How To ensure accuracy when Logging

Yes accuracy when logging will define if you lose weight or you don't.

I am no expert I am still learning but I did want to share my learnings with people who are just starting.

There are always posts that are basically this...Help I am not losing why not????? Well there are standard responses..but I want to expand on those.

So How do you ensure accuracy when Logging????

1. Log every bite.
Yes every bite...even that handful of chocolate covered peanuts from the vending machine at work. Those count
For example...a handful (appx 40g) is 280 calories. Over 1 week that is over 1500 calories..

2. Weight your solids on a digital scale
I preface this with solids....I know you have been told that is too obessive or heard it's Eating Disorder stuff. It's not. How are you going to know you are eating 3oz of chicken or 4oz of chicken.???? These post highlight why it's important. As well weight the food uncooked if you can. The calorie content changes as you cook food...or the size changes such as pasta/rice. As well weighing food takes all of maybe 3mins max...anyone who says it takes 30mins...really???

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1186508-weighing-food-vs-measuring-wow?hl=Wow&page=4#posts-18526270
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

3. Measure your liquids
This is the only time measuring cups and actual teaspoons and tablespoons should be used...not for mayo, not for jam for milk, cream etc.

4. Make sure you chose the right entry on MFP

This is the one I find often gets overlooked. There are a lot of user added entries in the database. How do you know which ones they are...they start with * and they often have the words homemade or generic. These entries are usually off...but you can check them. First thing to check is the number of confirmations. If it is over 100 or even 50 you know it is probably right...over 2000 Yah it's correct...but if it has none or just a few click on the nutrional data look at it, check it against the nutrional label or against the USDA website (google is your friend). If it is not correct tell them by clicking no it's not correct then edit that entry.

Make it your own. Rename it, correct it, give it a description and what was correct. Then it goes under a tab in your food database called "My foods". If it is correct confirm it for other users.

Another thing is what I mentioned above weighing raw foods. If you can't do that (I can't I cook for 3 people) make sure the entry you choose is for the "cooked" item...and choose the correct cooking method...broiled, baked, roasted, grilled, fried chicken...they all have a different calorie count.

5. Enter in recipes into the database

Esp if it is something you make a lot. You can reuse your own recipes tweak as necessary even. This is a great tool.

6. Logging exercise calories

Again MFP is not correct for everyone...it is just an average. HRM (Heart Rate monitors) without a chest strap are notoriously incorrect, as are machines...and if HRM are not setup correctly, are not used for Steady state cardio they wont be correct either. The suggestion typically is this. Log your exercise based on the numbers you see but then only eat back 50-75% of them....better yet only log 50-75% of them.

So these are my learnings so far. If I have missed something please note that...as I said I am no expert but I know what works and I am pretty sure my ticker shows that it works.