How do you remember accurate amounts of things when your logging?

LaauraLoses · September 2017

I am really not good at logging in for the app and all my foods every day I always forget the things in the accurate amounts that I ate or the type of thing when I do it later and I dont always have time that I need to do it when I actually eat. How do you remember to work out the right things every day and specially when it matters a lot to be accurate because my bmr is pretty low. does anyone have any tips I can use?

Thanks

livingleanlivingclean · September 2017

I pre log and make my food match what I log.

fitoverfortymom · September 2017

Sticky notes and prelogging

kami3006 · September 2017

I don't eat it until I log it. Either I prelog and tweak the weights if needed or I log as I prepare my plate.

rheddmobile · September 2017

So where are you when you don't have time?

If you're at work, you can use pre-logging - plan ahead what you are going to eat and weigh it at that time. If you eat the same thing several days in a row, you can make multiple portions and weigh them at that time, and then it will be already weighed.

If you are having trouble logging at home it helps to buy a good scale with a tare function which sets everything on the scale to zero. Place your plate or bowl on the scale, zero, then add your first food, log it, zero, add your second food, and so on.

You can also do this with recipes. I made four days' worth of steel cut oats this morning without using any measuring cups, by putting the saucepan on the scale, adding the correct weight of oats, then walnuts, apples, and milk, hitting zero each time so I could add the correct number of grams directly to the pan. Since I have my recipe entered into the recipe builder with four servings, when I want to log breakfast tomorrow all I have to do is select one serving and eat a quarter of what I made. If I don't measure exactly one quarter it will average out when I eat the rest of it.

The most important thing for someone with a low bmr is to be accurate with the high calorie density items. If you accidentally eat twice as much spinach that is twenty calories. If you eat twice as much mayonnaise that's over a hundred. So pay close attention to sauces, cheese, dressings, oils, nut butters, avocados, and other calorie dense foods. Learn what a serving looks like, and if you can't measure them when you eat them, try to underestimate rather than estimating generously.

Meelisv · September 2017

Well, it's 2017 and most of us have this amazing gadget in our pockets - it's called a smartphone and it makes taking notes very simple.
But wait - it gets even better! This amazing gadget has a camera, and it can be used to scan bar codes on food packaging and automagically enter them into this superb piece of software wizardry called MFP app.

But in all seriousness, I don't have that much of a problem remembering quantities of food for 5 to 10 minutes it usually takes for me until i can log it. But then again my meals are also quite simple, not consisting of that many ingredients.
And when i'm out and feel like having an ice cream or some other snack, i'll just scan the barcode. Takes 5 seconds.

Heather4448 · September 2017

I always have my phone on me. I log everything before I eat it.

Francl27 · September 2017

Super memory at this point, lol! But I always keep random papers in hand to write things down as I go.

nowine4me · September 2017

I don't care where I am or who I'm with, if I eat something I haven't pre-logged, I'm scanning or entering on the spot.

sosteach · September 2017

If it is important to you then you will stop making excuses.

mk2fit · September 2017

I agree with all of the above and am thinking that if this is important enough for you, you will either remember what/how much you ate or log in a timely manner.

sbdriver2 · September 2017

I write it down then log it later. I don't have a smart phone. I use a laptop computer. I know. Old school.

CindyWard2 · September 2017

I use my laptop in the kitchen all the time...just take it in with you and log before you eat. Every night I sit down, at my laptop, and pre-log my breakfast and lunch for the next day. Then when I get home from work I have my phone or my laptop in the kitchen with me as I'm cooking and I pre-log my dinner before I eat it. It's a good habit to get into.

Bluetail6 · September 2017

sosteach wrote: »

If it is important to you then you will stop making excuses.

