I don't understand the "I'm not gonna log it" mentality

Chipmaniac

I log everything 100% with one exception. I went on a 1-day cruise and tried my best to eat sensibly and succeeded in a relative sense. However, we had no Internet access due to being in a foreign country and thus I couldn't log in real-time. After the fact I did my best to reconstruct the day but I likely missed a thing or two.

I guess it helps that I don't allow myself "cheat days" and have only been over maybe twice, by a small amount, in almost four months. With summer looming, it was just too important for me to reach my goal as soon as I possibly could within reason to cheat. Yesterday, I technically reached my "goal weight" but I've decided to keep going as I still a have a bit of fat to lose around the mid-section.

Liasings

I log, but I'm not obsessive about it. I log primarily because I find that I tend to over- or under-estimate the calories/carbs of what I'm eating. I don't "lie" or deliberately leave out the 1/4 sheet of birthday cake, what would be the point? My lying days are over (with a fond wave to Dr. Gregory House, M.D.)

Wilson929

I'm logging everything. If I go way over... well, tomorrow is a new day.

Exactly ! Just like over this holiday weekend. Had some good food a few beers on Sat. and logged each and every thing. That end number wasn't all that good, but you know what I'm not going to gain weight back from just one day of bad numbers.
I actually want to see the bad days. Reminds me of how good I do on the good days.

xdaysbingefree

I personally don't see a problem with not logging on major holidays or vacations (counting calories shouldn't take over your life!). But on an everyday basis, accountability is definitely important. There have been days where I'm 3000 calories over my goal, and it's upsetting to see, but it is reality.

jedibunny

Initially I logged everything all day every day and got to the point that I felt paranoid about NOT logging because I knew that the tools here wouldn't work as intended if I didn't.

Now, I'm still of the same mentality, but not as harsh with myself about it. If I just don't use my phone or computer after a certain point in the day (like, after I get home, or after eating dinner), I remind myself of what my calories were already at before dinner and where they should be at the end of the day. I can sort of guesstimate what some meals will be since they're commonplace, and if I know I'm at a good number I'm not freaked out about accountability. If I know I grabbed an extra snack, I'll make it a point to go back the day after and log it.

I also don't often log on the weekends anymore because I just don't log on to the computer (though I'll make it a point to open my phone app to keep that days-logged-in counter going, lol!). :happy:

TheWinman

Yep, you should log everything. I know some who did not log the entire holiday weekend. I log it all. It's also best to look at the bigger pic also, like week by week. Just because you go over for one day does not mean that the entire week won't be under.

Pocket_Pixi

If I don't log its not because I don't want to know the totals... Its because I'm being lazy... Or the entire day was pent grazing and I really have no idea how much I ate or how to log it.

tweetybaby69

It;s really your own personal preference. Everyone has their own way of doing things and if that is what works for them then that's great. On the other hand, me, I log, I try to make myself accountable because the reason I joined is because I love food and my love for food hinders my thinking about what I am putting in my mouth. So having to log it helps to keep me accountable to me. Whether its good bad or otherwise. for example, over the weekend, I had pizza and burgers. I surely logged it and tell myself its a new day and start over. You can also eat items that are not necessarily good for you, but if it is limited, there is a good chance you will not exceed your calories. And, if you do feel like you are falling off early in the day, you can workout and compensate for some of the calories you went over. It really is psychological......i.e, (all in your head)

tldust

I agree. It doesn't work if you don't log everything in everyday. I don't have a smart phone. If I can't get to a computer right away, I write it down to log in for later. And I have found that I'm getting better at guestimating calories for foods, because I can remember what the different components of that meal are worth. Logging in everyday helps us realize how good and how bad we really are. And then we start to learn, so we can make healthier choices. As far as the really bad days . . . . at least I know I was bad. That means I have to do better the next day and so on.

wasveganvictoria88

I guess its down to the person...

infamousmk

I think everyone has to do things their own way. Of course we're probably all more likely to be successful if we log everything, but I just don't have the time or energy to worry about others' food diaries.


Lady Homebrewer - 3yrs
MFP Smarty-pants and sometimes food logger
Also, boobs.

silvergurl518

i totally agree--in theory--but half the time I don't feel like logging because it's time consuming, not because i'm ashamed of what i ate. but yes, it's all about accountability!

TheWinman

I would also like to add for anyone who does not know and finds it's time consuming. I can't speak for the android app, but with the iphone app you can scan the barcode of an item and it puts all the nutritional information in your diary for you.

Rae6503

I log bad days. It's entertaining. My record was 4500 on Thanksgiving.

soontobesam

Personally I log everything - for me to reach my goals I have to do it this way. I'm not here to judge anyone but I feel like not logging is only cheating yourself. I read that some people have days off from logging (not just because they want to binge) and if that is something that helps them reach their goal then so be it.

My process is to log it all - good, bad and ugly.

It helps me to make better decisions for myself. I really wanted Doritos the other day and just for S&G's I entered a whole large bag into the tracker and it put me waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay over (I could realistically eat the whole entire big bag in one day) and just seeing it made me grab the smaller bag when I went to the store. I still got to satisfy my craving - but I did it with the understanding of the effect it would have and with making a compromise between what my old self would have done (the one that helped me get to over 200lbs) and the new self (that has helped me lose 21lbs).

I say to each their own with the sidenote that if you are a non logger on certain days and aren't getting the results you want - you should consider making a change to your logging habits (and if you are someone having success with your method then congrats to you)!

monkeyriley

I view MFP as a tool to track with, not as a prison to restrict my behavior. I'll not let one day knock me off course, so no need to try to lie to myself and pretend it didn't happen. If anything it proves to be a positive reinforcement that you can still have significant progress without totally giving up every bad food (or drink) craving you have.

