Ugh....just can't keep logging
Replies
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Logging blows if you eat too much and don't wanna know it. I've done well so far, had a few bad days but that will happen sometimes. Logging is just what keeps mean on track. Not going over my goal is the real work.0
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Logging is a huge pain for me, and it takes me a hell of a lot more than "five minutes a day." I'm not one of those "eat basically the same things all the time" people, and I rarely packaged food. As a home cook and a foodie, I am always having to enter new recipes, which takes quite a while. I rarely measured things carefully before, and cooking takes longer when I have to measure and record everything than when I winged it most of the time. It does seem to help, so I'm going to persist, but that doesn't mean I won't complain about it sometimes. OK, a lot!
I'd really like to know what kind of boring diets people eat if it takes "2 minutes a day." Seriously. It takes longer than that to do my breakfast.
My saving grace is I'm a freelance writer so I'm at a computer all the time and can take the time to log without too much disruption.
I love to cook and bake. Have you tried the new recipe builder feature? You copy and paste the recipe into the box and it'll match up as many ingredients as possible from the USDA options in the database.
It does take me a little longer if I'm entering a new recipe. But some of it is just practice. It's been 3 years. I know exactly how to word things to get the correct entries.0 -
If you're having trouble logging (meaning finding the correct entries) read this:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1225047-searching-the-database-cross-posting-b-c-it-s-helpful-here0 -
this from original post:
"I was pretty sure I was motivated to lose weight until the whole "log everything you eat" came into play...anyone else just finding it an absolute beating to log every day? Is it psychological? I go great for a few days, a week, then....YAWN! Just can't bring myself to do it! I don't mind logging my exercise, but logging food is just.."
that sounds like a motivation issue to me..
signed a man who lost 50 pounds logging and went from 25% body fat to 12% body fat and still logs...
Which means...she doesn't like logging. It doesn't mean she doesn't want to lose weight, or lacks motivation.
It's great that you lost 50 lbs logging, and I mean that. There are people who've lost more, plenty who've lost less. Nobody is doubting that calorie counting and logging can be powerful tools for weight loss.
But there aren't necessary to weight loss. Human beings were losing weight for thousands of years before the calorie was even discovered. There are those who lose without those specific tools. And there are those who do still log, but never get use to it, never enjoy it, or who eat and cook in a way that it takes more than "5 minutes a day". The stories are as varied as the people.
The judgement here is incredible. To suggest that somebody is not motivated to lose weight just because they don't enjoy a specific weight loss practice or tool is incredible.
That's like telling a parent who hates their job that they're unmotivated to feed their children. No, they just hate their job. Whether they want to quit and find another one, or stay and suck it up, neither choice means they are unmotivated to feed their family.0 -
Back when I was doing it in a journal and having to calculate all the values myself, I found it annoying. But these days? With MFP and all the other awesome logging apps? Not really. It only takes a couple of minutes and the app does all the work.
Once it became a habit, I really stopped thinking about it. Even weighing my foods isn't that much of a hassle. Although, I must admit, it sure as heck seems to bother my relatives to see me do it. I get lots of eye rolling and scoffing.
There are some days I don't log everything individually, because I basically take the day off, but even then I put an estimate into my spreadsheet.0 -
I may be weird but I don't mind it. After 430 days it's become so much a part of my daily life that I don't even think about it, I just do it.0
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I used to be a freak with logging (years back). Like uber obsessive as if it were a financial budget for my day. Id spend whole days looking at food combos and charts etc! I got over it but only because I tend to eat the same thing 95% of the time (went from suuuper unhealthy about food to "meh it's good, don't want to overdo"). I still find myself in a constant love affair with labels and mental calorie math (been doing calories for 7 years, I could probably weigh an ounce blindfolded)! Try to have fun with it! Make a fake log of one of your craziest calorie days! Put together as much food as possible for your calorie allowance! Save up all day for a huge meal!0
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Does it help a lot? yes..is it completely necessary? not always. I'm one of those people who does not have a long enough attention span to log my calories. I just exercise a lot and eat whenever I want to. I'll count once in a while to see what i am actually consuming and make sure it's an ok amount (usually 1800 - 2100 calories). It has definitely slowed down progress compared to when I was counting, but I'm more happy not doing it and as long as there is at least a little progress, there is no need for me.
