Lose It! is one of the first user-friendly calorie-counting apps for the iPhone, and it is free. The Lose It app from FitNow utilizes the Mifflin equation to determine what your daily calorie intake should be. You input your age, height, gender and current weight then choose your goal weight; Lose It tells you how many calories you can eat each day to meet this weight loss goal. Then your work begins.
Lose It has a large database of foods, way better than previous calorie counting apps Absolute Fitness and Daily Count, plus Lose It includes brand name foods like Chef Boyardee and Coca-Cola. You search the database for the foods you ate, choose your portion size and add it to your breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack log. The menu also contains popular foods from some chain restaurants like Olive Garden and McDonald’s. Did you know that a Bruegger’s plain bagel has 296 calories before you even add the cream cheese? If you make meals from scratch, you must enter the dishes one ingredient at a time into the app. Luckily you can save the recipe so you do not have to enter it again later.
Exercise is also factored into your Lose It daily caloric allowance. Lose It’s list of exercises is quite creative, with activities such as curling, frisbee, lawn mowing, yoga and even vacuuming. You can adjust the intensity on many of the activities as well as the length of time you exercised. The amount of calories burned is added onto your daily calorie maximum. If Lose It added a pedometer function for the iPhone like Step Trak Lite, it would be a great addition.
If you have an obsessive or compulsive side to your personality, Lose It might actually be a bit fun. One drawback is that it can take a long time to add recipes or dishes with multiple ingredients. This could interfere with a person’s commitment to use the app regularly. The ability to have more than one profile would be nice if you aim to improve your body with a buddy or two.
The app does not focus on overall healthiness; though there is optional nutrient tracking, no red flags appear when you input potentially unhealthy goals. When I told the app that I wanted my goal weight to be 80 lbs, the response was that I needed to eat 757 calories a day to achieve this weight loss. Hmmm. Lose It’s license agreement reminds the user to consult a doctor before starting any dieting or exercise regime.
I cannot offer you a testimonial to Lose It’s effectiveness at actual weight loss; I had my fill of calorie counting and aerobics classes in the 1980’s. I can tell you that if you have the time and determination, Lose It is a way you can keep track of the foods you eat while you are on the go, and increase your awareness of exactly what you are putting into your body.
For the best app reviews, subscribe to the AppCraver RSS feed.
app category: Best Free Apps, Calorie Counters, Editor's Picks, Healthcare & Fitness
45 Comments about this App
Talk About This App Review
More Apps in "Best Free Apps"
- HelloTXT Seeks to Streamline Social Media Posting
- Rediscover Your Groove
- Shop Healthy! The Free App that Helps You Shop for Good Food
- Secure Passwords with Moxier Wallet
- Increase Your Political Awareness with Visible Vote Mobile
- Flipsy FREE Flipping In The Right Direction
- A Look at Flook the Location Browser
- DropZap is Puzzle Action Without Dropping a Dime
- iCaption Mobile Harnesses the Power (and Pain) of Community
- Friend Mapper is a Cool Concept for the Right Audience
February 9th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
I use iShape and I like that better. I think it has more overall and is a more well rounded application. To each their own.
March 23rd, 2009 at 11:50 am
Not a bad app… a bit too time consuming to fill in your foods, but very detailed if that is what you are looking for.
April 14th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
This application has absolutely changed my life. I’ve lost close to 15 pounds at this point, it’s been almost three months. I love the way it works and would highly recommend it to anyone looking to live healthier.
April 21st, 2009 at 2:53 pm
I absolutely LOVE this app. I too have benefited with weight loss just by using it and counting my daily calories exercise. It has given me an outlet to stay focused. I agree that it can be time consuming to add all of your custom foods, but once you get them in there, you find that it’s a lot easier because we tend to eat a lot of the same foods if we maintain a healthy lifestyle. With that being said, I am wondering if anyone knows if there will be a way to upload all of your data, specifically previous meals and custom foods for those iphone users who will be upgrading in June to the next gen iphone?? I just dont want to have to re-input all of my custom foods when I get the new iphone. Any info would be great!
