Short answer: Logging a sauna visit is optional. To record the date and duration without inventing calories, use a diary note. MyFitnessPal also documents how to create a custom exercise, but these instructions do not provide a validated sauna-calorie calculation. Logging exercise calories can change your daily calorie goal. [1][4][5]
Why people log (optional)
Some people note sauna visits for consistency or curiosity. You do not need to log them to “make the visit count,” and this guide does not tell you to treat sauna minutes as a weight-loss plan.
Path A — Note only (no calorie estimate)
Use this when you want date and duration without inventing a calorie figure.
According to MyFitnessPal’s help:
- On the web: open the Exercise tab, go to the Exercise Diary page, choose Edit Note, then Save Note. [1]
- In the iOS and Android apps: scroll to the bottom of the Diary page and tap Notes. [1]
The Notes instructions in [1] use the older “Diary” label. Newer versions use “Today” [2]; we have not verified where Notes appears in that redesigned app. If you cannot find it, use the documented web route above.
Neutral example note (fill in your own values; no calories, no recommended session length):
[date] · [actual duration] · [optional note]
Path B — Optional custom exercise
- Start the usual flow to add an exercise. On the apps, MyFitnessPal documents: tap +, then Exercise, then choose cardio from the database. On the website, use the Exercise tab and Add Exercise under the exercise type you want. [3]
- Search for a name that fits your visit. If no suitable entry is available, MyFitnessPal documents creating a personal exercise from the search results screen: Add an exercise to the database (website) or Create a New Exercise (mobile, at the bottom of the page), then fill in the details and confirm. [4]
- Enter only values you already have. We do not know from the public help pages whether a blank calorie field or a zero is accepted in every current form. If you do not have a calorie figure you trust, use Path A instead of inventing a number just to complete a form.
What calorie numbers in the app actually mean
- Any calorie figure you type for a custom “Sauna” exercise is your input (or a figure from another tool). The sources checked for this rewrite do not provide a verified conversion from sauna heart rate or sauna minutes into your personal calories. [4][5]
- MyFitnessPal states that when you log exercise, your daily calorie goal for that day can increase so weight-change pace stays aligned with the goal you set at profile setup. That explains why logged exercise can raise remaining calories; it is not a recommendation to “earn” large food bonuses from a sauna entry. [5]
- Premium users can turn exercise-calorie adjustments off or customize them under Goals / Exercise Calories (apps) or My Home → Goals → Fitness (web), per MyFitnessPal. [5]
- Third-party integrations can update goals from device data in general; that is not the same as a validated sauna calorie measurement. [4]
Device note
Leave heat-sensitive wearables out of extreme heat when the manufacturer advises against sauna or hot-tub use. For Fitbit models, see our Fitbit guide: https://saunahelper.com/can-you-wear-a-fitbit-in-the-sauna-charge-inspire-versa-sense/ This page does not recommend putting a watch or tracker into the sauna to “get better calories,” and it does not pick device models.
Useful FAQs
Does MyFitnessPal include a built-in “Sauna” exercise?
The support pages cited here do not confirm whether “Sauna” appears in the current exercise database. Search your version first; the diary-note option does not depend on finding an exercise entry. [3][4]
Can I log without a calorie number?
Yes for a visit record: use the exercise-diary note path. [1] If you want an exercise entry and you lack a trustworthy calorie figure, do not invent one for the form.
Can synced watches fill in sauna calories for me?
Integrations exist for activity data in general. [4] That does not mean the app has validated sauna-specific calorie math for your session.
Is this medical or nutrition advice?
No. For personal calorie targets or health questions, ask a clinician or registered dietitian.
Bottom line
A note with date and duration is enough for many readers. A custom exercise is optional and only as honest as the numbers you enter.
Sources
[1] MyFitnessPal Help, How do I add notes to my exercise diary?, accessed 05.09.2026: https://support.myfitnesspal.com/hc/en-us/articles/360032622711-How-do-I-add-notes-to-my-exercise-diary
[2] MyFitnessPal Help, Your Today tab, accessed 05.09.2026: https://support.myfitnesspal.com/hc/en-us/articles/39985611667341-Your-Today-tab
[3] MyFitnessPal Help, How do I add an exercise to my diary?, accessed 05.09.2026: https://support.myfitnesspal.com/hc/en-us/articles/360032626071-How-do-I-add-an-exercise-to-my-diary
[4] MyFitnessPal Help, Can I add a new exercise to the database?, accessed 05.09.2026: https://support.myfitnesspal.com/hc/en-us/articles/360032625831-Can-I-add-a-new-exercise-to-the-database
[5] MyFitnessPal Help, Why do my daily nutrient values and my calorie goal change when I log exercise?, accessed 05.09.2026: https://support.myfitnesspal.com/hc/en-us/articles/360032623851-Why-do-my-daily-nutrient-values-and-my-calorie-goal-change-when-I-log-exercise
Prepared from MyFitnessPal’s public help documentation. These steps were not tested in a personal MyFitnessPal account.