly as a cautionary tale to your children so they may avoid my waste-a-askmetafilter-question fate.

I will try that with spellcheck and also give Nutrition Data a whirl.
posted by munchingzombie at 8:22 PM on November 15, 2007

Yup, FitDay.
posted by bonobo at 8:22 PM on November 15, 2007

I've used FitDay and, believe it or not, the government actually has a decent tool at http://www.mypyramidtracker.gov/ which is pretty handy if you're also into the Pyramid Guide.
posted by cdmwebs at 8:34 PM on November 15, 2007

I prefer The Daily Plate to FitDay. Though it certainly has its limitations, finding common foods is exceptionally easy because the database is created by users.

Whatever you use, good luck! At one point Spark People had a large, active community of MeFites. Not sure about these days. I find their website immensely difficult to use.
posted by sequential at 8:39 PM on November 15, 2007

I like Sparkpeople.
posted by tcv at 8:45 PM on November 15, 2007 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: I found the Daily Plate to be really clunky. It too me forever to enter in a days worth of food. So exhausted was I that I had to snack on a bag of potatoe chips and ruin the whole thing! But, perhaps like other clunky but useful websites it has a hidden charm.

Sparkpeople sounds really upbeat. MeFites AND the word spark.
posted by munchingzombie at 9:15 PM on November 15, 2007

Fourthing FitDay, it's the bees knees!
posted by blue_beetle at 9:32 PM on November 15, 2007

Best answer: Big fan of Cron-o-Meter, it's cross-platform and free, with a good database and a lot fo flexibility in targets.
posted by methylsalicylate at 4:49 AM on November 16, 2007

Add another vote for Spark People.
posted by jeffxl at 7:08 AM on November 16, 2007

Response by poster: I think FitDay has it. After getting the hang of it it only took me five minutes to enter in a days worth of food.

It also rewarded me by telling me I could still eat 700 calories! YIPPY!

Spark People didn't appeal to me too much.

Cron-o-meter will be this evenings experiment.

Thank you all for your responses.
posted by munchingzombie at 11:19 AM on November 16, 2007

Response by poster: cron o meter is slick. It is one awesome piece of software. Thank you Methy for recommending it.

For those of you using FitDay, if you only use FitDay at home and don't need mobility cron o meter is awesome. You all should check it out.

again, thank you^3
posted by munchingzombie at 4:33 PM on November 16, 2007