May 12th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
Not available in the UK store
May 20th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
Love this app. I’ve tried on and off thinking calorie counting doesn’t work, but I wasn’t to organized. This tool is the solution: I entered my age, height, weight and goal weight and how much I wanted to lose per week. Then I started entering each day what I weighted and all the food I ate and exercises (Garden work, walking, running, mowing lawn, plenty to choose from), saw my total calorie limit and net intake (which was less). I actually have lost 1.6 pounds in 4 days and I am not killing myself doing so. Very easy to have it all in one place and analyze. Nice at end of day to know if you can eat more calories and exactly how much. Plus if you decide to change how quickly you want to get to your goal (in case too difficult or too easy), it is very easy to do as well. You get a very good overall understanding of the calories you consume and use and how to make adjustments. It’s awesome.
May 22nd, 2009 at 10:41 am
It blows that you can’t download it from the Mexican iTunes Store.
I wrote FitNow and they never got back to me.
May 31st, 2009 at 3:50 pm
Can you use this on the computer or on a Blackberry?
July 18th, 2009 at 9:11 am
Tambien quisiera saber si existe una aplicacion similar para pc
August 19th, 2009 at 2:07 am
Does the database include alcoholic drinks?
August 19th, 2009 at 8:44 am
Yes, the database does include alcoholic drinks.
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:59 am
I have lost 48 pounds so far using this app, eating right and exercise. It is a pain to enter in custom foods but they next time you eat that food very easy to search and select. Try it out what do you have to loose. Me it was 48 pounds. I expect to loose another 20 then maintain.
November 18th, 2009 at 7:06 pm
I started using Lose it! In combination with exercise and have lost 17lbs in 4 weeks. I think it makes you more aware of what you are eating and how it will affect your overall goal. If you have the time and dedication, give it a try. I highly recommend this app.
December 10th, 2009 at 8:44 pm
This app is my favorite. Can’t live with out it!! I lost 25lbs thanks to Lose it! 10 more to go. It’s funny that nothing else was able to motivate me like this app
December 20th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
I have 8 pounds using it. It’s exactly what Vanessa says.
January 6th, 2010 at 9:13 am
I love this app. It keeps me honest. However, I have locked myself out by using the password function. Does anyone know how to get in?? I don’t want to have to wipe it out and start again, as I have a lot of time invested in my food entries. PLEASE HELP??!
January 14th, 2010 at 10:40 am
I just started useing the Loseit! app, and so far I like it.. been using it 3 days and so far ive stayed just under the calorie intake it reccomended for my daily intake. I feel positive after readint all the great things said here.. wish me luck !
January 26th, 2010 at 1:50 pm
please some one tell me how i can download this app on my laptop if i can i dont own a itouch or iphone please people does anybody know?
January 27th, 2010 at 7:14 pm
This app is incredibly easy to use and effective. Having a calorie counter and exercise tracker at your finger tips MAKES you take notice of your eating habits and change them for the better. I’ve lost 10 lbs. so far using this app and absolutely love it! It’s free too
February 8th, 2010 at 9:37 pm
Lose It would have been great except that it’s sometimes incorrect. A slice of bread is not 170 calories. A slice of pizza is not 900 calories. And, unfortunately, a glass of wine is a bit more than what Lose It tells you. I’d like to know where they get their info.
February 18th, 2010 at 5:47 am
Actually, many slices of bread are 170 calories. A large slice of sourdough is around 274 calories!
As for the pizza, that doesn’t seem right, but I enter in all the exact calorie content directly from the foods I eat. Every brand, serving size, etc. is going to vary quite a bit in calories.
I’ve been using this app for two weeks and have lost 8 lbs. I have to agree with Vanessa that it really does make you more aware of what you are eating and when you are looking at the caloric intake of some foods you step back and have this “wow” moment and often times you can easily do without it. I don’t find it that time consuming to enter in my meals, and I often find that I enjoy it.
