Tips for those who don't like logging/counting

rankinsect

Wanted to share my approach to logging/counting, because I don't find it a burden even in the slightest. I know some really dislike it - maybe changing your approach will help.

I basically always log at least one day ahead. That is, I log what I plan to eat tomorrow. Logging is part of my daily ritual, and I do this every single day. It's actually pretty quick, between the recipe builder and the meals functionality, I can often drop a meal I've done in the past into the mix and just edit it. I can often log an entire day in less than a dozen clicks.

I account for all except 200-300 calories, which I use for snacks on the day of, and for things like someone bringing cookies into work, etc. where I can eat just enough to be polite and social. Even when I go out to eat, I try to log in advance. Almost every restaurant these days has at least a menu on a website, and I can log as accurately then as I ever could.

I use a food scale, but I use this to measure out the amount of food I already planned. If, for some reason, I am off significantly on the amount of food, I can adjust my logs to account for the actual values, but I usually don't bother as it tends to get down to single digit calories at that point. For example, a cup (8 fluid ounces) of milk (1%) weighs about 8.6 ounces on a scale. I don't care about hitting 8.6 exactly, I actually aim for 8.0 ounces and stop as soon as I exceed that amount, which usually gives me around 8.2 or 8.3 ounces. With other things like fries, chips, etc. I can just put any excess back in the bag. Sometimes I'm a tiny bit over or under, but it averages out with time.

All said and done, logging takes me less than three minutes per day, and I almost never have to do logging over the course of the day except to add the snack(s) I chose. It's also great to have your meals planned in advance - I found this a great, great aid to eating within my budget. I basically make all the food choices when I'm not really hungry, and I can set my macros and calories where I want them without any effort at all on the day of. I also make better food decisions when I'm not hungry

Other tips and tricks that people found to take the burden out of counting?

MarcyKirkton

I use my phone........point and click!

Artemiris

It helps if you eat, more or less, the same things everyday.
For example: same breakfast and dinner, while lunch may slightly vary.

And, as OP said, pre-logging is the real key.

IILikeToMoveItMoveIt

I keep dry erase boards in my kitchen and write down everything as I make/eat it. I also have a calorie counting "dictionary", for lack of a better term, that I reference when I encounter a food/drink I'm unfamiliar with. (It's handy if my internet is acting wonky or even just to do a quick double check. )
I weigh my food as well but lean toward over estimating my calories by about 20%. Mostly to help make up for mistakes in labeling and tasting while cooking. At the end of the day I round up my calories and log them as a whole. I've made that change since I've had to tighten up my counts. As I rely mostly on CICO for weight loss. I exercise for fitness.(When I log them I underestimate my activities and rarely ever do I eat back what I burn. It's so minimal most of the time...)

My brain has become a treasure trove of calorie and portion amounts. Never expected that when I started out! I make mistakes occasionally, but on the whole it works out pretty well for me. I haven't gotten to the point where I track my macros, even though I know I should.

I remember when I first started using this site, it was really time consuming. After a while, you build up your base and find out what works best for you. It's so much easier from there on out! Congrats on hitting your stride in counting!

try2again

Don't forget the "remember meal" and recipe features. Salads, sandwiches, and many other things are good candidates for "remember meal", because we probably tend to make them the same way, but may switch out an ingredient here or there.
I tend not to pre-log, though I realize it's a very useful tool for some. With time, I've come to realize what constitutes about a 300 cal. breakfast & a 4-500 cal. lunch, then I'm sure to log before dinner to double-check the mental math & see what adjustments I might need to make. Doesn't cause any real hardship. I do plan ahead a little when I know something unusual is coming up- eating out, a party, etc.