How precisely do you log your food/exercise?

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Replies

  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    I log everything that I put in my mouth... wait a min... :laugh: :smokin:
  • mrshudson813
    mrshudson813 Posts: 128 Member
    I log everything. I even log my daily multi-vitamin just so my nutrients are as accurate as possible. But that's just me. However, I would strongly suggest you log butter and condiments. As with exercise, I wear a HRM during intentional exercise and I always log it. I do not count cleaning, shopping, playing with my kids or anything of that nature.
  • JayDavila
    JayDavila Posts: 146 Member
    I try to log everything as best as I can, With the phone app I find it even easier to just scan barcodes to get the proper info. Basically everything will have a barcode with all the data youll need. Works for me. Just keep in mind to follow the serving portions. Thats where you need to be honest with yourself.
    Another thing that helps although friends look at me like im crazy is for my food weight scale, but its great to help learn certain servings. Getting an actual visual is important to keeping up with it. Plus you'll be working with proper serving sizes. Works for me.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    I am not close to your weight but I am close in height and have a similar amount I'd like to lose (5'8", 204 lb wanting to get to 180 lb)

    I log almost everything. Butter, sugar, drinks, even small pieces of hard candy. I don't log gum or (most) spices and I no longer track my water since I've gotten into a good habit of drinking lots of water.

    As for exercise, I don't use any technology to track mine. I under-log though. If I clean the house for 3+ hours w/o stopping I'll enter 50 min light cleaning and 10 min heavy cleaning. If I walk all day at a zoo or something, I'll enter 90 min leisurely pace walking. Stuff like that. The only time I log closer to the 'real' time is when I go on a fitness-specific walk, hike, or bike ride. Then I enter the actual time.

    HTH!
  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
    I'm 22, about 5 foot 7 and 172lbs.

    I have lost weight using My Fitness Pal before but want this time to be more long term and to lose more weight (target is 150lbs).

    When I've been logging food before, I have left out condiments and drinks (although I don't drink milkshakes or anything horrific!) and butter, sugar etc so I didn't get too obsessive. I also walk about a total of 45 minutes a day just commuting but leave this out as well.

    For those who have successfully lost weight and are around my weight/height, do you log every single food item and every single bit of exercise?

    It just seems counter-productive to walk for 15 minutes then eat those extra calories I've just burnt!


    Any input greatly appreciated - Thanks in advance!

    Unless you know that the thing you are consuming has about 5 calories in it, you should log everything?

    Butter, mayonnaise. Not recording that is cheating ;-)
  • elyelyse
    elyelyse Posts: 1,454 Member
    One banana can be 100 calories. An apple can be 100 calories. It's not unusual for me to eat 2 or more pieces of fruit each day. If I don't count those and the vegetables that I eat... I've just killed half my deficit for the day. I could exercise to make up for it but, then why not just log the food, log the exercise, and make sure I'm actually burning off the extra food I ate. As far as weight loss, It doesn't matter if what takes you over your goal is a banana or a cookie, it's still extra calories.

    I think everyone missed the part about not logging fruit. While fruit is good for you, it's also pretty high in calories and sugar which can definitely put you over your total calories for the day. I think MOST veggies would be ok not to log but even some veggies can be high in calories and sometimes sugar.

    Yesterday I ate about 150 calories worth of veggies. Lots of days I eat more than that. I try for a deficit of about 500. Now, I don't get crazy about weighing/measuring most veggies, I just eyeball it, I'm comfortable with that margin of error...but not logging at all would mean my deficit is 30% less than I thought it was.
  • tempehforever
    tempehforever Posts: 183 Member
    I log everything--it's important not to forget the butter and oil.

    However, I don't obsess over accuracy. I eat out somewhat regularly, usually at local places that don't have calorie information, so I just pick something that seems in the right ballpark from the MFP database (which is why my tracker always makes it look like I'm eating at Texas Roadhouse or something, when in reality I haven't been to places like that in years, haha).

    I cook for myself most of the time, and I do measure most ingredients--I'm more careful about being accurate with calorie-dense things like oils than I am with, say, most vegetables.

