recording calories on bad days

sometimes I log them sometimes I don't. I've had some 4000-7000 calorie days I've logged and some I know were up there but it was too hard to log (maybe I drank too much and can't remember everything LOL.....or hit a buffet a bit too hard)

but I like to be accountable as often as I can.

I'd log it just to see how much you over did it, however your friend shouldn't let it get them down, we all have a few bumps on the trail

Part of recovery (from an unhealthy lifestyle) is honesty and accountability.

I agree. I log my food even on bad days and not logging it doesn't mean it didn't happen. I've eaten 6,000 calories in a day :embarassed: and i log that too lol. The only time i didn't log was during a road trip where i ate whole bunch of miscellaneous junk food making it impossible to quantify.

I log every day no matter what I eat. I'm afraid if I miss a day I may get out of my routine and start to slide down hill from the new habits I'm establishing.

In all honesty, I log SOME bad days, and others I just dont.
I think its important to log on bad days tho. In a way it makes me feel better to quantify it all and see it "written on paper."

I do them all, if not why would you even waste your time on MFP? other people looking at my food keeps me in line

I log everything, period. If I ever have a bad day that was my choice and I should be willing to accept my choice, not try to hide from it. Being honest with yourself is very important if you want to succeed.

I went over today by 650 calories. I am glad I logged because I learned a lesson. I went to a seminar during the day and ate lunch with a buddy. I then went on a date tonight and got a three course meal. I kind of learned that if I am going on a date I should go as low calorie as possible for lunch, because I don't want to look like a sissy on my date and get a salad.

I haven't really had any bad days thus far, but when one happens, I plan on logging it in my diary. Have to see exactly what the damage was, and remind myself what a bad day looks like in the diary.

I log every bite. I don't cheat, but I do have days where I allow myself to eat up to maintenance (4x since Jan 4th). Cheating and not logging could very well eliminate my hard earned deficit, why would I not be honest with myself?

Also, since I've been graphing my calorie deficits and weight loss, I'm simply unwilling to screw up what's working great.

It's ok to have a "bad" day. Though I call them load up days which I think are good once every week or two. I think its up to you to log or not on that day. I have done both. I'll think on that one some more about why I've done both. Thanks for the food for thought. : ) Monica

I personally record everything. It makes you more accountable and if you had a bad week you can look back and say "oh yeah I had such and such a day"

A week ago my friend and I went to Olive Garden I forgot how horrible the food is in terms of a caloric hit. My meal was almost 2 days worth of calories and I went there starving so I ate everything(stomach felt horrible after). Normally I save half and take it home (usually it gets tossed cause I forget about it or I enter it and say Nah don't need that).

After doing MFP for a couple of months and eating healthy you forget what restaurants can do to you in terms of serving sizes. A year and a half ago Olive Garden meal wouldn't have phased me much.. today? wow too much food.
Anyways enough ranting the point is that if you log in everyday and you are honest with it, you can look back and see the accomplishments in the journaling as well as weight loss.

I haven't "lost" any weight since I've joined, I have lost inches and looking back at my food journal I can see where I've made improvements and where I still need to improve.

Log it. Who cares if we blow out now and then. (Says this after a lunch full of beer)

If logging bad days is going to make you obsess over it and feel guilty, then I'd say don't. Better not to dwell on the bad and then start the cycle of "I'm depressed, so I'll eat, cause it doesn't matter anymore". For some people, that is how their minds work.

I log my "off" days (which I schedule and do on purpose) so that I can see that i didn't go beyond what I wanted and just out of curiosity so I can see what typical meals used to be like for me. Makes me feel a whole lot better about what I'm eating now.

It is important to log everyday GOOD or BAD.....it holds you accountable and in the months ahead you will have something to track...I have doubled my recommended calories in one night easy to do with a couple of drinks and snack foods that you just have to try each one Anyway logging on daily keeps your mind in the game.....it isn't always going to be easy. But MFP plan has been wonderful!!!!