Good balance there imo.
However, if you are not see in progress (directed at the OP, not the poster above) then I would suggest you put the effort into logging. It does not take long.
I really like the combination of these two posts. OP, why don't you set a specified time to log accurately (and I mean 2 to 3 months, not a few days). Maybe it will be bearable if there is an end in site. This will give you a chance to learn portions, etc. At that point, if you still hate it, you can try logging once or twice a week to spot check, while weighing periodically to make sure you stay on track. You may actually not mind it at this point.
To give you some history, from Aug 2012 to summer 2013, I logged religiously and lost 53 pounds. That summer, I started logging sporadically, and then stopped altogether. Cut to present time, and I am up 20 pounds and at it again. Not everyone needs to log to lose or maintain, but it can really help the process!0 -
Logging is a huge pain for me, and it takes me a hell of a lot more than "five minutes a day." I'm not one of those "eat basically the same things all the time" people, and I rarely packaged food. As a home cook and a foodie, I am always having to enter new recipes, which takes quite a while. I rarely measured things carefully before, and cooking takes longer when I have to measure and record everything than when I winged it most of the time. It does seem to help, so I'm going to persist, but that doesn't mean I won't complain about it sometimes. OK, a lot!
I'd really like to know what kind of boring diets people eat if it takes "2 minutes a day." Seriously. It takes longer than that to do my breakfast.
My saving grace is I'm a freelance writer so I'm at a computer all the time and can take the time to log without too much disruption.
I'm a foodie and cooking is a passion of mine. Takes me 5 minutes a day to log. As I chop ingredients, they go on the scale, I mentally note the weight. Once my dish is happily bubbling away on the stove or in the oven, I go log all the ingredients.
It took me a little longer when I first started just because it was unfamiliar to me. I'm closing in on 400 days and it's pretty much automatic now.0 -
Anything worth achieving takes effort and sacrifice. If you don't want to do it then don't. But don't complain about failure if choosing not to log doesn't get you to your goal either.
QFT0 -
I personally like logging. It makes me feel that I am in control.0
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I don't enjoy doing it, but for me it seems to be necessary. Maybe eventually it won't be, but for now I do much better when I track. On the other hand, I don't track water anymore… I wasn't having trouble drinking at least 8 cups. Occasionally I track it for a day, and if I think I'm not drinking enough, I'll do it for longer to get back into the habit. I hope eventually that will happen for food. Also, over time I've tracked different nutrients… calcium, sodium, fiber, saturated fat… if they seem to be coming out ok on a consistent basis, I don't worry about them anymore and track something else.
As others have said, using the tools here on MFP makes it easier. (And I find it much easier to use a full screen rather than a smart phone app, so on days I'm not near a computer, sometimes I take paper notes and enter them later.) Over time, your "recent" and "frequent" lists, as well as recorded "meals" and any recipes you enter make it easier and quicker to record what you ate. Another way that it gets easier is that I can estimate measurements for foods some things fairly accurately now. For instance, I know how many ounces the glasses I use most often hold. I know what an ounce of cheese looks like, etc. Again, I still measure these things part of the time in order to make sure I'm not "drifting" and over time thinking that 1.3 oz is really 1, but it's nice to not have to measure everything each time I eat it.
But even though it's easier, I do find tracking, looking up, measuring and logging boring sometimes and frustrating other times (especially when I can't find a food or the previous entries others made for something I eat were sloppy and incorrect :explode: ), but since it works… it's worth it.
By the way, I don't have the link handy right now and don't feel like searching, but there was some research recently (summarized on WebMD) where they found that people who tracked were significantly more successful at weight loss than those who didn't.
Good luck!0 -
I don't think it's always necessary. If you're losing weight without logging then just do that. But if a person is having trouble losing that's going to be my first suggestion.
That said, it doesn't bother me at all. It takes me 2-5 minutes per evening and I'm here anyway chatting so it's no trouble.
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Logging is actually my favorite part. I never realized what i was actually eating until i could see all the numbers. And i could never stick with any other diet before this. The structure is what really helps me keep going.
^^ This.