This ^^. I've changed my mind 3 times about my afternoon snack. I didn't eat it till I logged it. For me, NO excuses.

zjpq · September 2017

I log as I go on my phone (the app is so much easier for logging!), pre-log/plan or write down how many grams of things in say my salad and enter them when I can

amtyrell · September 2017

I log everything before I eat it. This is my main diet rule. I will often log my lunch box contents as I pack them then I can eat up to all of it but for example I packed a cheese stick I did not eat today and I unlogged it after I got home.

amandacalories · September 2017

You just have to do it. Pre-logging is the most important thing. If I didn't I'd probably over eat long before the end of the day and then have to starve myself to make my goal.

Personally, I usually eat the same thing for breakfast on weekdays since I have to leave very early for work. Premake lunches and weigh everything as I go and either log it or write it on the container so come the day I eat it I'll have measurements wherever I am. I usually make meals a few days out. It does take some planning and effort when you're making the food but it is so much easier during the busy week. Another thing to keep in mind is habits only develop if you keep at it. It might seem hard and annoying at first but if you do it on a consistent basis you'll just think of it as another part of your day to day life.

PAV8888 · September 2017

When I first started trying to lose weight, and after a few high calorie surprises, the "rule" was that nothing would be eaten until it was logged on MFP. <-- that also taught me to not wait till I was totally famished before eating my next meal.

Now that I am no longer trying to lose weight, I might take a picture, or jot some numbers on a napkin or scrap piece of paper, or even "remember" that I am supposed to log xx grams of this or that.

When I "remember" I know that, with the best of intentions, I am going to forget something or otherwise record it with a slight variation.

fiddletime · September 2017

I prelog as well. At 1200 calories I don't take many nibbles and I usually eat within my logging. Tomorrow I'm going to a birthday party. I'll try to guess what they'll have, like veggies, cake, guacamole, etc. and try to not hit the chips (I really want a piece of cake!). Most events I can plan for, but this one will be difficult.

WeighandPray · September 2017

If I don't prelog, I log when I start eating. It usually takes me less than 90 seconds. Probably even half that.

ejohndrow · September 2017

Like most others I pre-log, and have most everything measured out and ready to go.

Ready2Rock206 · September 2017

It takes like 30 seconds to log food into the app..if you don't have time for that then it isn't a priority for you.

Gisel2015 · September 2017

Francl27 wrote: »

Super memory at this point, lol! But I always keep random papers in hand to write things down as I go.

Exactly what I do. I don't pre-log, nor I use the cell phone. I am a PC person so I write everything in a paper and I log it when I have the time. Sometimes not until the next day.

Since I am in maintenance accuracy is not longer a requirement; however is not much different of what I did when I was trying to shed few lbs.

kshama2001 · September 2017

While I do have a smart phone, I find it faster to write, so I have a little notebook for this purpose.

Also, I rotate through the same breakfasts, lunches, and snacks, and know the quantities of these, so there is little here I need to write down.

Once you get into the habit of noting quantities, I doubt you'll feel it takes much time at all.

impyimpyaj · September 2017

Honestly, I feel like if I were that good at remembering and mentally keeping track of what I'd eaten in a day, I probably wouldn't have gained 30 pounds. So I pre-log. When I can't do that, I long from my phone or computer as soon as possible, or I write it down.

If it's important, you do it. It doesn't take that long.

cwolfman13 · September 2017

When I logged, I pre-logged most of my days which basically laid out the plan for the day and then would just change things if need be.

Most successes in life are a result of proper planning.

earlnabby · September 2017

If I am at home, I weigh things to pre-set serving sizes (like 2 oz (56 grams) of sandwich meat, 4 oz (112 grams) ground beef, etc.) Otherwise, I make a note of it and stick it in my pocket.

I am one of those who does not take my phone with me everywhere I go. I do keep a small notebook in my purse so I always have paper and pen.

GemstoneofHeart · September 2017

I log before I eat unless I am at a restaurant that is not in the database. In that case, I snap a photo of my plate before I eat and go back and try to add up each component when I have a free moment. It's not perfect but it's the best I can do.