February 18th, 2010 at 12:41 pm
I just love this ap. You really don’t know what you are eating until you start tracking your calories. I’ve tried other diets before…and never lost anything. With this program, if you use it properly…you can lose so much weight! Last year I lost 27 lbs in about 12 weeks (down to 112 lbs) – I went off the program…and gained about 13 back. But I’ve just started the program again and can’t believe how fast you start to see results. It’s really hard to stick to the calories – but believe me…if you do…you will lose weight consistenty. I’ve shared this with my friends at work and they have shared it with their friends and together – we have all (7 of us) lost over 400 lbs. Try it!!!
February 21st, 2010 at 10:30 am
I started using Lose It a month ago and I am down 18 lbs. My wife noticed my progress and immediately loaded it on her iPhone and now won’t eat a meal without logging it. A really super program despite the time needed to enter data. I can see me reaching my goal because it re-educates you to what is healthy and the price that you pay for eating that extra slice of bread. I would recommend it to anyone needing to lose weight.
February 21st, 2010 at 11:33 am
Started using this app this week after a friend at work recommended it. I thought it was going to be a pain to have to write down everything I eat but it really isn’t. I agree with some of the other reviewers that the calorie counting is really eye opening and makes you think twice about eating things you thought weren’t bad for you (i.e I had no idea that peanuts on a salad addd another 240 calorie!). I just started it and hope to lose a pound a week. So far so good and I have not felt deprived yet,
February 27th, 2010 at 2:42 am
Im looking for a calorie counter so i can track my toddlers calories. He is only 10 kg, does this app allow you to enter a starting weight that low?
Thanks
March 1st, 2010 at 9:30 am
can we use it out laptops ? if we dont have an iphone or itouch?
March 4th, 2010 at 10:15 am
I love it. I’ve lost 12 lbs. My boyfriend has lost 16 lbs. It does take time to add the food and sometimes frustrating when you go out to eat at a restaurant which is not on the list, but it works!!!
March 9th, 2010 at 1:38 am
This is the best app! I’ve been working out trying to lose weight for al
ost a year prior to using Lose It! No success. Matter of fact from Thanksgiving to just after New Years I gained almost 20 pounds. Enough was enough. Started using Lose It consistantly and slowly started losing weight the first few weeks. No cheating. If I have a bad day or two and go over my daily goal by thousands of calories I record it. For me over time seeing the facts has changed my eating habbits. Down 30 pounds since the beginning with about 10 more to go. The adjust For your own metabolism is a great feature. Bottom line is if you can be honest you will lose weight or at least see on “paper” why you didn’t.
March 15th, 2010 at 4:48 am
I love the app. It is not time consuming since it keeps a separate database (”My Foods”) of what you’ve eaten in the past and it’s easy to find them in the list.
I wish it had a “notes” or “comments” feature, though, in addition to logging food and exercise. It could be used to write notes to oneself in encouragement, or simply to document reasons for a bad calorie day (wedding, travel, etc.) The uses could be endless. Just a blank page for notes for each day. Maybe on a future update?
March 30th, 2010 at 3:56 am
I agree with #16. It keeps you honest. Yes its time consuming but if it wasnt you would probably be using that time to eat. ;->
It really makes you think. The only drinks it includes are shakes (which are F’ing horrible as far as calorie count goes) and i initially had a problem with that, but I think it works. I try to stay under my calorie goal by 150-200 to allow for the occasional soda.
Since 3/22 i have lost 6 pounds.
April 3rd, 2010 at 5:37 am
really wish it was available on the israeli app store
really want to download this!!!
April 11th, 2010 at 5:16 pm
Awesome app. I’ve been able to lose those dreaded extra post pregnancy 10lbs. I’ve tried everything and this app has finally done the trick. I had no idea how many extra calories I had been eating but now with this app I can decide if I’d rather have chocolate or wine, or both just less of each. I love how I can add my own recipes and custom foods or select from restaurant items to choose items with less calories. I find I eat more nutritious foods, treat myself to sweets but know when to stop.
April 16th, 2010 at 12:13 pm
Between the SOUTH BEACH (modified) and LOSE IT, I have lost 10 pounds in two weeks…BUT…measure yourself!!! I did and was SURPRISED my the amount of inches I lost in two short weeks. Sure, adding all the food items is a pain, but after a couple weeks anything you eat can be added. Figures, my iPhone takes a dump and I have to start over…LOL
April 22nd, 2010 at 8:35 am
To answer a few questions. You can’t download it on a laptop and use it, it requires having an iphone, although Lose it! does have a website. But the website requires the iphone app to register and it backs up from the iphone app.
