How to Do the Calories In, Calories Out (CICO) Diet Using MyFitnessPal 

You’ve likely heard about the Calories In, Calories Out (CICO) method for managing weight. It’s probably the most popular approach—and the most effective. 

The concept is pretty straightforward: To lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than your body burns. And if you consume more calories than your body burns, you gain weight. CICO is a flexible approach to weight loss backed by science (1). 

If you’re new to the CICO diet or calorie tracking in general, you may not know exactly where to start. And you may know that MyFitnessPal can help you track your calories and nutrients. In fact, MyFitnessPal can be your best friend on the CICO diet. The app can help you set your goals and stay on track when you’re tracking. 

Wondering how to use MyFitnessPal can help with the CICO method? Let’s get into it step by step.

Step 1: Set up your goals in MyFitnessPal

First, when you sign up for MyFitnessPal, the app will ask you for some essential info: your age, weight, height, sex, and daily activity level. 

Your answers help calculate the most important stats that make the CICO method work:

Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): The number of calories your body burns at rest just to maintain basic bodily functions.

Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE): The total calories your body burns in a day, factoring in your activity level (e.g., how much you exercise, whether you have a physically demanding job, etc.).

Next, you’ll choose a goal:

  • Losing weight
  • Maintaining your current weight
  • Gaining muscle 

If your goal is weight loss, MyFitnessPal will suggest a calorie goal that will put you in a calorie deficit. If you meet that goal, you’ll consume fewer calories than you burn each day. 

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