What things do you refuse to log?
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Many condiments are particularly calorie dense so I do log them... salad dressings, mayonnaise, ketchup, etc are among these... Hot sauce and diet drinks I do not because they are zero calorie. If I eat 2-3 tic-tacs, I usually don't worry about those.
I refuse to log anything as exercise that would be included in my daily routine... walking in relation to my job, cleaning, mowing (riding mower), etc... UNLESS, it is well beyond my normal daily routine... Moving boxes when I am on my feet all day doing it and normally am not would be an example of that. I never count strength training which I do most days but do count any cardio such as treadmill, elliptical, etc.
It is good to remember that MFP logging is OUR TOOL.. It is only as good as we make of it. If we are gaining weight and are under our calorie goal every day, it would be wise to really look at how we are logging. If we are losing about what we are supposed to be losing as we are logging, I don't think we need to change anythign... it is OUR tool... nobody elses. Our bodies don't care what we log.. they care what we consume.. and what we do... Our bodies then respond accordingly. They could care less what we log or don't log... Not logging is akin to the obese man sneaking to the fridge at night and eating that chocolate cake so nobody knows he did it... Hey, the results are evident.
At the same time, there is no need to be totally OCD about it... At best, our logging is a good estimate... Certainly not an exact science -- even if we weigh everything in sight there will be a 2-3% variation in true values... especially with calorie dense foods... and exercise is even more questionable.0 -
Refuse? That's a bit of a strong word. No-one is forcing me to log anything... I CHOOSE to log everything (within as much accuracy as is reasonable)...
Maybe, when I attain my holy grail weight... then I may choose NOT to log, and trust that I am capable of guessing what will be my maintainable allowance.
But I don't feel that I need to rebel against a free app, and an act of free will!
I addressed the use of the word "refuse" in a previous comment. I posted this early and hadn't consumed any coffee yet. The brain wasn't awake enough at that point to come up with a different word! Give a girl a break! Geez!
Didn't read earlier post... go have another coffee. And log it... #JustAThought :laugh:0 -
Anything that's under 10 calories, I don't log. Unless I eat enough of it to add up to 20 or higher. My diet isn't going to be ruined by 10-20 calories.0
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I'm not logging zero calorie things because why....
I started here to create awareness of what I eat, and it's helping a lot. Seeing where the extra fat and carbs are coming from is pretty eye opening. Started ordering dressings on the side, limiting portions more, and getting fat free or low fat versions of things (cottage cheese, milk, cheese sticks, etc..)
In just a couple weeks that's made a big difference for me. Plus tracking cardio makes it easy to see what days I have more calories to play with and when I need to eat less.
I think if you're aware of what you're eating and when and why, and what the balance of those calories is (fat, carbs and protein balance) that's the goal, not tracking every single calorie.0 -
Refuse? That's a bit of a strong word. No-one is forcing me to log anything... I CHOOSE to log everything (within as much accuracy as is reasonable)...
Maybe, when I attain my holy grail weight... then I may choose NOT to log, and trust that I am capable of guessing what will be my maintainable allowance.
But I don't feel that I need to rebel against a free app, and an act of free will!
I addressed the use of the word "refuse" in a previous comment. I posted this early and hadn't consumed any coffee yet. The brain wasn't awake enough at that point to come up with a different word! Give a girl a break! Geez!