    However, I don't weigh my food, despite many posters recommending it on here. I know it is helpful for many people, but for me, I think it would trigger a level of obsession surrounding food that wouldn't be healthy for me.

    I log formal exercise only. I don't log the walking I do on my daily commute or when I bike to get around town (I do log if I go on a bike ride for exercise purposes). I just enter myself as having a "lightly active" lifestyle to account for those things.

    In the end, I assume there's a pretty large margin of error with both my food and exercise estimates, but what I'm doing is still much, much better than not logging at all. I see results this way so I'm not concerned.
  • nikibean123
    nikibean123 Posts: 81 Member
    Well I can see from everyone's trackers that although there are lots of different methods, everyone is getting closer to their goals :smile: On my third pint of water today (tracked!) and bought some Splenda sweeteners for my tea so no more high calorie sugar!

    I'm logging things like walking around at lunchtime as I listed myself as a 'sedentary' lifestyle because I work in an office.

    I also have problems with me joints and spine so if I log the exercise, I can look back and make sure I'm keeping moving.
  • nikibean123
    nikibean123 Posts: 81 Member
    [/quote]

    Unless you know that the thing you are consuming has about 5 calories in it, you should log everything?

    Butter, mayonnaise. Not recording that is cheating ;-)
    [/quote]

    I was just trying not to be too OCD about it but I think a little bit of OCD seems necessary to get an accurate idea of what I'm eating.

    For example, couldn't believe how much sugar was in an Innocent smoothie - I know it's naturally occurring in the fruit but it's totally thrown my RDAs out!
  • mammaminor
    mammaminor Posts: 31
    I only log exercise if I intended it as exercise. For example, i'm on my feet for 5 hours most shifts at my job, but I don't log this time, because it's just what I would be doing anyway. I only log workouts. If I went to the zoo or something and had to walk uphill for twenty minutes, I might log that as well, but never in place of a workout. Your body gets used to your average daily activity. :)

    And with food I would DEFINITELY start logging drinks and butter! I don't usually log sugar I put in my coffee but I only have a cup every few days most of the time. A huge part of my calorie consumption was coming from drinking milk and juice with my meals, which is why I try to stick to water now and look at drinks as snacks.

    I know I haven't lost a ton of weight (like 3 lbs, not even enough to really log yet) but I find that when I'm not spot on with my logging I tend to slack or overeat knowing that I've probably already reached my calorie goal for the day. It's easier for me to cheat when i'm not logging everything.
  • elyelyse
    elyelyse Posts: 1,454 Member
    I'm logging things like walking around at lunchtime as I listed myself as a 'sedentary' lifestyle because I work in an office.
    If you are going to log this activity, make sure you aren't gently sauntering around the office, but that you are walking briskly and getting your heart rate up at least a little.
  • mammaminor
    mammaminor Posts: 31
    Oh and I don't always log veggies I eat if they're on a salad or not cooked in oil. I usually boil or steam my veggies without butter or anything!
  • jblankenship32
    jblankenship32 Posts: 1
    I think you need to log everything that goes into your mouth. When I initially started logging 3 years ago, I lost twenty-two pounds after realizing everything that I was putting in my mouth! All of those things add extra calories every day. If you seriously want to lose, then I think you have to log precisely. Good luck!
  • nikibean123
    nikibean123 Posts: 81 Member
    I'm logging things like walking around at lunchtime as I listed myself as a 'sedentary' lifestyle because I work in an office.
    If you are going to log this activity, make sure you aren't gently sauntering around the office, but that you are walking briskly and getting your heart rate up at least a little.

    Ahh no - I'm not that bad! I only log walking when I'm walking fast and am working up a bit of a sweat. The problems with my joints/muscles means that I can feel the burn as soon as I'm 'exercising properly' so it's like an alarm to log it. I don't log walking to the fridge or anything!
  • jfauci
    jfauci Posts: 531 Member
    I'm also 5'7" and I started my journey at 178 pounds. I log everything I eat or drink that has calories (except for the splash of whole milk I put in my coffee). I've never been successful with sustained weight loss until I started logging. As a matter of fact, today is my 1-year anniversary on MFP and it's the only time I've stuck with it for more than a few months.

