What do you log?

Options
DeeDeeMee
DeeDeeMee Posts: 133 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi All,

I've noticed that some people log things that I consider to be just daily activities and therefore don't count so I'm wondering what everyone does log?

I log the following foods:

Everything that I eat, no matter how small and I round up for preference. If I think a calorie calculation on MFP might be light I look it up in a couple of other places just to be sure.

I don't log my medicines/vitamin supplements or water (because I know I drink lots of it, that's never been a problem).

I log the following exercise:

Anything structured/intentional - I do yoga every weekday and either walk or ride my bike to work, so I log that. I log walks and hiking or bike rides etc. and the exercise videos I do every Wednesday.

Heavy duty cleaning or gardening, and I mean heavy duty - our yard is overgrown and I'm trying to get a handle on it so I count chopping down small trees, hard-core pruning, digging, hauling rocks or bricks around and lawn mowing. For cleaning I log unusual and strenuous things like getting down on my hands and knees and scrubbing a floor. Anything that makes me sweat.

I don't log anything that's a regular daily chore - bed making, dusting, laundry, watering the house plants, general weeding, light pruning of roses etc or fussing around with my succulent and cacti collection. I also don't count playing games with the cat, which does sometimes involve running around the house or yard. My understanding is that these things are already included in the MFP calculation for 'sedentary' and I really don't feel that they count as exercise anyway.

I also don't include shopping if I drove to the shopping centre. I only include it if I walked there and then consider it a continuation of my walk at a very slow pace.

So does anyone else have any self-imposed criteria for their logging?

:)
«1

Replies

  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    Options
    I'm maintaining and don't log much of anything anymore but I got to maintenance by logging every bite that passed my lips. Everything. I rarely ever ate/eat back exercise so that's not an issue but I consider exercise to be something you do intentionally for some fitness aspect. Not house work, shopping, child care, or any other daily activity. Walking is brisk walking done for exercise, not generally walking around or shopping. Exercise significantly raises your heart rate for an extended period of time and isn't classified by sweat or perceived exertion.
  • snazzyjazzy21
    snazzyjazzy21 Posts: 1,298 Member
    Options
    I have a fitbit so I only log exercises that require me to take it off, like swimming. I'll log pretty much everything I eat, except for those 2 grapes I ate while preparing lunch.
  • samammay
    samammay Posts: 468
    Options
    I use a fitbit so I log all activities but specific exercise separately.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    Options
    I did almost exactly the same thing you do before I got my fitbit.

    Now I use that for everything except bicycling and really arm heavy chores like chopping trees or lifting bricks/building stone walls.
  • helpfit101
    helpfit101 Posts: 347 Member
    Options
    It doesn't matter as long as you're consistent.

    Of course it's a different matter as to whether it makes sense to log doing the dishes.
  • simontonj75
    simontonj75 Posts: 5 Member
    Options
    I agree with you. I use fFitbit Flex and only log walking/jogging 40 minutes 5 x per week on my treadmill. When im on a treadmill i do not move my arms like i would with a normal walk. If I walk around the block or not on a treadmill I do not log it because imy fitbit logs it for me.
  • Jewlz280
    Jewlz280 Posts: 547 Member
    Options
    It probably depends on your settings and your weight loss goals. If you marked 'Sedentary' and you only have it set for low loss, I can see logging every little thing for accuracy in the beginning. Or if you are only doing it trying to get a general idea of where maintenance is or your calories base. But for me, I only log planned exercise. I don't add shopping or housework, even if strenuous. I just figure that it balances out my 'lazy' days I have once in a while where I chose to only do dishes and read a book or something! lol For others, though, they may just be playing with the numbers and attempting to figure out what works. I am STILL playing with mine trying to figure out what works! And others may be doing the same. I really don't pay much attention unless someone is saying they think they need help figuring out what they are doing. Otherwise, I just mind my own business and go on. It's a good question, though. Hopefully some of those doing that will see this and either figure it out or have answers. :)
  • DeeDeeMee
    DeeDeeMee Posts: 133 Member
    Options
    Ok, so I'm a bit new at this, but..... what's a fitbit and is it helpful? Seems like it could be.

    :)
  • Ignaura
    Ignaura Posts: 203 Member
    Options
    I don't log water or coffee.
  • mulecanter
    mulecanter Posts: 1,792 Member
    Options
    I try to log everything going down my gullet except water and diet sodas--I'm not quite as fanatical about water consumption as some are. On exercise, I log anything I put on workout clothes for and break a sweat doing. I don't log everyday chores because I assume I need margin for errors in calorie counting.
  • snazzyjazzy21
    snazzyjazzy21 Posts: 1,298 Member
    Options
    Ok, so I'm a bit new at this, but..... what's a fitbit and is it helpful? Seems like it could be.