I think this says it the best!


I also use the quick add calories, when I go out for dinner and take an HONEST guess at what I ate.

AllTehBeers

I sometimes feel this way, especially this last week because I'm leaving for vacation and I don't have any food in my house. I feel bad putting that fast food burger in because people will see what I ate and I'm supposed to be trying to get healthier. I don't want to own up to it but in the end, I log it because I ate it and the calories aren't going to go away just because I didn't put them in.

SPNLuver83

I agree with you 100%. Not logging is just a way to stay in denial.

jegizzy

I try and record every single thing, which at a weekend if I've been out can be horrendous reading!!! But there's no point not logging as I'd only be kidding myself and it'd give an inaccurate reading on my weekly chart.

naiils

I log EVERYTHING.. I set my activity to sedentary so when I'm continuously active for 20+ min be it cleaning, power walking through a busy shop or exercising, I log it. If I'm naughty with food it doesn't feel AS naughty when I see the cals I've earned through incidental exercise.

jaxandmaksmom

I am not here to lose weight, I have never been overweight, and I do not think therefore, for me, that obsessively logging every single day(especially given I am prone to obsessiveness around food) is good. If I have a very bad day, I know I am having a bad day, and I have that thing in my head called a brain to tell me how many calories I have got up to. Logging it isn't going to change it, anymore than knowing how much I have eaten will change it. I think people get a bit too anal about what everyone else here is doing and logging or not logging. I personally, do not intend on spending the rest of my life sat here logging every bit of food I eat, while life passes me by, no sirree. I can understand those who are overweight feeling a need to do it, and to keep an eye on things, but I honestly think some here get way too obsessed with it, and to me, that sort of obsessiveness will eventually lead to their falling off the wagon totally. 'Normal' people do not sit there all day counting every calorie they put in their mouths, nor sitting wagging their finger at themselves if they have a pig out day once in a while. And nor shall I. Logging for me, simply serves the purpose of giving me a rough idea of what I will maintain my weight on and what sort of food/exercise balance I need, thus for me personally, it is not a longterm thing.

i find your terminolgy rude and condesending.. making it seem like those of us who do track and who do live this life style are somehow less than or something than you.. i think the way you have stated your view is mean

npetercmway

I didn't log over Memorial Day weekend because I didn't have internet and did not have a good way to estimate what someone else's home cooking and recipes were. I know that I ate in moderation and not over a maintenance calorie count. I walked and was active so for me it was a wash. It would have been too much to write down all the recipes and log in a notebook to put in here. I know it is just an excuse and laziness but again I watched what I ate and ate in moderation.

illuminatusObservor

Going over one day and not logging it isnt a big deal. One day is VERY small and has nearly no impact on the big picture. Sometimes it is nice to just enjoy a day and not log it. I don't want to feel guilty because I went over my calories and enjoyed myself.

So going over one day and recording it makes you feel guilty, but going over one day and *not* recording it doesn't? I don't understand. I would think going over would make you feel guilty whether you recorded it or not.

Actually, I would expect you to *not* feel guilty either way since going over one day isn't a big deal...and that's true whether you recorded it in MFP or not.

Nope. If I just enjoy myself and go over I don't really care. If I log it and see how bad, i feel guilty. I like my positive relationship with food I have now.

secretlobster

Part of the benefit of logging a "bad day" is being able to look back from The Future(tm) and prevent yourself from forming a habit.

One reason I got fat was because I forgot/didn't realize how often I had bad days. It was a lot more often than I thought.

TheWinman

Part of the benefit of logging a "bad day" is being able to look back from The Future(tm) and prevent yourself from forming a habit.

One reason I got fat was because I forgot/didn't realize how often I had bad days. It was a lot more often than I thought.

Also logging bad days teaches you to have bad days less often and to make those bad days not as bad as they once were.

Kdingo

(I just feel like the point of this site is to keep yourself accountable. If you only wanna see your food log on the good days, doesn't that defeat the point? It doesn't change the fact that you ate it. It's still in your stomach.)


I would log it on bad days as well as good. Sometimes I even do (guesstimate) but usually it is to hard because when I go out I am at a party or something and have no idea. Only know that in all likely hood I went over. So I still do hold myself accountable logging or not.

trinoc

I fell off MFP for 2 weeks and have just been back for 5 days. Part of my whole mentality was burying my head in the sand and not seeing what I was eating in black and white. The way I actually made it back is by taking a day and logging everything I had eaten and then looked at the "if every day were like this you'd weigh ___ in 5 weeks" and THAT was the kick in the seat I needed to get back on the wagon!

Logging it isn't fun but my motto from now on is, "If I eat it, I own it."

Beastette

Dattass logs it all. I'm not fooling anyone else, so why fool myself?

FluttershySweetie

I log everything as well... Although i have some days... maybe 1 or 2 per month where i do not log anything at all.... sometimes I just need a calorie counting break.... And so far it's been going ok for me.... as long as i do not make a habit of it... and I do still try to make healthy choices on those days....
I do agree if your goona log your day, don't lie to yourself about it.... and same as a previous poster.... I don't always have time to log everything right away, I go back and log it the next day.... I just don't get the "completed diary thing"

LiddyBit

If I'm going to have a no-logging day, I decide in advance. It isn't reactionary to bad choices. I usually don't eat much differently from a log day, I just like the freedom of eating without the bother of having to analyze everything.

But I am not overweight and never have been, so it's not like I need to use logging in a restrictive way.