Why do a food diary?

Prahasaurus

You don't need to do it forever. But I'd definitely recommend it for at least 2-3 months. It will be extremely educational. Provided, of course, you enter everything. It you aren't going to take it seriously, don't bother.

The mobile apps help a lot. I carry my iPad with me everywhere, so it was always easy to keep my diary up to date.

I no longer log, because I'm at my goal weight (actually, I need to gain back a bit), and I have a very good idea where I'm at each day. But only because I logged everything religiously for 3 months, non-stop, every single calorie counted.

--P

Mellie289

I have changed my eating habits, but I don't track calories. I don't mind "cheating" every once in a while, but I am doing better. Has anyone had success without a diary?

I lost about my first 25 pounds without MFP and doing a diary. Sure you can do it! If you've really changed your eating habits to healthy nutritious, low calorie foods and are already knowledgeable about your food choices . I gave up potatoes, bread, pasta, cheese and anything processed, and substituted in fresh fruits and vegetables to go with my lean meat. I use the diary now because I can be a little obsessive about things, but I eat just like I did more or less before joining MFP. The main thing I get out of this site is info on fitness and exercise, and the groups and challenges to keep my motivation up to workout (I don't particularly like to workout, but I am competitive).

msafunk

I have changed my eating habits, but I don't track calories. I don't mind "cheating" every once in a while, but I am doing better. Has anyone had success without a diary?

I sure haven't.

I was tracking in February, and after a few weeks, I thought that I just had a good idea of what I could eat, so I got lazy and stopped tracking. I gained back all the weight I had lost from the diet and exercise.

All those *little* things that you eat really do add up. For instance, someone left cookies in the breakroom at work, and I had *one* before I read the nutrition facts. It was 110 calories, and I ended up going over my calorie limit because of that one cookie. I'm not sweating it, because I've come in under my limit for a whole week, but it does put a diet into perspective.