Logging accuracy, consistency, and you're probably eating more than you think.

Why you are not losing
When I started using MyFitnessPal I lost 7kg in few weeks and then the scale needle stopped despite all my 'honest efforts at portion control and increased exercise frequency and intensity'!
This might be muscle gain from the intensive Adonis weight lifting protocol I reasoned. My pictures showed however a distressing hanging belly.
As a Scientist I decided to measure energy dissipated from all exercises using a polar sports watch. I bought also a food scale and measured every morsel of food I took and carefully entered the calories consumed. After few weeks voila the needle started dropping again after a stalemate of 4 months! 2.5kg lost in 3 weeks. I hope to reach my target weight of 78 kg within 5 weeks.
I want to share with you the lessons I learnt.
1. We tend to under value calorific value of food taken in and over value that of exercise done.
2. The cursory portion sizes recommended by fitness experts using the sizes of our fists or cup sizes are very misleading. I discovered from the food scale that what I was eating was twice my estimation. Same with calories burnt exercising. So my honest efforts were not so honest after all!! So get a sports watch and buy a food scale. When you are used to the correct portion sizes your estimation will then be correct and you might not need the scale subsequently.
3. The basic energy balance formula for weight loss is almost accurate. There is no need factoring in things like eating more frequently or exercising at certain times of the day.
4. To keep within the total energy input for the day it is advisable to eat food in their natural state. Pounding, mashing, mincing or frying of food can increase the calorific density drastically.
5. Eat lots of vegetables. You can use a spoon full of cheese to improve taste.
6. Drinking lots of water will prevent those hungry pangs and help you stay in within the food allowance of the day.
7. As for exercising the best practical form is being active during the day. At work you can make it a routine to get up and walk 3 minutes or more even in the office at the strike of every hour. I answer all calls walking around the office. The Argus system can accurately predict your energy dissipation. I use 10,000 steps minimum to ensure I burn at least 300 calories per day even when I don't have time to go to the gym.
I thank you for allowing me to share this experience with you and wish you success in your efforts to stay trim, healthy and happy.
Meanwhile stay good!
ssjijingi

I don't track calories mainly because I find it inconvenient, especially when I'm not the one who handles the cooking. However, I understand the importance of calorie counting, and I'm also considering the purchase of a digital food scale. Anywho, I have a question. Let's say I were to eat a small bag of potato chips. Would it be necessary to weigh out the potato chips to accurately calculate calories, or would using the measurement on the bag (assuming I eat all of it) be accurate enough? This is, of course, hypothetical.

I'm with Jane. If I'm eating a single-serving bag, I put my faith in the weight stated on the bag.

Of course, if I'm taking a portion from a large bag, I weigh it. When a serving size is, say, "1 oz/about 12 chips", it's easier to measure out an ounce than to fish through the bag, searching for 12 whole chips of roughly the same size.

As for the topic of this thread, importance of logging accuracy: I agree--I know that when the scale isn't budging, or is going in the wrong direction, it's because I have been less than diligent (and yes, sometimes even dishonest) in my tracking. It's so easy for me to fall into a trap of just grabbing food mindlessly (opening the fridge for milk, and grabbing a few olives while I'm in there, for example) and not logging it in. It's probably my biggest obstacle.

Thanks for the post! I recently bought a scale that I use for both food and shipping. I haven't had a problem losing weight but I was shocked to see how much I was under eating. When I'm on a 1200 Cal diet, those missing oz's mean a lot more. Now I have less stress and more confidence in my logging.

Part of the reason I'm back is because in the process of beating bulimia, I put on three stone.

I always describe the progress of the eating disorder as beginning at the point I got obsessed with weighing and measuring every calorie.... newbies with a lot to lose ought to remember this is a post about those who know how to healthily lose weight, but can't shift the final lbs.
Food scales can get just as controlling as the ones that weigh you.

