Forget to log food
Replies
-
You don't really need credit, though. It's just a feel-good thing to see. More importantly, it is good to keep logging. I just took her question differently from the others; "Oh no, I didn't log it, how can I add my log?" I hadn't known soon after starting that you could change days. It was a surprise. xD0 -
I prelog everything the night before as I am making my dinner. It may help to prelog.0
-
Busylakemom, I can definitely sympathize. I'm also a mom, one with three kids under 12, and no matter how sincerely I intend to log it all ahead of time, or as I eat, etc., it's just not something that always happens.
Me (sitting down to dinner after making sure the kids have all been served): "Okay, time to log this -- "
Kid 1(has chugged her drink already): "Mom! Can I have a drink?"
Kid 2 (has scarfed his food already): "Can I have more chicken?"
Kid 3 [throws potato-laden spoon on floor]: "I don't LIKE mashed potatoes!"
Me (dropping my phone and grabbing a single hot bite because I know the food is going to be cold before I get to take a second one): "Yes, yes, and Kathleen DON'T THROW YOUR FOOD ... "
I would say try your best, don't feel bad if you're not perfect, and don't ever let anyone tell you you're not "dedicated" enough because you miss a few beats.
Pre-log.0 -
well I have 3 kids. I have no problem logging. I log while I eat which is after them when I get my moments peace. At restaurants with company I sneak off to log in restroom. Sometimes I do it at the end of the day but its too tedious to remember. Sometimes I log as I am cooking it and measuring out so I can scan while im still in the kitchen. Sometimes I log ahead my day in the morning if its a day I go to care for mom bc I take my make ahead snacks and lunch to stay on track.0
-
Weigh and log it before you sit down
Teach kids to wait or serve themselves?
Being committed to your own health is not a bad thing to teach your children
If you're a parent, you probably know that it's not that cut and dried. If I let my 4 y.o. serve herself she'll end up with half the bowl on her plate and the other half in her lap.
I totally agree that being dedicated takes commitment. But telling someone just to "be more dedicated" sounds just a little bit elitist. People have lives; people have schedules; people have families. It's not a perfect world.
0 -
Busylakemom, I can definitely sympathize. I'm also a mom, one with three kids under 12, and no matter how sincerely I intend to log it all ahead of time, or as I eat, etc., it's just not something that always happens.
Me (sitting down to dinner after making sure the kids have all been served): "Okay, time to log this -- "
Kid 1(has chugged her drink already): "Mom! Can I have a drink?"
Kid 2 (has scarfed his food already): "Can I have more chicken?"
Kid 3 [throws potato-laden spoon on floor]: "I don't LIKE mashed potatoes!"
Me (dropping my phone and grabbing a single hot bite because I know the food is going to be cold before I get to take a second one): "Yes, yes, and Kathleen DON'T THROW YOUR FOOD ... "
I would say try your best, don't feel bad if you're not perfect, and don't ever let anyone tell you you're not "dedicated" enough because you miss a few beats.
Weigh and log it before you sit down
Teach kids to wait or serve themselves?
Being committed to your own health is not a bad thing to teach your children
This. I have 3 kids under ten. Even the 3 year old can pour himself a glass of water. I'm not saying some days aren't crazy, ok most days are crazy. I don't use caring for my kids as an excuse for not caring for myself. Ever.
0 -
christinev297 wrote: »I prelog my day everyday while I'm having my morning cuppa.
It's the very first thing I do when I turn on my computer.
Ditto. I think this gives me a sense of confidence! It is nice to begin the day knowing that you have control and balance!
0 -
Busylakemom, I can definitely sympathize. I'm also a mom, one with three kids under 12, and no matter how sincerely I intend to log it all ahead of time, or as I eat, etc., it's just not something that always happens.
Me (sitting down to dinner after making sure the kids have all been served): "Okay, time to log this -- "
Kid 1(has chugged her drink already): "Mom! Can I have a drink?"
Kid 2 (has scarfed his food already): "Can I have more chicken?"
Kid 3 [throws potato-laden spoon on floor]: "I don't LIKE mashed potatoes!"
Me (dropping my phone and grabbing a single hot bite because I know the food is going to be cold before I get to take a second one): "Yes, yes, and Kathleen DON'T THROW YOUR FOOD ... "
I would say try your best, don't feel bad if you're not perfect, and don't ever let anyone tell you you're not "dedicated" enough because you miss a few beats.
OK, I see that you have a 4 year old, so I can understand not allowing her to serve herself. But 4 is probably old enough to learn patience and that Mommy isn't her servant and that she might have to wait a minute for Mommy to get her a drink or more food. You don't have to be a jack in the box and jump whenever your kids call your name.
As for your other kids...I assume at least one of them is close to age 12, or you wouldn't have said, "under 12". I think that any kid age 8+ can get him/herself another drink or another piece of chicken.
