Enter your food on MFP before you eat it!!!!

For my four year old's lunch I made Velveeta 2% shells and cheese and fixed my self a 1 cup serving. Before I ate it I was logging it on MFP and found that for that one cup of shells it was 330 calories. I ate 3 shells and fixed myself my tossed spinach salad with my own olive oil vinaigrette dressing the whole salad with dressing was a whopping 87 calories. Yay MFP!!!!!!!

Replies

  • junipearl
    junipearl Posts: 326 Member
    ALWAYS do.
  • EnchantedEvening
    EnchantedEvening Posts: 671 Member
    I always always always pre-log.
  • deb3129
    deb3129 Posts: 1,294 Member
    I usually do, but I ALWAYS read nutrtion info on any food that comes in a package before I prepare it.
  • Smart thinking! I try to bring all my food from home, but occasionally it's not enough and I end up buying something in the deli. I always go look at my options, and check MFP before making my choice.
  • Prelogging my day is the ONLY way I can stay on track. Way to go!
  • UnoDrea3732
    UnoDrea3732 Posts: 342 Member
    I hear ya! Sometimes I gasp at how bad my "good foods" are. :smile:
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    If you are eating a processed food from a box, couldn't you just look at the box to know the calorie count? MFP really comes in handy for homeprepared meals but I'm not sure why it's necessary for the boxed stuff.
  • I do that with dinners. They're usually my highest calorie meal since I'm cooking for my husband and daughter too.
    Tonight, turkey ranch burgers with tomato and avocado! =d
  • KatKisses
    KatKisses Posts: 296 Member
    I never pre log and I always come in under.
  • Nice
    Nice Posts: 84
    I've always entered my food in the morning for the day, this way I never go over and can add snacks if I have more calories to eat :)
  • Miche11e5
    Miche11e5 Posts: 114 Member
    It is also helpful to look up restaurant food either here or on their website before you go out to eat.
  • holly78
    holly78 Posts: 347
    I've always entered my food in the morning for the day, this way I never go over and can add snacks if I have more calories to eat :)

    I do this as well
  • playitagainsam
    playitagainsam Posts: 84 Member
    I also always log my food into MFP first before I begin to eat and sometimes, even before I begin to prepare my food just to see where I am and how doing calorie wise, protein wise, carb wise, etc. I don't know how I would ever live now without MFP!!
  • KrazyAsianNic
    KrazyAsianNic Posts: 1,227 Member
    I try to prelog a day before only because I have to plan meals depending on the day.
  • If you are eating a processed food from a box, couldn't you just look at the box to know the calorie count? MFP really comes in handy for homeprepared meals but I'm not sure why it's necessary for the boxed stuff.

    I am new to the whole calorie counting thing. I usually have to stumble across the things that end up working for me. This process was no different. Some times my train is the last one to pull into the station. :tongue:
  • kenazfehu
    kenazfehu Posts: 1,188 Member
    If I'm unsure I pre-log, but I'm getting pretty good about estimating calories in a meal (I've been checking myself a lot to be sure). I've been paying a lot of attention to what's on my plate and how many calories it represents because some day I want to be free of logging.
  • I've always entered my food in the morning for the day, this way I never go over and can add snacks if I have more calories to eat :)

    Oh how I miss the days when I could plan my day in the morning. LOL now that I have a 4 and 7 year old the only thing that goes according to plan is waking up in the morning and going to sleep at night.
  • erookjr
    erookjr Posts: 48 Member
    I definitely plan my day on MFP of what I'm going to eat to get a general idea.
  • It is also helpful to look up restaurant food either here or on their website before you go out to eat.

    I try to prepare most of our meals but, you are soooo right. Thank you. I will certainly do this.
  • kelseycolbert
    kelseycolbert Posts: 37 Member
    I always prelog EVERYTHING! Not to mention, if I set up what I am going to eat at 8 am or so every day, it's easier for me to stay at my calorie goal and not break my diet if I have it all planned out ahead of time. I think it's a great source of structure for those of us who lack a lot of willpower.
  • corneredbycorn
    corneredbycorn Posts: 267 Member
    I almost never pre-log.

    Eating food and then realizing how much was in it and asking myself if it was really worth it, really helped me prioritize and figure out what works for me. Forgoing the food would just leave me craving it later. For me, waiting to log is a learning experience. I hardly even need to log anymore because of it.
  • _Tara_R
    _Tara_R Posts: 688 Member
    I always pre-log!!
  • betsyblue123
    betsyblue123 Posts: 19 Member
    i only started yesterday and am finding to so much easier to plan tomorrows meals today, i think if i had to log everything after id eaten, then i wouldnt get anywhere... i love it !!
  • 0Karina0
    0Karina0 Posts: 131 Member
    I always do it, to make sure im still under, if not, i take some foods out or exercise more :D
  • angiechimpanzee
    angiechimpanzee Posts: 536 Member
    I always log ahead when I can. Saves sooo much trouble.