Also inaccuracies DO happen on the food list, I was just chuckling at a butternut soup I added where one bowl had 60g of protein. I wish!

After a week and a bit on here I've been influenced into purchasing some digital scales to hurry my weight loss along.. Hurrah.

But I have a question. So I am saving some calories back today so I can have a slice of cake later. This cake is homemade.. (by someone else) HOw would you say is best to record this?

squeepig wrote: »

Despite what everyone wants everyone else to do, a lot of people who use MFP are not going to weigh their food. The fact that they're here in the first place is great, as it means they're actually trying, maybe for the first time in their life, and it would be discouraging to find that they can't input their food because something they ate is only listed in grams. There has to be a balance between what those who are intensely committed want and what those just starting out want. Yeah, I'm one of those who doesn't weigh things, but I am losing. Maybe not as quickly as others, but it's happening, slow and steady. Perhaps when I finally plateau, then I'll start thinking about weighing my food, but that's highly unlikely.

I'm not weighing and I'm still losing so totally agree with you x

michellemejia77 wrote: »

I'm not sure if I'm doing this correctly, MFP States I should be eating 1260 calories. I burn 500 calories excersicing. Does this mean I can eat 1760 calories a day and still loose lbs? Can someone please explain. Thank you.

Everything is an estimate - but assuming that the estimates are reasonably accurate, then that is correct.

For me the biggest problem is consistency. When I'm consistent, the weight comes off. When I'm not, it doesn't. When logging, I make a conscious effort to error on the side of over-estimating calories eaten and under-estimating calories burned. For example, I don't weigh my meat, but I log it as more than I think it is. But I do use measuring cups for things that will easily fit into them. I don't stress out over vegetables because they're vegetables. (Some people don't even count the calories from vegetables, just anything caloric that you add to them if anything.) I walk more than I say I do, because I don't need to eat back every calorie. I do want to get a scale, but I seem to do fine without it *as long as* I log everything every day. That's the trick.

I'm newish, so I haven't read all of this - but how do people measure the portion size of a homecooked meal? I measure all ingredients as they go in, but what about measuring out? Particularly when you get a meal that you cook down so it might lose 'weight' so to speak.

What do people do? I'm honestly curious as to how so I can monitor my food better.

My issue has been UNDEReating! I have a 1700 calorie limit per day and I keep hitting between 700-1100. I'm not starving myself, just eating small portions and filling in between with a ton of water. Is it bad to do this? Should I force myself to eat more even if I'm not that hungry?

bethanie0825 wrote: »

seanfahmy wrote: »

My issue has been UNDEReating! I have a 1700 calorie limit per day and I keep hitting between 700-1100. I'm not starving myself, just eating small portions and filling in between with a ton of water. Is it bad to do this? Should I force myself to eat more even if I'm not that hungry?

Pretty sure you need to eat at least 1200 calories at a minimum to keep your body out of starvation mode. Your body will hang onto every calorie if it thinks you're starving. Personally, I don't have a problem eating too little food. Are the meals well rounded? Maybe eat an entire portion of protein, fruits, and/or veggies. Are you trying to lose, gain, or maintain your weight?

You will not go into 'starvation mode' (in the context of not losing weight) if you eat less than 1,200 calories.

That being said, for most people however, it is usually not a good idea to go that low. You run a greater risk of losing LBM, being deficient in nutrients and adherence and energy issues, to name a few.

bethanie0825 wrote: »

I meant that the body will hang onto every calorie if it thinks it is starving bc of the lack of calories being eaten. Usually 1200 is what's needed to regulate the body's functions. Makes it hard to maintain weight and metabolism as well as all the issues you mentioned.

I def don't have an issue eating too few calories lol!

No, it won't. Look at people in Africa who don't have many food resources.

Now, what does happen when you consume too few calories is loss of muscle, loss of hair, exhaustion, and other more dangerous symptoms. 1200 is so a woman can get adequate nutrients to keep her body running in a healthy manner.