Didn't read earlier post... go have another coffee. And log it... #JustAThought :laugh:
Had two cups already and only logged the creamer! A third cup is tempting, though!0 -
I log everything. Because it's those seemingly insignificant ones that add up.0
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Coffee! It's my one and only vice that will never go away, it will always be a part of me and my 1 cup a day is never going to change. And I'm okay with that
And water. I know I need more and don't need to jog it to remind myself.0 -
I started out not entering the 0 calorie drinks and condiments until I noticed how much potassium is in coffee & green teas and how much sodium is in things like diet sodas, mustard, vinegar, and soy sauce. I have high blood pressure so it's important to keep a higher ratio of potassium to sodium, i.e. my daily quota for potassium is 3500 mg and sodium is 2500 mg. The American Heart Assn. recommends 1500 mg sodium for people with high BP and I'm always over that but do manage to stay under the 2500. Although my potassium numbers are low I find that not all the foods in the database track the potassium because it's not required to be on food labels. In any case, paying attention to these numbers has been a great benefit in getting me to eat more fruits and veggies and avoid salty processed foods or get the low-sodium versions whenever possible.0
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I don't log spices or gum. On the days I get tired of this whole process, I don't log anything :laugh:0
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I don't log my second (and sometimes third) sugar free energy drink of the day, mints, or gum. I do log any bites my girls insist on feeding me. Also don't log any black coffee or tea (but my morning one with sugar and milk I do)0
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vitamins and small amounts of herbs + spices. Salt.0
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lemsip!0
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water, diet soda, salt, onion powder, garlic salt, occasional coffee (i log the creamer), gum0
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Granulated sweetener (on my cereal)
My cans of occasional diet energy drink (4 cals)
Chewing Gum
Everything else is mostly logged
On a bad day i log nothing but try and pick up again the next day.0 -
Gum
Green/herbal tea (no milk or sugar anyway)
Small amounts of herbs/spices0 -
I started out not entering the 0 calorie drinks and condiments until I noticed how much potassium is in coffee & green teas and how much sodium is in things like diet sodas, mustard, vinegar, and soy sauce. I have high blood pressure so it's important to keep a higher ratio of potassium to sodium, i.e. my daily quota for potassium is 3500 mg and sodium is 2500 mg. The American Heart Assn. recommends 1500 mg sodium for people with high BP and I'm always over that but do manage to stay under the 2500. Although my potassium numbers are low I find that not all the foods in the database track the potassium because it's not required to be on food labels. In any case, paying attention to these numbers has been a great benefit in getting me to eat more fruits and veggies and avoid salty processed foods or get the low-sodium versions whenever possible.
I agree that logging high-sodium foods (even if they are very low calorie) is a good idea, though I eat such negligent amounts of condiments like ketchup and mustard that it hardly seems worth it, so I often avoid logging them. However, I do log them when I know I'll have a sodium-heavy day (going to a restaurant, unhealthy day, etc.).0 -
I don't refuse to log anything... I would log everything if there was a good reason for it.
But I don't currently log: diet soda, water, vitamins, tums, medicine, salt & pepper for seasoning at the table, I can't believe it's not butter spray (most of the time) and single bites (like if I'm tasting something while cooking or a small bite of my son's sandwich or banana - if it extends beyond a single bite then I'm logging it).0 -
I log everything that goes in my mouth/body, even if there are zero calories, keeps me accountable, feel like some people can log certain things but others it starts a bad habit like a splash of this, or a dab of that.. it adds up..0
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coffee
I usually forget to log my water, but I chug it considering I breast feed.
mustard (most of the time)
unsweetened tea
truvia (usually forget)0 -
When I first started on MFP, I logged EVERYTHING. I was so afraid I would miss something and completely ruin the progress I was making. When I reached 20 pounds lost, I decided to change things up and made the switch from obsessing over everything I ate to a mindful eating approach (similar to IIFYM) ...
Here are some examples of things I don't log:
* Coffee (but I do log creamer)
* Gum
* Most things that contain 0 calories
* Ketchup (I log this sometimes, but not usually)
What foods and beverages do you refuse to log?
Pepper and salt. Sometimes, my homemade dressings (unconsciously). And of course - my vegetable crisps, like beets.0 -
When you fail to log alcohol calories, you are not at all being honest with yourself. If that's the case, what's the point of logging at all?
Kind of a weird comment.
I used to not log alcohol. The reason is because it is not nutrition therefore I am not counting against my nutrition I need for the day. It's over and above. I understood that no big deal. I still feel very strongly that way. I just don't drink much any more. But when people don't eat so they can drink that night, I think they are idiots. Alcohol is not nutritious. If anything you should eat more to give your body extra nutrition to repair the damage the alcohol does.