    :)

    It's like a jacket up pedometer. You wear it all the time (you can get either a clip on or bracelet type) and it calculates your calories burned during the day based on both your BMR and your activity level (steps taken). You can link it up to MFP so if you burn more calories than MFP has calculated for the day, you'll be given extra calories to eat.
  • DeeDeeMee
    DeeDeeMee Posts: 133 Member
    Options
    Ok, so I'm a bit new at this, but..... what's a fitbit and is it helpful? Seems like it could be.

    :)

    It's like a jacket up pedometer. You wear it all the time (you can get either a clip on or bracelet type) and it calculates your calories burned during the day based on both your BMR and your activity level (steps taken). You can link it up to MFP so if you burn more calories than MFP has calculated for the day, you'll be given extra calories to eat.

    That sounds pretty awesome. I'll look into getting one. What I'm doing at the moment seems to be working pretty well, but having a more accurate expenditure calculation would be great.

    :)
  • PippiNe
    PippiNe Posts: 283 Member
    Options
    I only log exercise if I have changed into my workout gear to do it (jog bra, shorts). If I'm just in my everyday clothes, I treat it as my everyday activity that has already been accounted for. When I change for a workout, I'm prepared to sweat heavily :o)

    I also try to log everything I eat. I have occasional cheat days and sometimes I don't log those. But for the most part, if I eat 3 potato chips it gets logged. Because that little nibble here and there can add up to a whole lot of calories for the day if you don't keep track. Just today, I finished the edges of my daughter's poptart, ate 3 chips at the bottom of a Pringles can, ate the last broken pieces of approx. 4 cookies left in the cupboard. Just those few little things added up to 350 calories. That's a lot to not log!
  • DeeDeeMee
    DeeDeeMee Posts: 133 Member
    Options
    I only log exercise if I have changed into my workout gear to do it (jog bra, shorts). If I'm just in my everyday clothes, I treat it as my everyday activity that has already been accounted for. When I change for a workout, I'm prepared to sweat heavily :o)

    That's actually a really good way of looking at it. When I think about it, all the things I log require different clothing (I usually wear workout clothes to work and change there, esp if I'm cycling. Not sure what I'll do once summer rolls around, I think I'll have to brave the showers.... eeee). Really heavy gardening and cleaning also require different clothing.

    :)
  • jvbrooks
    jvbrooks Posts: 82 Member
    Options
    I highly recommend the Fitbit... I have the Flex specifically, it runs at about $99. Very useful so far, logs pretty well everything you do, and is subtle enough you don't feel self conscious wearing it. Logs your steps, tracks your sleep... it's very handy.

    I do a ton of walking but never bothered to log it; I have a long walk to work and back, and usually go for a walk at lunch and in the evening, too. With the Fitbit you're kind of inspired to walk more than you normally would because you're rewarded for every extra step.

    Plus, it has a competition feature on the Fitbit website, so you can compete with friends and family to log the most steps!
  • kiwitechgirl
    kiwitechgirl Posts: 145 Member
    Options
    I'm another one working on the principle of if I get changed into workout gear and put my heart rate monitor on, it gets logged, otherwise it doesn't. I log everything I eat. Seems to be working so far!
  • shinkalork
    shinkalork Posts: 815 Member
    Options
    I walk a lot at work...and run too (i'm security) so I do log my walking at work and i use a podometer app for that...cause I find that MFP stats for walking's too high.

    The rest of my loggings are all pure workout.
  • MuseofSong
    MuseofSong Posts: 322 Member
    Options
    I log everything I eat and drink. (Although sometimes I'll eat an almond or peanut and not log it right away, I usually account for it later.) And I try to pre-plan my meals so it's not all tedious and time consuming to find everything in the database and sort it out.

    I log all of my on purpose exercise because I have a weekly personal exercise goal; however, I usually delete it from my 'wall' unless I have a comment on it. I'll also log any activities that are not part of my normal week.
  • x1v16
    x1v16 Posts: 66
    Options
    I log all food I eat. I don't log medicine and wouldn't log vitamins. If the estimates I see are extremely varied I take the average. I log all exercise, I log cleaning. I put down I'm sedentary so I figure anything active and moving should count. I find I lose more weight than what MFP would suggest so whatever my TDEE is, it's higher than MFP's estimate. I eat back all exercise calories.
  • lovebig30
    lovebig30 Posts: 167 Member
    Options
    I log food and water. My activity is logged by my bodymedia device. iam set to moderate activity in MFP due to active job and if I burn more than that it sync the rest over as exercise or sometimes as negative if I was off and lazy only had that happen once so far I it was only 75 calories less than what I should have burned in one day being active. on average my exerice calories range from 300 to 1000 depending on the day. if you decide to get a tracking device do your research and decide whats best for you lots of people are in to fitbit I liked the bodymedia more even though its more visible and has monthly plan that makes me more likely to use it.

Categories