how accurate is your logging?

mrmarius
mrmarius Posts: 1,802 Member
edited September 24 in Food and Nutrition
ive noticed that without measuring cups and my digital scale I can be waaaay off in logging. Ive been slacking a little and I bet thats why my loss has slowed down. Im just curious do you all measure everything or are you good at eyeballing
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Replies

  • NOLAdy
    NOLAdy Posts: 133 Member
    Mine is not accurate at all. It's close, but I wouldn't rely on it. Plus some of the food items I pick from the list is something another person made at home so it's their numbers they are entering. What I made may have less or more fat (I tend to use a lot less fat), or I may have eaten more or less than that person.
    To make up for it I don't log all of my activities. I do a lot with my kids after school, or a DVD at night that I might not log. I do log the major workouts.
  • MOOOSEEE3
    MOOOSEEE3 Posts: 218 Member
    I measure everything and weigh my meats, and some vegetables. But I tend to be kind of anal retentive...for the good though :)
  • tweety170
    tweety170 Posts: 167
    I just discovered that mine are usually overestimated...but I much rather that than underestimate. Every so often I will use measuring cups/spoons, just so I can keep fresh in my mind what a portion of that item looks like.
  • Colosssus
    Colosssus Posts: 3 Member
    I just estimate. If I can find the exact values I will use them but mostly I just estimate on what to put down. I do log the most I can though.
  • athenafl
    athenafl Posts: 41 Member
    I'm way more successful when I take the time and trouble to weigh and measure everything.
  • gt45891
    gt45891 Posts: 25
    Insanely accurate. I measure in GRAMS!
  • Andi_Mo
    Andi_Mo Posts: 243
    I try not to "eyeball" anything because it's hard enough for me to lose weight and over the years I've found it can get me into trouble fast. I have TONS of measuring cups and a food scale. I even have a special drawer for them because there are so many! lol. I measure EVERYTHING possible. Even things like coffee creamer and I count nuts or crackers. It some how makes me feel less deprived if I can have exactly 2 TBSP of coffee mate or 18 almonds than none at all :)
  • NMandaMarie
    NMandaMarie Posts: 234 Member
    I'm still learning to eye ball it, so I measure 80% of my food....
  • crystal_sapphire
    crystal_sapphire Posts: 1,205 Member
    i measure things. i have a food scale and measuring ups.
  • ktblueyz
    ktblueyz Posts: 72
    I always add a little extra calories just in case I am eyeballing it wrong. My food diary is very very accurate. I have even logged things such as 0.3 tbs of butter LOL I figure if I mess up on it then its me paying the price so I would rather add more calories than less.
  • Tomhusker
    Tomhusker Posts: 346 Member
    I measure the meats. The veggies I "guestimate." anything that I think would add serious calories, fat or sodium I try to measure fairly accurate. If I have 1 1/2 cups of something and I am using the one cup measuring cup I will eyeball the 1/2 cup portion.
  • marialy21
    marialy21 Posts: 60 Member
    I estimate. But I will overestimate for food if I'm not 100% sure, and underestimate for exercise if I'm not 100% sure.
  • vicksters31
    vicksters31 Posts: 40 Member
    I'm lazy, I tend to calculate the number of calories I've eaten/burned, and then input them as whatever food/exercise equals the same amount...so I'm only really looking at the net calorie amount, not all the other nutritional info. So I guess thats why I havnt lost as much as MFP tells me I should have :S but then? !
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
    I use measuring cups and a scale at any chance I can get. I'm pretty good at eyeballing too, but if I don't have access to a measuring device, I tend to purposely overestimate the amount I'm really trying to get; i.e. 1 oz or 1/4 cup of mixed nuts - I'll log it as 1.5 or 2 servings that I actually had. Just to give myself some leverage if in case I really did go over.
  • hippo_hips
    hippo_hips Posts: 45 Member
    I measure all my liquids, but I usually log an amount that is obviously larger than what I'm actually eating, so I don't go over.
    like if I eat a few blueberries I'll just log the whole serving, even though I didn't have close to half a cup of blueberries.
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
    Insanely accurate. I measure in GRAMS!

    This. I'll measure in grams when I can.
  • karriecook
    karriecook Posts: 84 Member
    i eyeball it but really need to invest in a food scale. i do log everything, though.
  • ZebraHead
    ZebraHead Posts: 15,207 Member
    measure/weigh all, and log all :drinker: Except for wine cause we all know there are no calories in that stuff. :tongue:
  • miovlb6
    miovlb6 Posts: 339 Member
    I always try to eyeball first then weigh/measure for confirmation. I'm trying to train my brain to see portions more accurately just to develop better habits. Eventually, I'd like all this eating well and proper portion sizing to be second nature. As much as I love MFP, it would certainly be better if I just instinctively knew how much (or how little) I should be eating.
  • Griffin90
    Griffin90 Posts: 64 Member
    I kind of know what a cup of food looks like so I try to pick out things on the list that have measurements in cups. Otherwise I use the packaging or something on the list that I know is similar. I think I overestimate sometimes though.
  • stevemcknight
    stevemcknight Posts: 647 Member
    Insanely accurate. I measure in GRAMS!

    Agreed. Same for me.
  • ShellyMacchi
    ShellyMacchi Posts: 975 Member
    i measure... in fact i need to get more measuring cups as the ones i need always seem to be used already and in the dishwasher *LOL*

    and the scale.. wow.. it has not seen so much use (food scale i mean) in YEARS!


    forgot to add...and i put absolutely everything in my diary.. even if i have to break a meal apart and just enter the components to get an accurate accounting *L*
  • mrmarius
    mrmarius Posts: 1,802 Member
    seems like those of you who are particular with measuring have the best results. Makes sense
  • rcschmidt6
    rcschmidt6 Posts: 3 Member
    I literally eat the same thing every day. I've been doing that for about 6 years now. That makes it very easy. Most get would get bored doing that, but I treat food as a necessity instead of entertainment and it doesn't bother me at all. I just think of the people in the world that can only eat rice and water everyday and figure I'm living the good life.
  • emchamberlain
    emchamberlain Posts: 133 Member
    I am more strict about measuring things that are high in calories, fat, or carbs. I estimate most veggies.
  • laurabeth02
    laurabeth02 Posts: 37
    I put a food scale on my wedding registry. I'm excited. As of now, I measure EVERTYHING, even my coffee creamer. I dirty measuring cups and spoons everyday. :smile:
  • gaeljo
    gaeljo Posts: 223 Member
    I log everything, every morsel, and I measure everything too. I do eyeball measurements but only on specific foods, like non-starchy vegetables, those I eyeball. Everything else I measure.
  • AmeMahoney
    AmeMahoney Posts: 232
    I almost always measure. I also use smaller plates so correct portions look right (not tiny).
  • momma85
    momma85 Posts: 17
    i estimate... probably not too well at it though.. unfortunately i can't get a scale or actually measure anything because then my family will give me crap about it... already get enough crap about the fact that i'm trying to track my food and i bought an elliptical...
  • flausa
    flausa Posts: 534 Member
    Because I'm new to calorie counting, I'm weighing everything except veggies. I'm trying to get used to what proper portions are, because that has always been my downfall ... too much of everything. Measuring out portions has been very educational and very helpful.
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