First day

Hi Steph, I usually start strong in the morning logging my workout and breakfast, but as the day goes on i slack off. You could try to log your whole day in at once, the trick from there is to stick with it. I have the mfp on my phone which really helps. Good luck with your journey, feel free to add me if your looking for friends!

I second the logging in advance! Planning your meals the day before makes it easier to stay on track the next day!

Hi Stephanie, welcome! I too, have had a hard time with the food part of health and well being. After countless times trying to lose those last 20 pounds, I 'caved' to logging. What an eye opener it was! I really did not think I was putting that much food in my mouth and it made things clear to me that I was just eating too much!

I think you will be pleasantly surprised when you start logging and this site is very easy and helpful. There are many foods in the database. And it gives you incentive to exercise when you see you earn 'calories' when you move!

Give yourself some slack the first few days; I didn't change my eating for the first few days when I started logging, I just logged everything - that is how I came to the realization that I ate far more than I remembered putting in my mouth! I think that's the key to logging. When you are aware, you just naturally make better choices (most of the time! )

Good luck, and look me up if you need an ear. I also have 2 kids, but I've got 10 years on ya, fyi.

I used to hate logging food, but I don't mind it now. It gets so much easier if you consistently log every single day. Eventually, the majority of your food will be in your favorites or recent lists, so you can just point and click it. Once you learn all the tricks of MFP food logging and build up your food choices, it becomes an easy habit.

Bonus: building a happy friends list so you look forward to checking in and logging throughout the day.

Hi Stephanie I'm fairly new to this site as well, and to dieting in general. I'd just like to say that I'm really glad I started using MFP because food logging truly is the best way to go about weight loss. All diets are about calories in, calories out, and if you don't know exactly how many calories you're eating, you can't know that you're on the right track. I hope you don't resent logging, because it hardly takes any time out of your day. The database is huge, and you learn after a while how to eyeball measurements. My favorite part of logging is pressing complete and it telling me that I'm below my calorie goal for the day. It's a good feeling. My best suggestion for logging is to download the app, it makes it so much easier to log right after you eat. And I would like to support the logging in advance that has been talked about. If you've already entered your food, then it just makes it easier to keep that little promise to yourself.

Good luck, and I hope you learn to love MFP!

I don't like logging either, but once I saw how useful it was, I realized I've got to do it. And the myfitnesspal app really helps because now I have no excuse not to log since I don't have to cart around a notebook & pen or worry about someone asking me what I'm doing and having to awkwardly explain.