My mother allowed herself to be a slave to her kids. I didn't make the same mistake.
0 -
There are some things you can do to help it become a habit. For me it's sitting down the night before and pre-logging my entire day. It takes about 5 minutes. Ten if I have to enter a new recipe. The important thing is to do it the same way every time so that it becomes a habit. Don't log as you go one day, pre-log the next, write everything on paper and enter it later the day after that, and so on. Pick a method and be consistent.0
-
If I am with other people and don't want to ignore them to play with MFP on my phone, I take a picture of my meal before I eat it.
I then perform a "forensic picture based estimation" to determine what and how much to log <- lots of fun can be had with this one, I almost posted a picture once to ask for estimation advice
That is BRILLIANT. Next time we eat out and I didn't prelog I will definitely do this. I'mlucky in that my wife is also tracking her macros (not so much calories) to manage her diabetes, so when we eat out it's usually somewhere we've both already checked out the menu and researched our options.
There are some great tips in this thread! I've set MFP as my home page now. I'm in the 'prelog' camp, and if that can't happen jot it down somewhere. I use Evernote to organise my entire life (home and work) so I'll throw a note in there while I'm at work if I can't get onto MFP.
If worst comes to worst - like the other day we had a work potluck and I ate so many little things that the thought of logging was just overwhelming - I quick-added 1000 calories and used the 'note' field at the bottom of my diary to just list everything. Then if I want to go back and add it item by item I can, but at least it's recorded.0 -
OP, are there some reasons beyond habit you might have trouble remembering to log?0
-
booksandchocolate12 wrote: »
OK, I see that you have a 4 year old, so I can understand not allowing her to serve herself. But 4 is probably old enough to learn patience and that Mommy isn't her servant and that she might have to wait a minute for Mommy to get her a drink or more food. You don't have to be a jack in the box and jump whenever your kids call your name.
As for your other kids...I assume at least one of them is close to age 12, or you wouldn't have said, "under 12". I think that any kid age 8+ can get him/herself another drink or another piece of chicken.
My mother allowed herself to be a slave to her kids. I didn't make the same mistake.
I hope you realize I was simply sketching out an illustrative scenario, not literally narrating a nightly event. Focusing on the specific example means you're missing the larger point: People don't live perfect lives, and sometimes practical advice and a little sympathy are more valuable than "suck it up, buttercup, and be more dedicated."0 -
A tip I've found that helps me log is I will pre-log dinner as soon as I figure out what we're having. I'll log everything as weighing 1 gram a piece. This way, when dinner rolls around and I actually weigh each component of the meal, it just takes a few seconds to change the 1 gram entries to reflect the actual weights.0
-
booksandchocolate12 wrote: »
OK, I see that you have a 4 year old, so I can understand not allowing her to serve herself. But 4 is probably old enough to learn patience and that Mommy isn't her servant and that she might have to wait a minute for Mommy to get her a drink or more food. You don't have to be a jack in the box and jump whenever your kids call your name.
As for your other kids...I assume at least one of them is close to age 12, or you wouldn't have said, "under 12". I think that any kid age 8+ can get him/herself another drink or another piece of chicken.
My mother allowed herself to be a slave to her kids. I didn't make the same mistake.
I hope you realize I was simply sketching out an illustrative scenario, not literally narrating a nightly event. Focusing on the specific example means you're missing the larger point: People don't live perfect lives, and sometimes practical advice and a little sympathy are more valuable than "suck it up, buttercup, and be more dedicated."
Sure, but you picked that scenario, so I assume it's pretty common, even if it's not a nightly event. It would be odd for you pick something that only happened once in twelve years, and use it as an example of why it's hard to log your food.
Whatever the case, I told the OP to pre-log her food. I think that's practical advice, don't you? Pre-logging your food doesn't really take all that long, once you get the hang of it. Especially because (unless you live an exotic and well traveled life, where you're eating a different type of cuisine every night) you're likely eating the same things on a regular basis, so the nutritional information will be close at hand.
"I am soooo busy" is probably the most common excuse I've seen on weight loss forums for people not doing what they need to do. You don't need a perfect life to lose weight.
But I suppose "take a few minutes each night to pre-log your food" isn't going to get a person as far as a sympathetic look, a hand pat and a "There, there. I know your life is sooo busy."
0 -
What do you do?
I dunno - you can try being responsible and not making excuses, right?0 -
booksandchocolate12 wrote: »booksandchocolate12 wrote: »
OK, I see that you have a 4 year old, so I can understand not allowing her to serve herself. But 4 is probably old enough to learn patience and that Mommy isn't her servant and that she might have to wait a minute for Mommy to get her a drink or more food. You don't have to be a jack in the box and jump whenever your kids call your name.