I guess I am closet OCD, because I love logging.
I love the feeling of self control and knowing what I'm eating. I love knowing that if I continue to run a deficit, I will lose weight. I was a finance major, so I guess I just love the math part of it.
THIS^
and Me and my OCD love logging!0 -
Does it help a lot? yes..is it completely necessary? not always. I'm one of those people who does not have a long enough attention span to log my calories. I just exercise a lot and eat whenever I want to. I'll count once in a while to see what i am actually consuming and make sure it's an ok amount (usually 1800 - 2100 calories). It has definitely slowed down progress compared to when I was counting, but I'm more happy not doing it and as long as there is at least a little progress, there is no need for me.
Same here. I don't log my food everyday. For the most part, I eat a lot of the same meals, so I can keep a pretty good estimate in my head of where I am. Based on whether I workout or not that day, I tweak what/how much I eat.
I usually log every little bite on particularly ravenous days where I know I might have gone overboard.
That being said, I've been doing this for about 5 years and it's become second nature.0 -
annoying, tedious, and I feel your pain. Now I know what amount of food my calories add up to so I just maintain the level0
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For me, logging my food intake is a learning experience.
First, I'm making progress toward my goal weight
because logging my intake makes me aware of how
a 'normal-sized person' should considers what she eats.
Maintenance will kick in about 110 pounds from now,
and I want to know how to gauge portion sizes when I do.
Logging will help me determine which changes allow me to eat more,
but not regain more than 3-5 pounds of what I struggled to lose.
A month ago I didn't log my food, but because I knew what portions should be,
and how it felt to meet my macros, I was able to maintain, and not gain.
Whew.0 -
Logging everything I eat has really helped me keep on track. It also helps me from going way overboard when I have one of those craving/binge days. Personally, I don't log on here, I use a spreadsheet, and because I eat a certain collection of foods, I just copy & paste the data, adjust the number of servings and have my stats for the day automatically calculate to make sure I'm hitting my targets. I've been doing this for over six months now, and it's been a quick and simple process. I tend to add the foods to my log while cooking so that I'm not taking time out of my day afterward or leaving it until later in the day to try and recall my meals. It becomes routine and only takes a couple minutes for each meal. I highly recommend it.
When losing weight, you need to be disciplined, and logging is a process that helps train your brain to be more disciplined and adapt to a new routine; you are adjusting your entire lifestyle, which will need to be maintained even after accomplishing your weight loss goals. Logging may not be necessary after the change in your diet and exercise regime become habit, but it's still good to journal if you haven't yet reached your goal as you can look back and see what is working, what isn't working, and what would benefit from a little tweaking, especially when you hit plateaus where the number on the scale just won't budge for weeks.
Think of logging like taking notes and the weight loss process as a class in college, and your goals are tests you need to prepare for. I only just started logging my exercise a few weeks ago (after hitting a massive plateau). I regret not having tracked before this because I probably could have shaken the plateau quicker if I had notes to reference. I feel that tracking my workouts now is disciplining me to actually exercise daily and even exercise a bit longer and work harder to improve upon my performance.0 -
Honestly? I think it's an attitude adjustment needed situation. You either want to use the tools, or you don't. No one forces you to do so, but if you're going to do it, make an honest effort.
I find logging to be interesting. Especially when I allow myself to eat what I feel like eating rather than planning and strategizing. It can be a big wakeup call on the things we tend to indulge in...
Fact is, you're not going to be able to follow the simple calories in vs. calories out rule if you don't have at least a rough idea on your calories in. If you feel like logging is a "beating" then I think it's time to reconsider the reasons for that feeling... because it really isn't that hard to do, doesn't take that much time, and it's not like people are going to beat you up for what you put there.0 -
I agree logging in food is tedious. My sister told me she uses the app the scan the barcode which is easier for me than searching and clicking.0
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If you can lose without the logging, then don't. Enjoy the community. However, I know it keeps me in check. Do you have the phone app? I find that logging is much easier with it than on computer. I log both ways but I have logged for 2 years now. It works for me and maybe I am just a bit OCD but I have no problem with doing it... Almost driven to do it... but then again, it is a 2 year habit too...0
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I think it's easy. Most of my foods are already in my frequently used foods list. It's a habit that only takes a few minutes out of my day - like brushing my teeth. For me, maintaining my health and fitness is important. I've been successfully maintaining here for almost 3 years now. But although it's easy and fun for me, it's obviously not for everyone.
