How do you log healthier foods?

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I want to start off by saying, I don't diet and I don't log my foods.

I know that every meal can be prepared healthier and with that in mind, how would someone log a homemade hamburger vs a McDonald's hamburger? Does MFP knows the difference?
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Replies

  • Thomasm198
    Thomasm198 Posts: 3,189 Member
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    I want to start off by saying, I don't diet and I don't log my foods.

    I know that every meal can be prepared healthier and with that in mind, how would someone log a homemade hamburger vs a McDonald's hamburger? Does MFP knows the difference?

    Create a recipe in the recipe tab and save the recipe. I do it all the time.
  • suzieduh
    suzieduh Posts: 196 Member
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    hmmmmmm *warning bells in my head*
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    The food database has a few "stock" entries for burgers

    Sandwiches and burgers - Cheeseburger, regular, single meat patty, plain
    Sandwiches and burgers - Cheeseburger, large, single meat patty, plain
    Sandwiches and burgers - Cheeseburger, large, single meat patty, with bacon and condiments

    Sometimes I use one those when I eat a random burger somewhere. If you create a recipe for it, like Thomasm198 suggests, that's an even more accurate way.

    If the calories and macros in your homemade burger match that of the McDonald's burger, then no, there is no difference as far as MFP and logging is concerned.
  • ilookthetype
    ilookthetype Posts: 3,021 Member
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    Create a recipe in the recipe tab and save the recipe. I do it all the time.

    This. Or you can log all the ingredients individually, but it's easier (if you'll eat it more than once) to log it as a recipe.
  • sabified
    sabified Posts: 1,051 Member
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    What Thomas said. Another option is to add each ingredient separately in your log... depends on how you log. If you use your phone, unfortunately you may need to log each ingredient (I haven't figured out a way to make recipes on the android app). If you're using your computer, recipes are the way to go.
  • BarbWhite09
    BarbWhite09 Posts: 1,128 Member
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    One of the main points to this site is to log your food, to aid you in dieting...Im confused why you would use it even. Lol. Anyway, yea it knows the difference...You can log a McD's burger...Burger king...wendys...hardees...just about anywhere. It will more than likely have a homemade burger option, with or without bun, with or without cheese, lean meat or not, etc. The database is pretty amazing.
  • tmarie2715
    tmarie2715 Posts: 1,111 Member
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    Create a recipe in the recipe tab and save the recipe. I do it all the time.

    This. Or you can log all the ingredients individually, but it's easier (if you'll eat it more than once) to log it as a recipe.

    It is annoying to finish logging everything individually only to realize you probably will eat it again. If that is the case, you can save all the individually logged items as a meal. Like others have mentioned, this is only a last resort kind of thing if you logged everything in to one meal instead of as a recipe.
  • jetscreaminagain
    jetscreaminagain Posts: 1,130 Member
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    One of the main points to this site is to log your food, to aid you in dieting...Im confused why you would use it even. Lol. Anyway, yea it knows the difference...You can log a McD's burger...Burger king...wendys...hardees...just about anywhere. It will more than likely have a homemade burger option, with or without bun, with or without cheese, lean meat or not, etc. The database is pretty amazing.

    This. And why would you ask? Given that you don't log or diet.
  • sassylilmama
    sassylilmama Posts: 1,495 Member
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    I sense trouble brewing here. But anyway you log it like you would log any other meal.
  • AZackery
    AZackery Posts: 2,035 Member
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    I want to make something clear. I'm here to motivate and encourage other people and talk to other people that's on the healthy journey. I'm not the only person on this site that don't diet. A lot of people are doing a lifestyle change. Plus, this site is not only about food.

    I don't diet, but I eat healthy and I exercise. I know that eating healthy and exercising can't only be for people that's on a diet.
  • FlexAppeal79
    FlexAppeal79 Posts: 146 Member
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    For Clarity Sake....

    Noun:

    1.The kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.
    2.A legislative assembly in certain countries.

    Verb:

    Restrict oneself to small amounts or special kinds of food in order to lose weight: "it is difficult to diet in a house full of cupcakes".

    I believe she means she does not VERB...because everyone has a NOUN :happy:
  • seasonalvoodoo
    seasonalvoodoo Posts: 380 Member
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    I want to make something clear. I'm here to motivate and encourage other people and talk to other people that's on the healthy journey. I'm not the only person on this site that don't diet. A lot of people are doing a lifestyle change. Plus, this site is not only about food.

    I don't diet, but I eat healthy and I exercise. I know that eating healthy and exercising can't only be for people that's on a diet.

    I would say that a lot of people on here don't "diet" either...just eat healthier and exercise. But most of the non-dieters, myself included, do log our food. It is interesting to see what you consume, even if it is all "healthy."
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    For Clarity Sake....

    Noun:

    1.The kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.
    2.A legislative assembly in certain countries.

    Verb:

    Restrict oneself to small amounts or special kinds of food in order to lose weight: "it is difficult to diet in a house full of cupcakes".

    I believe she means she does not VERB...because everyone has a NOUN :happy:

    This was by far the most useful post in this thread.

    EDIT: No offense y'all. =)
  • seasonalvoodoo
    seasonalvoodoo Posts: 380 Member
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    For Clarity Sake....

    Noun:

    1.The kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.
    2.A legislative assembly in certain countries.

    Verb:

    Restrict oneself to small amounts or special kinds of food in order to lose weight: "it is difficult to diet in a house full of cupcakes".

    I believe she means she does not VERB...because everyone has a NOUN :happy:

    +1
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
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    I want to make something clear. I'm here to motivate and encourage other people and talk to other people that's on the healthy journey. I'm not the only person on this site that don't diet. A lot of people are doing a lifestyle change. Plus, this site is not only about food.

    I don't diet, but I eat healthy and I exercise. I know that eating healthy and exercising can't only be for people that's on a diet.

    I would go as far as to say that MOST people on this site don't "diet". As others have mentioned though, logging our foods helps us stay in control of our macros.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    logging our foods helps us stay in control of our macros.

    ^ That. I'm trying to look a certain way and perform a certain way in the gym, so I'd like to know with a high degree of accuracy what I'm consuming.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,124 Member
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    Must . . back. . away. .

    If you don't log....why worry??????
  • ritajean3
    ritajean3 Posts: 306 Member
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    I went through a stage of not logging foods but I logged exercise. Have you ever logged your food?
  • BicepsBrachii
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    logging our foods helps us stay in control of our macros.

    ^ That. I'm trying to look a certain way and perform a certain way in the gym, so I'd like to know with a high degree of accuracy what I'm consuming.

    Same with me. Just joined to log my food to hit my macros while I cut/bulk seems useful
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    You log a 1/4 pound of burger (if that is what you eat, FYI McDonalds small burgers are 1/10 pound), then you log the bun brand you are using. Then you log the toppings..... It really isn't hard.