How precisely do you log your food/exercise?

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  • elyelyse
    elyelyse Posts: 1,454 Member
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    I don't log fruit or veg, and to make up for that I don't eat back my exercise calories

    That sounds fair enough - If I find logging everything too tough I think I'll do this as then the pressure it off a bit if i can eat lots of bananas and melon!
    One banana can be 100 calories. An apple can be 100 calories. It's not unusual for me to eat 2 or more pieces of fruit each day. If I don't count those and the vegetables that I eat... I've just killed half my deficit for the day. I could exercise to make up for it but, then why not just log the food, log the exercise, and make sure I'm actually burning off the extra food I ate. As far as weight loss, It doesn't matter if what takes you over your goal is a banana or a cookie, it's still extra calories.
  • slimminglin
    slimminglin Posts: 5
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    I think this has helped I need to get more accurate but I always forget drinks etc.
  • judilockwood
    judilockwood Posts: 134 Member
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    bump to read later x
  • catcalledjinx
    catcalledjinx Posts: 85
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    I wouldn't log walking to the tube as exercise. That should be covered by whether or not you stated a 'sedentary' or 'active' lifestyle when setting your goals. Just add exercise if it's something over and above normal day-to-day activity. You are right not to be too obsessive about everything you eat, however, if you have hit a plateau or are struggling, you might be surprised to find out exactly how many calories there are in condiments and butter, etc. The trick is to weigh or measure once and then remember what a reasonable amount of butter (or whatever) looks like. Good luck.
  • rondaj05
    rondaj05 Posts: 497 Member
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    One banana can be 100 calories. An apple can be 100 calories. It's not unusual for me to eat 2 or more pieces of fruit each day. If I don't count those and the vegetables that I eat... I've just killed half my deficit for the day. I could exercise to make up for it but, then why not just log the food, log the exercise, and make sure I'm actually burning off the extra food I ate. As far as weight loss, It doesn't matter if what takes you over your goal is a banana or a cookie, it's still extra calories.

    I think everyone missed the part about not logging fruit. While fruit is good for you, it's also pretty high in calories and sugar which can definitely put you over your total calories for the day. I think MOST veggies would be ok not to log but even some veggies can be high in calories and sometimes sugar.
  • jackieatx
    jackieatx Posts: 578 Member
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    It looks like we had similar goals. When I first got on here and lost the bulk of my weight, I logged obsessively... every little thing that went in my mouth! It's also very hard to chest that way.
  • pcotter54
    pcotter54 Posts: 707 Member
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    I only log planned exercises (if I go out and dance or do extra cleaning or go on a walk just for fun, I never log it) and I log everything I eat, I either weigh or measure almost everything that's calorie dense (pretty good at estimating since I've cooked for the past 20 years) but low calorie foods like veggies I usually guess at and spices and seasonings I rarely log, unless it's something like taco seasoning, which is something like 120 cal a packet.

    This is my approach as well. If I eat out and can't find a nutritional breakout for the food I ate, I either guess or sort of average the calorie counts for similar items.At home I use a kitchen scale to measure lots of stuff, but I estimate based on experience as well.

    I would echo what others have said about the sugar and butter. Even stuff like ketchup has calories I believe and certainly mayo does.
  • Azurite27
    Azurite27 Posts: 554 Member
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    I log anything with calories. I weigh and measure as much as I can.

    When it comes to exercise I only log activities that I did specially to exercise. So sustained walking of 30 minutes or more that I do at home or at the gym for the purpose of exercise I log. Walking while shopping I dont log. Additionally I only log those exercise calories I plan to eat back, generally 70% of my net calories according to HRM with currently not eating back any from strength training. I may be a little obsessive but its working for me at this stage.
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    Food wise, I log what I can - I'll ignore herbs and spices, and the odd lettuce leaf, but I'll definietly log oils/ butter and sugar, and I log fruit as it adds up so much.

    I rarely log any exercise.
  • ActuarialChef
    ActuarialChef Posts: 1,413 Member
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    I wouldn't log walking to the tube as exercise. That should be covered by whether or not you stated a 'sedentary' or 'active' lifestyle when setting your goals. Just add exercise if it's something over and above normal day-to-day activity. You are right not to be too obsessive about everything you eat, however, if you have hit a plateau or are struggling, you might be surprised to find out exactly how many calories there are in condiments and butter, etc. The trick is to weigh or measure once and then remember what a reasonable amount of butter (or whatever) looks like. Good luck.

    So, I specifically chose "sedentary" so that I could log all of my exercise, including my short but fast-paced .25-mile-each-way walk to the Metro and long (45-60 min) dog walks. (I don't log short walks for the dog or walking around while shopping, etc., however.) Am I doing this incorrectly?

    Edited to add: I also have a sedentary desk job.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    I log everything that I put in my mouth... wait a min... :laugh: :smokin:
  • mrshudson813
    mrshudson813 Posts: 128 Member
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    I log everything. I even log my daily multi-vitamin just so my nutrients are as accurate as possible. But that's just me. However, I would strongly suggest you log butter and condiments. As with exercise, I wear a HRM during intentional exercise and I always log it. I do not count cleaning, shopping, playing with my kids or anything of that nature.
  • JayDavila
    JayDavila Posts: 146 Member
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    I try to log everything as best as I can, With the phone app I find it even easier to just scan barcodes to get the proper info. Basically everything will have a barcode with all the data youll need. Works for me. Just keep in mind to follow the serving portions. Thats where you need to be honest with yourself.
    Another thing that helps although friends look at me like im crazy is for my food weight scale, but its great to help learn certain servings. Getting an actual visual is important to keeping up with it. Plus you'll be working with proper serving sizes. Works for me.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,742 Member
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    I am not close to your weight but I am close in height and have a similar amount I'd like to lose (5'8", 204 lb wanting to get to 180 lb)

    I log almost everything. Butter, sugar, drinks, even small pieces of hard candy. I don't log gum or (most) spices and I no longer track my water since I've gotten into a good habit of drinking lots of water.

