Are you honest with your food diary?

hannahlbur

I think some people are maybe embarrassed to put it on there if they have had a blow out or had a load of chocolate. I usually track even if it has all gone horribly wrong - but sometimes I don't just because I can't be bothered logging all those extra cals!! But I am doing this less and less. Definitely think honest tracking is the way to success.

PercivalHackworth

I lived the logging through stages
#1 - I was using it have a rough idea of how much calories my meals "might" contain
#2- I wasn't logging stuff that was out of track (even when I had 0 friends here !)
#3 - I wasn't logging my binges at all, I wasn't let's say "strong" enough, and still in a denial phase. it was unbearable for me to exceed my logged stuff
#4- Logging helped me, by logging everything, I was able to binge, log (not totally though) but hit my goals by eating less for the meals to come
#5- Nazi loging and macros hits helped me to avoid binges somehow, I didn't want to ruin a day with a binge
#6- Now, I log everything and I'm not in the denial anymore - if I explode the goal by eating two times - fine, at least I know how cal that represent

Goose28in

Right now I am only tracking my exercise. Some days I track my food but that is only to see where I am at or if I am tracking something specific like Sodium.

fh1951

brutally

laineylynnfit

I think some people are maybe embarrassed to put it on there if they have had a blow out or had a load of chocolate. I usually track even if it has all gone horribly wrong - but sometimes I don't just because I can't be bothered logging all those extra cals!! But I am doing this less and less. Definitely think honest tracking is the way to success.

I try to be brutally honest so that I can see that last week on Valentines, when I ate Chili's .. I can see the big red bar way above my calorie goal for the day... I felt sick the entire next day because of that junk!

EllaScarlet

Sometimes I get to the end of the day, think I am doing well on the calorie count, then remember OH NO I forgot to log that snack I had. I am a picker and often just mindlessly pick something up to nibble. It is so good for me to have to try to log every little thing - now before I eat it I think 'do I really NEED to eat this'??

OSC_ESD

This was an excellent question and one that a lot of people should really think about. When making your diary public and allowing others to view it ... adds a little pressure and sometimes causes people to " fudge " a little. When I began this journey I kept my diary private ... it wasn't until recently I was willing to take the acknowledgment that when I have a bad day ... everybody will know it. I am perfectly fine with this now ... and I encourage my friends to call me out ! It keeps me focused and knowing that others are watching ... supporting me ... makes the pot all the sweeter !

With that being said ... I would like to give one piece of advice to those who aren't telling the whole truth .. the only person your fooling is yourself ! Log it all .. EVERYTHING ... come to terms with what is holding you back and get in the habit of making small changes daily ! Don't make your diary public until YOUR ready to face the audience ... best time to put on a show is when you have finally mastered the task.

I wish you all the best of luck .... and keep loggin' !

RoughDiamondUK

I track most things. I wasn't tracking Pepsi Max because even if I drank 2 litres a day it wouldn't make a significant difference to anything, and I was mostly drinking 500ml - 750ml a day, tops. I haven't drunk any in over a week now though, just water. I don't log the multivitamin I take every day either. Again, because I don't see it makes a difference one way or the other. Everything else, I log. If it's something home-made or from a bakery that doesn't publish nutritional info, then I try and guess the calories and add those. I have been known to eat something at say 11pm but log it against the next day in order to not go over that week's calorie limit though... which I know isn't a good idea, but at least I am still accounting for it in the overall weekly averages, and dropping my daily calories the next day to allow for it. My next goal is to stop doing that, and to hit my net calories (plus or minus say 50) every day for a whole month.

ETA: Forgot to say that I don't log the two slices of cucumber or leaf of lettuce or raw onion that I put on sandwiches. I do log butter and salad cream though.

1953Judith

My diary is private and its my tool (only shared with my dr) so I want to use it wisely and efficiently. I don't track, coffee, tea, diet soda, herbs, spices, fish oil tablets, and raw carrots and celery. When I am on out-of-town vacation, I try to stick to the intent of my food plan, but I do not track (and ironically I almost always lose weight, doesn't work at home though).

solarpower03

I don't track couple of sugar free drinks, fries, candies etc. However,
1. If I have grilled food (done on George Foreman), then I still right conventionally grilled value. You can visibly see the oils removed by George Foreman.
2. Similarly, for brown rice, I use boiling method which removes lots of starch but I still login conventionally cooked rice.
3.Thirdly, I tend to eat on my BMR which is high than what MFP recommends, considering the deficit it creates for weight loss. So, if I am more by 250 cal a day, I don't bother as it will make a weight loss rate of 0.5lb/week.
4. I do weight training and HIIT, so I believe I am burning energy while sitting.

So the point- if you have high offsetting activities, then there is no point in being very precise.

waterwing

Yep I track it all. As a wise MFP person once told me: "You don't lie to your phone!"

It's a slippery slope and once a person tells a little lie.. well it could quite easily get out of control.

FlyByJuly

I do track everything yes. I don't see the point in lying, you're only lying to yourself really.

