Food photos

rochel732

hi im new to this

is there a way to enter my food from photos that I've been taking throughout the day

sollyn23l2

Only if you're paying for premium. If you're paying for premium you can use the "photo logging" It's (assumedly) not very accurate though

AnnPT77

What the photo logging does is analyze the photo, then present a list of possible foods it could be for you to choose from and log in your diary.

I've only tried it a few times, just to experiment. In those few times, it seemed fairly good at identifying things that were separate and distinct on the plate, such as fried eggs or a bagel. What it can't do, even with those, is figure out how much oil was used to fry the eggs, whether the bagel is average (vs. high fiber, low calorie, gluten free which also can affect calorie level, etc.).

It was terrible at analyzing things that were goopy or saucy or deep-fried or quite unusual. Lots of deep=-fried things look similar, sauces hide details including some calorie-meaningful ones, and obviously it's analysis is in essence based on probabilities. (I took a photo of a sandwich that had sliced, smoked tofu as its protein: It had no clue.)

Let me be clear: I don't think this was because MFP's algorithms are bad - worse than what might be used on other sites. I think this is because the state of the technology now - and maybe forever - just isn't capable of doing this sort of thing well. (If it matters, I spent 30 years in IT; I know some things about these technologies.)

I think these gee-whiz features are a marketing tool, and most likely to appeal to people who want very easy solutions, but who aren't very attuned to the nuances of either calorie counting or applicable technology.

For me, the basic logging process - logging by typing in/searching the database - was more accurate and time-efficient in the long run than futzing about with food photos. For people who eat a lot of packaged food products, the bar code scanner may be more useful than the photo thingie ( . . . though eating a lot of packaged food products can potentially have down-sides for weight management, too, depending on what those products are).

Honestly: If your goal is to lose weight in a somewhat predictable fashion, don't look for shortcuts, tricks, or hacks. Commit to spending some time and energy, learning what's important, and commit to following the necessary steps.

There is a bit of a learning curve, but IME it really isn't super hard, and is minimal time investment after learning the ropes. (Marketers need to convince us it's hard, with lots of obscure nuances, so that we will pay them for their magical diet plan, exercise program, supplements, and that sort of thing, or lend them our eyeballs to make ad revenue for their site. If more humans figure out that the process is something we can do on our own, they're financially SOL.)

Yes, a tool like MFP can be helpful, for people whom calorie counting suits. But calorie counting isn't the only way to lose weight.

Best wishes - succeeding is worth the effort it takes, if your experience is anything like mine.