    As for exercise, I don't use any technology to track mine. I under-log though. If I clean the house for 3+ hours w/o stopping I'll enter 50 min light cleaning and 10 min heavy cleaning. If I walk all day at a zoo or something, I'll enter 90 min leisurely pace walking. Stuff like that. The only time I log closer to the 'real' time is when I go on a fitness-specific walk, hike, or bike ride. Then I enter the actual time.

    HTH!
  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
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    I'm 22, about 5 foot 7 and 172lbs.

    I have lost weight using My Fitness Pal before but want this time to be more long term and to lose more weight (target is 150lbs).

    When I've been logging food before, I have left out condiments and drinks (although I don't drink milkshakes or anything horrific!) and butter, sugar etc so I didn't get too obsessive. I also walk about a total of 45 minutes a day just commuting but leave this out as well.

    For those who have successfully lost weight and are around my weight/height, do you log every single food item and every single bit of exercise?

    It just seems counter-productive to walk for 15 minutes then eat those extra calories I've just burnt!


    Any input greatly appreciated - Thanks in advance!

    Unless you know that the thing you are consuming has about 5 calories in it, you should log everything?

    Butter, mayonnaise. Not recording that is cheating ;-)
  • elyelyse
    elyelyse Posts: 1,454 Member
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    One banana can be 100 calories. An apple can be 100 calories. It's not unusual for me to eat 2 or more pieces of fruit each day. If I don't count those and the vegetables that I eat... I've just killed half my deficit for the day. I could exercise to make up for it but, then why not just log the food, log the exercise, and make sure I'm actually burning off the extra food I ate. As far as weight loss, It doesn't matter if what takes you over your goal is a banana or a cookie, it's still extra calories.

    I think everyone missed the part about not logging fruit. While fruit is good for you, it's also pretty high in calories and sugar which can definitely put you over your total calories for the day. I think MOST veggies would be ok not to log but even some veggies can be high in calories and sometimes sugar.

    Yesterday I ate about 150 calories worth of veggies. Lots of days I eat more than that. I try for a deficit of about 500. Now, I don't get crazy about weighing/measuring most veggies, I just eyeball it, I'm comfortable with that margin of error...but not logging at all would mean my deficit is 30% less than I thought it was.
  • tempehforever
    tempehforever Posts: 183 Member
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    I log everything--it's important not to forget the butter and oil.

    However, I don't obsess over accuracy. I eat out somewhat regularly, usually at local places that don't have calorie information, so I just pick something that seems in the right ballpark from the MFP database (which is why my tracker always makes it look like I'm eating at Texas Roadhouse or something, when in reality I haven't been to places like that in years, haha).

    I cook for myself most of the time, and I do measure most ingredients--I'm more careful about being accurate with calorie-dense things like oils than I am with, say, most vegetables.

    However, I don't weigh my food, despite many posters recommending it on here. I know it is helpful for many people, but for me, I think it would trigger a level of obsession surrounding food that wouldn't be healthy for me.

    I log formal exercise only. I don't log the walking I do on my daily commute or when I bike to get around town (I do log if I go on a bike ride for exercise purposes). I just enter myself as having a "lightly active" lifestyle to account for those things.

    In the end, I assume there's a pretty large margin of error with both my food and exercise estimates, but what I'm doing is still much, much better than not logging at all. I see results this way so I'm not concerned.
  • nikibean123
    nikibean123 Posts: 81 Member
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    Well I can see from everyone's trackers that although there are lots of different methods, everyone is getting closer to their goals :smile: On my third pint of water today (tracked!) and bought some Splenda sweeteners for my tea so no more high calorie sugar!

    I'm logging things like walking around at lunchtime as I listed myself as a 'sedentary' lifestyle because I work in an office.

    I also have problems with me joints and spine so if I log the exercise, I can look back and make sure I'm keeping moving.
  • nikibean123
    nikibean123 Posts: 81 Member
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    [/quote]

    Unless you know that the thing you are consuming has about 5 calories in it, you should log everything?

    Butter, mayonnaise. Not recording that is cheating ;-)
    [/quote]

    I was just trying not to be too OCD about it but I think a little bit of OCD seems necessary to get an accurate idea of what I'm eating.

    For example, couldn't believe how much sugar was in an Innocent smoothie - I know it's naturally occurring in the fruit but it's totally thrown my RDAs out!
  • mammaminor
    mammaminor Posts: 31
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    I only log exercise if I intended it as exercise. For example, i'm on my feet for 5 hours most shifts at my job, but I don't log this time, because it's just what I would be doing anyway. I only log workouts. If I went to the zoo or something and had to walk uphill for twenty minutes, I might log that as well, but never in place of a workout. Your body gets used to your average daily activity. :)

    And with food I would DEFINITELY start logging drinks and butter! I don't usually log sugar I put in my coffee but I only have a cup every few days most of the time. A huge part of my calorie consumption was coming from drinking milk and juice with my meals, which is why I try to stick to water now and look at drinks as snacks.

    I know I haven't lost a ton of weight (like 3 lbs, not even enough to really log yet) but I find that when I'm not spot on with my logging I tend to slack or overeat knowing that I've probably already reached my calorie goal for the day. It's easier for me to cheat when i'm not logging everything.

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