Totally agree. My point was, how can you use the log to figure out what is happening in your journey, if you are leaving out what can be a significant porion of your calorie intake? Obviously, my point wasn't made! LOL0 -
I log pretty much everything but I guess on the measurements. My goal is 1650 right now and I find myself under most of the time. I'm more focused on hitting my macros than the actual calories since I'm just starting out. Since I joined MFP I've put on a pound of muscle so I'm doing something right!
EDIT: Regarding the alcohol -- you should log it if you want accuracy. There are 7 calories in every gram of alcohol. It's pretty important. 0 -
Foods:
Spices (especially if it's a blend or if it's just a dash of something)
If I have just a bite (like if I snag a single bite of my kid's snack, take a sip of hubby's soda (or beer), or get a sample at the grocery store or farmer's market)
Sometimes I forget about coffee, even if it has cream and a bit of sugar in it. I'm under most days, so 20 cals is not going to make a huge difference
Tea
Supplements (vitamins/minerals/herbal remedies)
Medicines/cough drops
Exercise:
Climbing stairs to my second-floor apartment
Walking around a store
Hefting small children
Cleaning
Playing/dancing with kids
All of these ^^^ I just consider part of my everyday activity, so I don't count it as working out or exercise, even though it burns more cals than doing nothing.
Also, this:I log pretty much everything but I guess on the measurements. My goal is 1650 right now and I find myself under most of the time. I'm more focused on hitting my macros than the actual calories since I'm just starting out. Since I joined MFP I've put on a pound of muscle so I'm doing something right!
I'm way more focused on macros than cals, so the "basic gist" of cals is more important to me than the to-the-gram measurements other people take.0 -
So far I haven't come across things that I don't log. I probably wouldn't have even thought of logging gum, not that I chew it much anyway. Right now I log everything as a way of keeping myself honest. I don't think since I started using MFP that I have actually eaten any 0 calorie foods. I think I would still log them though just to see how on track I am with my other nutrients. I try to keep under the daily requirements for things like fat and sugars (though I'm still having problems hitting the sugars).0
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I used to think I logged everything.. til hubby pointed out that he got this variety of margarine over another, saying it was only a 20 cal difference. It suddenly occurred to me that I never logged it anyway. I will say though, that we use a low fat/cal margarine, and I use WAY less now than before I found MFP. Instead of a tablespoon, I use less than a teaspoon on most things.
I used to log when I had my hot tea.. but since it's 2 tea bags, 0 cal and 2 tsp of truvia at 0 cal.. I just count the water instead.
Like others have said, I don't count the single bite of my son's or husband's food I might get. A single bite of hubby's bagel this morning isn't enough to send me over the deep end of my weight loss. I may have a total of 5 or 6 bites all week long of something. I refuse to obsess over my food. I already know I have some OCD tendencies and I don't want to give into them by making every single bite a possibility for failure.
As for exercise things that I don't log.. I DO log my daily walking with my FitBit, and I log my DVD workouts (30DS, Yoga, Zumba, etc). But I don't count something like walking up and down the stairs or doing laundry. I have in the past counted cleaning the house as long as it was at least moderate intensity and got my HR up, making me sweat 0 -
i use to log EVERYTHING... until i asked my friend if painkillers had calories and the reaction i got was a kick up the butt lol now i dont log water .. i know im drinking enough lol it doesnt effect my calories so no point gum and the odd diet coke i have lol0
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I don't log my black coffee, vitamins or my zero calorie Zevia soda's(although I used to). I might not log salsa but always log the tortilla chips I eat with it.0
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At the moment, I refuse to log anything. (am doing a muscle-building cycle)0
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I don't log spices. I also don't log 'exercise' like cleaning, cooking, or walking around the house carrying my baby. I don't consider those things to be exercise.0
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I don't log black coffee, breath mints (if I only have the one), cucumbers, celery, crystal light, or mustard. I also tend to underlog exercise (underestimate minutes spent/intensity) and round up for food. That way I have a bit of a buffer for estimation errors (let's face it, portion amounts are usually way smaller than most of us would guesstimate) and usually come out ahead anyway.0
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