Totally agree with this. I do track everything, but there have been a couple of times when I'm laying in bed at night, and I suddenly realize that I forgot to log that peach, or that yogurt, etc that I had earlier in the day. So, it's not like I'm trying to cheat. I don't intentionally omit things.

shady81x

I try my best to log everything I can coz am pretty curious to see how much I actually ingest a day - though I use the MFP database so am not sure how much it actually differs from what I eat. I have my meals out most of the time, so it's pretty much impossible to weigh or even know every ingredient that goes into the food.

However, occasionally, if my colleagues were to offer me a packet of kerupuk (a generic name to call a range of snacks where I am) and I take like a small piece or two, I don't bother to add it in. Mainly coz I can't find it's equivalent in the MFP database, and the packaging usually doesn't even list the nutrition value.

Oh yeah, I initially tried to log stuff I eat during buffets too, but eventually gave up coz it's too much hassle trying to remember what I ate and how much of each item I ate. Instead, I enter a flat value of 1,500 cals. Doesn't make a diff to me as I know, for buffet days, I'll definitely go over :laugh:

Lylas2

I track everything as best I can.... if I cant find something I use something that is very similar.
The only thing I don't track is spice (cinammon, pepper etc).
I DO try and track salt or added salt intake

Pongo824

I track almost all of my food intake I don't track condiments. I have made it easy I eat the same thing for breakfast and lunch everyday except weekends my off days I don't add my exercise till the end of my day so at dinner I can eat a little more if I like but I am still usually under my calorie goal for the day. I also allow my self a free day usually Sunday ,don't deprive yourself of something you like if you do you will fail. Be honest with yourself and eat to live not live to eat. Everyone keep up the hard work it will payoff in the long run

189andFalling

So far, yes, little point in lying to myself! For those odd times I haven't been able to accurately track I've over estimated.

gsmith32953

I track everything!! If you don't, you only lying to yourself to make you feel better. The only person you're hurting in the long run........is you!

Sarahmeridith

I track everything, but sometimes I do just use the quick calories if its somethign I dont eat offten, and I take it from the package so they are currect. If I take a few bites here and there of other things I usually just add like 100 cal. which more then covers it if I cant figure out the exact amount (example: I ate a few of my sons gold fish crackers like 3-4, 54 fish is a serving for 150cal didnt feel like doing the math so I just added 100)

rocketmouse

I try to be honest, but do occasionally forget things, ketchup or dressings mostly. If I binge I always track it as I like to look at the reports and see what triggers the overeating so I can try and avoid them in the future. As others have said, you are only cheating yourself if you lie to make it look better. :noway:

Ahh me too. The other day I mixed a little emmenthal into my pasta sauce and then I forgot to add it but I had already hit "done" for the day and I was like, "Well I know how many calories were in it and I didn't go over or anything so I guess it's fine." Same with ketchup and things like tat.
But in general I log everything. Even embarrassing things like 50 grams of speculoos spread or 6 squares of chocolate or whatever (I have a terrible sweet tooth).

sc1572

I track EVERYTHING! If I have one Hershey Kisses, it gets tracked. If I have a horrible day and stuff my face, I track it. If it's the holidays, I track it! If I don't, it causes me to feel less guilty, and like what I did wasn't a big deal. When I track, it causes me to take responsibility.

weightloss12345678

I attempt to be as honest as possible with my diary when I can but no ones perfect

kriggs1976

Using MFP has become a lifestyle for me now, I track it all even down to the Truvia I put on my cereal in the morning

crysmcd1

i track everything, except for spices that do not contain sodium, gum, and sometimes i forget to record my water, however, i do try to drink over 100ozs on a daily basis.

189andFalling

Just to add.. I'm sure loads here have it.. but just by the fact you know you'll need to write it down means you'll go for the healthy option! One example is say a mars bar (at a guess 300cals) I know I could replace that with say chicken and noodles @ 300cals, and that would make me feel loads better from an energy perspective, so I don't reach for it!

I think tracking calories on a 'bad day' would be a positive thing. You might not feel so stressed about it if you are only say 500 over maintenance.

Floridaboiler

I pretty much track everything I eat. It is the only way to remind me of what I am taking in.

blondieangel

i dont track everything but i dont think im cheating because i sometimes just taste something... i mean that i eat it in a very small amount so i dont track it.. and this has not affected my progress... i keep on losing weight.

jkleon86

Yes unless at the end and I total out and have like 300 or 400 calories left I don't track like the 90cal. fiber one bar or a piece of fruit. I just track it in my head. I do like to be straight as possible also with the exercise and calories burned My bike logs less calories then when I go through MFB so I just quick calorie add the difference using the lower number.

carolann_22

I dont track spices or drinks (I drink water, unsweet tea or diet coke). Everything else, I do.

MsFat2Fit

Yes, I track everything except water and herbal tea (I drink lots of water, usually between 3-4litres).

Sometimes when I'm eating out / traveling I'm not tracking at all...that's not good when I'm just leaving the diary empty!

Fatbuster205

95% of the time I track everything - but I occasionally cannot be bothered so I cannot say I track 100% of the time! That said I am honest with myself even if I don't publicise it. What I don't do is stress and beat myself up over bad days (and I don't have too many!). At the end of the day I have lost 28lbs over 4 months - I am happy with that rate of loss and if I maintain a bit, lose a bit, live a bit then that for me becomes much easier to maintain! I am at my half way point and have no intention of stopping now!