If you have only a laoptop and an internet connection. You might try the website: http://www.sparkpeople.com/
It essentially does what Lose it! does, calorie tracking, food logs, some pretty great forums and its free. best!
April 22nd, 2010 at 10:24 am
I’ve been using it a few weeks now and love it! My boyfriend is also using it and has lost almost 10 lbs. I was a bit lazy the first week, as you really do have to enter in many recipes and food items, which can be time consuming, but now that I’m accurately counting, I can feel the weight dropping off. Has really made me balance my calories, exercise, and low-carb/sugar goals effectively. My only suggestion: I wish you could share recipes with your friends. It’s annoying to sit next to my boyfriend after dinner and both of us have to type in each ingredient that makes up a recipe. Another idea: wouldn’t it be great if you could just scan a barcode and have the nutritional value automatically prepopulate?
May 5th, 2010 at 1:06 pm
This App has saved my life, and thus far I’ve lost 21 lbs with it, and my wife has lost 15 lbs too. It’s a huge resource in becoming aware of how much you are eating. When combined with other things, such as changing the mix towards more fruits and veggies, it can change a person’s life forever.
May 25th, 2010 at 8:18 am
I love this app. It is a great way to see exactly what you are eating and a real eye opener. I do wish you could edit some of the entries. When you make up a recipe, you can’t edit any of the ingredients. It would also be nice to be able to add a buddy. Thanks for a great app.
June 5th, 2010 at 3:14 pm
do you have to work out and exercise to successfully lose weight?
June 8th, 2010 at 2:02 pm
My neice loves this application on her iPhone.
Need to develop for the Android!!!
June 30th, 2010 at 4:24 pm
How do you enter recipse for this App? It keep telling me to hit the “more” button but that doesn’t do anything!!!!!
July 8th, 2010 at 12:49 pm
I love this ap… I have been using it for a month or a little less and already lost 10 lbs. It’s really amazing to know how many calories I consumed before using this ap, it really makes you thing about what you’re fixing to eat..The only thing I’d like to know is do you ever level out on your calories and do they ever go back up? The more weight I lose the more calories I lose a day.
July 8th, 2010 at 1:20 pm
I’m the 35th commenter above, but wanted to update everyone on my progress in the past two months. I LOVE THIS APP! Like another commenter said, “it keeps me honest.” Since April, I’ve been using the app and have lost 12 lbs. My boyfriend has been using it and has lost almost 28lb!! Let me also say, we aren’t big people to begin with. It’s been very difficult for me to peel off these last few lbs and I’ve tried many diets that just couldn’t help me until I started using this app. I especially enjoy the “Motivators” and have been receiving weekly reports on my calorie consumption/expenditure. It allows me to evaluate what did or didn’t work (example: higher carb consumption). I’m still wishing they would allow a sharing feature for “sharing recipes” between LoseIt friends. Maybe one day!
July 18th, 2010 at 4:58 pm
Best app ever. Considering how much people pay for weight loss programs & books this is simple & free! Lost 14 pounds and going!
August 5th, 2010 at 7:39 am
I have been using the Lose It! app for almost 3 weeks now and have been keeping a diary of all of my foods and exercise. Last week I had gone from 145 to 141.5 and then all of a sudden I am back to 145. I am on the plan to lose 2 lbs per week and I am very disappointed that I am not seeing those results. I am confused by the daily calorie allowance, am I supposed to say well under my prescribed calorie level, which is currently 967(before exercise)???
August 17th, 2010 at 10:16 am
This app is the greatest. I have an itouch and after my daughter told me about it, I downloaded it. I put in for 1 1/2 pound loss a week and am on track. Its been 8 weeks and I’ve lost 13 pounds. My daughter 19 pounds. I am down to a size 8. I’m addicted now and plan to use it to maintain once I reach my goal.