I guess it's going to have to come down to priorities for you, OP. What's easier, more familiar and more comfortable...OR ...Sucking it up and doing what you need to do. If weight loss is not THAT important, don't do it. For me it's important, but it's not as important for some others. Maybe there's a better way out there for you that doesn't require logging...Good luck! :flowerforyou:0 -
I think it's easy. Most of my foods are already in my frequently used foods list. It's a habit that only takes a few minutes out of my day - like brushing my teeth. For me, maintaining my health and fitness is important. I've been successfully maintaining here for almost 3 years now. But although it's easy and fun for me, it's obviously not for everyone.
I guess it's going to have to come down to priorities for you, OP. What's easier, more familiar and more comfortable...OR ...Sucking it up and doing what you need to do. If weight loss is not THAT important, don't do it. For me it's important, but it's not as important for some others. Maybe there's a better way out there for you that doesn't require logging...Good luck! :flowerforyou:
Well put.
For me, logging was absolutely necessary as I was losing weight. Since I have been in maintenance, I really don't need it that much. When I feel I am drifting of course, I start it back up for awhile just to regain focus.0 -
Logging is a huge pain for me, and it takes me a hell of a lot more than "five minutes a day." I'm not one of those "eat basically the same things all the time" people, and I rarely packaged food. As a home cook and a foodie, I am always having to enter new recipes, which takes quite a while. I rarely measured things carefully before, and cooking takes longer when I have to measure and record everything than when I winged it most of the time. It does seem to help, so I'm going to persist, but that doesn't mean I won't complain about it sometimes. OK, a lot!
I'd really like to know what kind of boring diets people eat if it takes "2 minutes a day." Seriously. It takes longer than that to do my breakfast.
My saving grace is I'm a freelance writer so I'm at a computer all the time and can take the time to log without too much disruption.
I love to cook and bake. Have you tried the new recipe builder feature? You copy and paste the recipe into the box and it'll match up as many ingredients as possible from the USDA options in the database.
It does take me a little longer if I'm entering a new recipe. But some of it is just practice. It's been 3 years. I know exactly how to word things to get the correct entries.
Agreed. I cook most of my own food from scratch at home and love to experiment with new recipes. Most things I cook have short, simple ingredient lists (unlike the dozens of ingredients in processed, factory prepared meals,) and I don't log spices and herbs because 2 calories won't break me, so it's not like there's a mile-long list of things to enter. It still doesn't take long to log and it's still totally worth it to me to log, even if it takes an hour out of my day (which it doesn't, just being dramatic.) My body is worth taking the time to care for it. I'm making the best investment when I take time and effort to maintain my health and fitness.0 -
I have a hard time with it, too. As a result, I keep gaining and losing the same 4 pounds. I'm pushing for more consistency.0
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Thank you all for your input. As I said, I'm going to REEEEAAAAALLLLYYYY try to do better at logging. If anyone who has the same feelings as me wants to add me, send a request, we'll "poke" each other when we don't log. Thanks again everyone.:glasses:0
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Wow, never thought to log at first and preplan! Good idea!0
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I look at it this way. What does a sucssesful business women do? Makes out her schedule, writes everything down. Maybe think of it as a business plan. They have to in order to be successful. So should we then, right?
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I look at it this way. What does a sucssesful business women do? Makes out her schedule, writes everything down. Maybe think of it as a business plan. They have to in order to be successful. So should we then, right?
Did I enter into the female only section of MFP?0 -
I love to cook and bake. Have you tried the new recipe builder feature? You copy and paste the recipe into the box and it'll match up as many ingredients as possible from the USDA options in the database.
It does take me a little longer if I'm entering a new recipe. But some of it is just practice. It's been 3 years. I know exactly how to word things to get the correct entries.
I've never seen a feature where you can copy and paste recipes. Is that only in one of the app versions or have I somehow missed it? You may have saved my sanity (though I'll still have to type in anything from any of my cookbooks.)0
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