As for your other kids...I assume at least one of them is close to age 12, or you wouldn't have said, "under 12". I think that any kid age 8+ can get him/herself another drink or another piece of chicken.
My mother allowed herself to be a slave to her kids. I didn't make the same mistake.
I hope you realize I was simply sketching out an illustrative scenario, not literally narrating a nightly event. Focusing on the specific example means you're missing the larger point: People don't live perfect lives, and sometimes practical advice and a little sympathy are more valuable than "suck it up, buttercup, and be more dedicated."
Sure, but you picked that scenario, so I assume it's pretty common, even if it's not a nightly event. It would be odd for you pick something that only happened once in twelve years, and use it as an example of why it's hard to log your food.
Whatever the case, I told the OP to pre-log her food. I think that's practical advice, don't you? Pre-logging your food doesn't really take all that long, once you get the hang of it. Especially because (unless you live an exotic and well traveled life, where you're eating a different type of cuisine every night) you're likely eating the same things on a regular basis, so the nutritional information will be close at hand.
"I am soooo busy" is probably the most common excuse I've seen on weight loss forums for people not doing what they need to do. You don't need a perfect life to lose weight.
But I suppose "take a few minutes each night to pre-log your food" isn't going to get a person as far as a sympathetic look, a hand pat and a "There, there. I know your life is sooo busy."
And *this* is why we're friends.
0 -
Could you get the kids involved? Let the little ones scan bar codes and gather ingredients. The older ones can weigh & measure. Let each child pick out 1 meal or snack item for the next day (from 2 or 3 healthy options).0
-
booksandchocolate12 wrote: »
OK, I see that you have a 4 year old, so I can understand not allowing her to serve herself. But 4 is probably old enough to learn patience and that Mommy isn't her servant and that she might have to wait a minute for Mommy to get her a drink or more food. You don't have to be a jack in the box and jump whenever your kids call your name.
As for your other kids...I assume at least one of them is close to age 12, or you wouldn't have said, "under 12". I think that any kid age 8+ can get him/herself another drink or another piece of chicken.
My mother allowed herself to be a slave to her kids. I didn't make the same mistake.
I hope you realize I was simply sketching out an illustrative scenario, not literally narrating a nightly event. Focusing on the specific example means you're missing the larger point: People don't live perfect lives, and sometimes practical advice and a little sympathy are more valuable than "suck it up, buttercup, and be more dedicated."
Yes I have children
And other pressures
And I stopped letting myself make any excuses for why I couldn't do the things I needed to do to achieve my goals
My life isn't perfect, nobody's is...but my attitude is as close as I can get it, with its human ups and downs
So I'm firmly on the "suck it up buttercup" side...stop allowing yourself to make excuses
Please note that "yourself" is a generic not a personal yourself0 -
snickerscharlie wrote: »booksandchocolate12 wrote: »booksandchocolate12 wrote: »
OK, I see that you have a 4 year old, so I can understand not allowing her to serve herself. But 4 is probably old enough to learn patience and that Mommy isn't her servant and that she might have to wait a minute for Mommy to get her a drink or more food. You don't have to be a jack in the box and jump whenever your kids call your name.
As for your other kids...I assume at least one of them is close to age 12, or you wouldn't have said, "under 12". I think that any kid age 8+ can get him/herself another drink or another piece of chicken.
My mother allowed herself to be a slave to her kids. I didn't make the same mistake.
I hope you realize I was simply sketching out an illustrative scenario, not literally narrating a nightly event. Focusing on the specific example means you're missing the larger point: People don't live perfect lives, and sometimes practical advice and a little sympathy are more valuable than "suck it up, buttercup, and be more dedicated."
Sure, but you picked that scenario, so I assume it's pretty common, even if it's not a nightly event. It would be odd for you pick something that only happened once in twelve years, and use it as an example of why it's hard to log your food.
Whatever the case, I told the OP to pre-log her food. I think that's practical advice, don't you? Pre-logging your food doesn't really take all that long, once you get the hang of it. Especially because (unless you live an exotic and well traveled life, where you're eating a different type of cuisine every night) you're likely eating the same things on a regular basis, so the nutritional information will be close at hand.
"I am soooo busy" is probably the most common excuse I've seen on weight loss forums for people not doing what they need to do. You don't need a perfect life to lose weight.
But I suppose "take a few minutes each night to pre-log your food" isn't going to get a person as far as a sympathetic look, a hand pat and a "There, there. I know your life is sooo busy."
And *this* is why we're friends.
0 -
Weigh and log it before you sit down
Teach kids to wait or serve themselves?
Being committed to your own health is not a bad thing to teach your children
If you're a parent, you probably know that it's not that cut and dried. If I let my 4 y.o. serve herself she'll end up with half the bowl on her plate and the other half in her lap.