    As for exercise, I have a fit bit so my activity is synced with MFP so I don't have to worry about logging specific activities. Good luck.
  • thatgirlkellib
    thatgirlkellib Posts: 150 Member
    even if this happens, you still did the run and you ate the whatever...log everything it makes you more accountable. I prepack my lunch and breafast for work and I alrealy know what Im eating for dinner usually...I prelog all food and exercise..im kinda addicted to it.
  • nikibean123
    nikibean123 Posts: 81 Member
    I'm also 5'7" and I started my journey at 178 pounds. I log everything I eat or drink that has calories (except for the splash of whole milk I put in my coffee). I've never been successful with sustained weight loss until I started logging. As a matter of fact, today is my 1-year anniversary on MFP and it's the only time I've stuck with it for more than a few months.

    As for exercise, I have a fit bit so my activity is synced with MFP so I don't have to worry about logging specific activities. Good luck.

    Look at all the weight you've lost!! Massive congratulations for your 1 year mark. I've done MFP before for a couple of weeks/months and as soon as I lose 5lbs or so thought "Well I know I can lose the weight so it's fine" and stopped. Good on you! Very motivating to see you start at my weight.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    very precisely.
  • conniemaxwell5
    conniemaxwell5 Posts: 943 Member
    Thank you so much for all your quick replies. Sorry for my ignorance, but if you log 30 mins running and then eat the calories you've burnt off running, doesn't that mean you have defeated the object of running?

    That's what I've got in my head and it might be completely wrong!

    Will def log EVERYTHING for the next week to see how that changes things, thanks

    This explains it all better than I can:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974888-in-place-of-a-road-map-2k13
  • mhasita
    mhasita Posts: 93 Member
    I log everything I eat. included sugar/butter/oil/condiments

    I only log focused workouts. I don't log walking or cleaning the house or stuff like that.
  • fitmomhappymom
    fitmomhappymom Posts: 171 Member
    I dont count things like butter or anything under 50 calories just because i'm too lazy. I drink mostly water, but when I drink OJ i count it because it has 110 calories per serving. I dont count my wine, because frankly I dont want to know. Flawed theory, I know.
  • birdiecs
    birdiecs Posts: 237 Member
    I log everything and try to always use gram weight instead of volume weights like cups and teaspoons. Except for liquids of course, I use ounces.
  • endoftheside
    endoftheside Posts: 568 Member
    Just for fun I added up all the fruits/veggies/condiments/oils/drink calories from my planned food intake for today and it came up to 440 out of 1655, over 25% of my total intake. My deficit is only 250 calories a day since I am trying to lose at 0.5 pounds per week so I have to be accurate and precise or I can *easily* slip into maintenance level.

    Even packaged goods can be way off...on a lark I weighed the "4 oz. filet" and found that it actually weighed 5.3 ounces, a difference of 80 calories for that one food and 1/3 of my daily deficit that would have been *poof* gone!
  • judilockwood
    judilockwood Posts: 134 Member
    I log everything.... if I eat it I log it. As for exercise, I log everything I do too and I don't eat it back, I count it as a deficit benefit; I only eat it back when I'm maintaining because then I don't need the deficit. In the end though, its a matter of personal choice and responsibility - what works for you xx
  • weeeeeeee
    weeeeeeee Posts: 6 Member
    Hi! I'm Lisa,

    I've starting over with my exercise and trying to log everything...TODAY! :sad: I just hope I can make it a habit this time....
  • dmt4641
    dmt4641 Posts: 409 Member
    I have been logging everything I eat. It helps me to log what I think I will eat the night before to plan my day so I am not always having to jump onto mfp every time I eat. It also helps me plan to save a few extra calories if I want a treat. At least in the beginning using measuring cups/spoons and scale until you get comfortable enough to eyeball it. I found I was actually overestimating how much food I was eating at times! I also have been eating back my exercise calories but log a little bit less than I did to account for MFP overestimating. But I have found I am too hungry if I don't eat back my calories from a strenuous workout.

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