I totally agree that being dedicated takes commitment. But telling someone just to "be more dedicated" sounds just a little bit elitist. People have lives; people have schedules; people have families. It's not a perfect world.
people also have *kitten* loads of excuses....
I have a 2 y.o. and 5 y.o. and I work 10-12 hours per day...and I have an acre to take care of...and lot of other commitments...yet somehow I managed to commit to logging into a little website to take a couple minutes to log my food.
people are full of excuse after excuse after excuse...drop the excuses.0 -
Of course, this is all moot, since the OP hasn't even come back. She's probably busy.0
-
This content has been removed.
-
It's either important or it's not. Most people don't forget to put on their clothes in the morning, have gas in their car or take care of the multitude of other daily tasks that require a bit of inconvenience. If logging food daily helps a person with an important health goal, it can also become a priority. I do not believe that forgetfulness is an excuse.0
-
I often have the same foods in meals. Meaning, if we have grilled chicken, we often have the same vegetables. My breakfast sandwich has basically the same ingredients. So I have them named and saved as meals. That way, I can just find the meal and log. If something within that meal needs tweaking, it's very easy to do. Up front, it may seem like some work, but long run, it's easy peasy.
I do love the idea of taking pic of your plate, if for no other reason than to remember what was eaten.
0 -
Yup, I have things like my morning coffee saved as a "meal." Takes 2 seconds to log it now.0
-
For a long time, I used post-its. Now, I jot in a notebook because I write down the whole day and log when I'm done.
Pre-logging is a great idea if you know what you'll be eating.
Either way, you can do this stuff when the kids aren't around.
0 -
snickerscharlie wrote: »The moment you realize that you're worth taking the time and effort for is the moment you will change it.
And not a second sooner.
Exactly.
Lots of great suggestions here. Pre-logging is a good one.
Another tip is to take a picture of your food with notes (I actually use an app called TwoGrand), and then log it all later.
0 -
booksandchocolate12 wrote: »
OK, I see that you have a 4 year old, so I can understand not allowing her to serve herself. But 4 is probably old enough to learn patience and that Mommy isn't her servant and that she might have to wait a minute for Mommy to get her a drink or more food. You don't have to be a jack in the box and jump whenever your kids call your name.
As for your other kids...I assume at least one of them is close to age 12, or you wouldn't have said, "under 12". I think that any kid age 8+ can get him/herself another drink or another piece of chicken.
My mother allowed herself to be a slave to her kids. I didn't make the same mistake.
I hope you realize I was simply sketching out an illustrative scenario, not literally narrating a nightly event. Focusing on the specific example means you're missing the larger point: People don't live perfect lives, and sometimes practical advice and a little sympathy are more valuable than "suck it up, buttercup, and be more dedicated."
Yes I have children
And other pressures
And I stopped letting myself make any excuses for why I couldn't do the things I needed to do to achieve my goals
My life isn't perfect, nobody's is...but my attitude is as close as I can get it, with its human ups and downs
So I'm firmly on the "suck it up buttercup" side...stop allowing yourself to make excuses
Please note that "yourself" is a generic not a personal yourself
Ditto here...child, husband, job, house to take care of, gardens, family, friends etc.
Plus other things going on...
I am the priority and make logging a priority...why...because if I am not healthy and happy who will take care of the family, home, job etc.
Our health as mothers/fathers are the most important thing...#1 priority.0 -
I'm a fan of the "suck it up, buttercup" mentality. You do what you need to do to get it done. You find a way. Time passes either way, you either make excuses or take action. Lots of good options suggested.
I log closely in time to the meal. I rarely go out to eat, so there is little guess work. I have measuring cups, measuring spoons, a couple of scales, a pad of paper, a pen, and the nutrition information saved from whatever packages I am working with. No guessing, no estimating. If you are not getting the results you want, then you have to change the behavior.
What works for me is that while I am putting together a meal, I jot down what I have used, and as much relevant info as possible. I'm actively involved and thinking about what I am working with. Then within a short time, I sit at my computer, or use my tablet to officially log it in. Sometimes it is after the meal, sometimes it is pretty much during. Only occasionally do I pre-log. I enjoy the ritual of logging. I don't forget because I have it at the forefront of my mind. I have other rituals that help string together all the behaviors I want to happen, or change. Think about what may help you in that regard.
That's another thing. Ritual. You must practice to make it a habit.
Pre-log if and only if you know what you are going to have, down to the amount. Some people loosely add calories, others (like) me get as exact as possible. It's easy to underestimate calories. If you don't know what you are taking in, then a few hundred too many will add up. Over several days, it isn't hard to add on weight.
Good luck, and let us know what you decided on.
(to all, friend requests are welcome).0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.4K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.2K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 427 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions