Do you log every morsel?

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Replies

  • breathless575
    breathless575 Posts: 140 Member
    Yes, it is important to log everything, aside from water and plain hot tea. The calories from incidental like chewing gum at 5 calories a stick and black coffee at 2 calories a cup really add up.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    SToast wrote: »
    Those little bites here and there are exactly what will halt your progress. If you don't log everything you are wasting your time.

    I guess I am wasting my time then ....

  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    99% yes...5g of butter, mayo, bbq sauce etc gets logged.

    mustard, coffee, diet coke etc no.
    SToast wrote: »
    Those little bites here and there are exactly what will halt your progress. If you don't log everything you are wasting your time.

    I have yet to have my progress halted by not logging mustard, diet coke etc.

    Perspective is needed sometimes. After a little while you know what you have to and don't have to log. For new people here yes log 99.9% of your solids by weight (preferably grams) and liquids by measure..
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    edited April 2015
    flippy1234 wrote: »
    Do you guys log every single thing you put in your mouth? I cut up some watermelon earlier and ate a few pieces. I didn't log it. I grab an almond here and there. (we have them in a bowl on the counter). Etc...anyway, you get the idea.

    Depends on you. If you currently aren't logging every little bit, but are still losing at the expected rate, then it's probably not worth worrying about. But if the weight isn't coming off as expected, then unlogged grazing could definitely be an explanation as to why.

    Personally, logging everything reduces my drive-by grazing, because it's a pain in the *** to go into MFP and enter it - so I just don't eat it instead. Everybody wins. :smile:
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    Generally, yes.
  • waldronsix
    waldronsix Posts: 18 Member
    yes...every little stinking morsel
  • 7lenny7
    7lenny7 Posts: 3,498 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    SToast wrote: »
    Those little bites here and there are exactly what will halt your progress. If you don't log everything you are wasting your time.

    I guess I am wasting my time then ....

    I guess I am too. Onions? gum? Coffee? Mustard? Heck no I'm not logging that stuff. Yet somehow I still manage to lose weight.

    Perhaps for some it's important to log every bite, but certainly not for everyone. Do what works for you.

  • flippy1234
    flippy1234 Posts: 686 Member
    Sometimes I will log a "serving size" of nuts or snacks, and then measure out that size and leave that in a dish for me to snack on.

    I find when I do that I am more honest with myself about the "snacking" I do.. Also, I feel like if I didn't eat all of the snacks in the bowl I can always go back and reduce the intake at the end of the snacking day :)

    I don't log when I swipe a sip of my boyfriends soda pop... :) Unless I get in more that two or three sips... then I log it as a third of a can :)

    Great idea leaving a serving of nuts out. Then I know I won't go over the calories...if I grab one here and there.
  • zdyb23456
    zdyb23456 Posts: 1,706 Member
    I read on another post, someone who Quick Adds 100 calories at the beginning of her day to account for the small stuff she doesn't log. I thought that was a good idea.

    I don't log diet soda, black coffee, herbs or spices or hot sauce, including siracha. I feel like it must have calories though and use quite a bit sometimes! I love siracha....

    I do log lettuce, but not the splash of vinegar I might put on the lettuce - weird right?

  • dalem48
    dalem48 Posts: 86 Member
    movros99 wrote: »
    Not logging food is a big problem for a number of people and usually results in the 'Why am I plateauing?' threads. Gotta be honest with yourself.

    This!

  • flippy1234
    flippy1234 Posts: 686 Member
    zdyb23456 wrote: »
    I read on another post, someone who Quick Adds 100 calories at the beginning of her day to account for the small stuff she doesn't log. I thought that was a good idea.

    I don't log diet soda, black coffee, herbs or spices or hot sauce, including siracha. I feel like it must have calories though and use quite a bit sometimes! I love siracha....

    I do log lettuce, but not the splash of vinegar I might put on the lettuce - weird right?

    How do you Quick Add? I love that idea.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    flippy1234 wrote: »
    Do you guys log every single thing you put in your mouth? I cut up some watermelon earlier and ate a few pieces. I didn't log it. I grab an almond here and there. (we have them in a bowl on the counter). Etc...anyway, you get the idea.

    when I logged, I logged everything...which kinda nipped these little habits of grabbing a bite here and there in the bud. Particularly with things like almonds and other nuts that are calorie dense...a tiny little ounce which is a very small handful for me is 160 calories.

    I snack and munch all of the time...but I make myself portion that stuff out and sit down and eat it. I don't graze anymore save for certain occasions like BBQs and what not where there's just food out...I don't worry about it then, because those aren't every day occurrences.
  • Amerielle
    Amerielle Posts: 153 Member
    Not right now but I would if my weight started creeping the wrong way. I do occasionally quick add 100 calories or so if I know I have eaten perhaps a few too many 'bites' during the day...so maybe my answer should be yes?? :smile:
  • 81Katz
    81Katz Posts: 7,074 Member
    Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Sometimes I'll log a piece of gum, other times I won't log a little bite of something.
  • htg20
    htg20 Posts: 116 Member
    Pretty much, every now and then I will taste something I'm making and not log it, but I make that rare.
  • vgnfarmer
    vgnfarmer Posts: 108 Member
    I don't log things that are very low cal like black coffee or mustard but I log things with more than 5 calories. 1 brazil nut has 23 cal!
  • flippy1234
    flippy1234 Posts: 686 Member
    vgnfarmer wrote: »
    I don't log things that are very low cal like black coffee or mustard but I log things with more than 5 calories. 1 brazil nut has 23 cal!

    Gosh I wish nuts weren't so high in calories. Hard to believe one little nut can affect your weight!
  • jvseters
    jvseters Posts: 20 Member
    yes, every bite, lick, or taste
  • higgins8283801
    higgins8283801 Posts: 844 Member
    7lenny7 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    SToast wrote: »
    Those little bites here and there are exactly what will halt your progress. If you don't log everything you are wasting your time.

    I guess I am wasting my time then ....

    I guess I am too. Onions? gum? Coffee? Mustard? Heck no I'm not logging that stuff. Yet somehow I still manage to lose weight.

    Perhaps for some it's important to log every bite, but certainly not for everyone. Do what works for you.

    I agree.

    I don't log everything. A whole snickers bar? Yes. A bite of Mac and cheese off my kids plate? A French fry out of the kids meal? No.

    It didn't affect me because I lost 50lbs, and hit maintenance.
  • Allelito
    Allelito Posts: 179 Member
    Yeah, all of it! Coffee, my 3 grams of goji berries in my yogurt, my 10 grams of lettuce on my sandwich.. you get it.
  • sweetd6
    sweetd6 Posts: 74 Member
    I try to log everything I actually eat (or drink if it has calories). But I've seen people who log things like teabags (someone mentioned that) or stevia drops or extracts in the 1/8 of a tsp. range or splenda packets etc., and if I tried to do that I would drive myself crazy, and see no need for it. I don't pop a few things in my mouth however, if I'm going to have watermelon I measure out some and log it, same with nuts. :)
  • bpetrosky
    bpetrosky Posts: 3,911 Member
    I'll log any ingredients that have reasonable calorie values (i.e. a tbsp. of salsa on my eggs in the morning, if I lighten my coffee, etc) Spices and seasonings that like cumin or paprika that are used in nominal amounts I don't bother with.

    If I've been maintaining my goals for a while and I grab a sample at the supermarket, I'll just channel Elsa and Let it Go....
  • spzjlb
    spzjlb Posts: 599 Member
    Yes. Even clear tea and black coffee. It is important for me to keep being accountable. I really managed to lose my estimated 1 lb per week since I started logging in December and it is because I am using MPF like it was intended.

    Little cheats like an almond here and there is what caused me to gain weight in the first place.
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Yes - every single thing

    it mounts up

    34 cents here, 34 cents there..it mounts up


    sorry couldn't resist hehehe :p
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,630 Member
    flippy1234 wrote: »
    vgnfarmer wrote: »
    I don't log things that are very low cal like black coffee or mustard but I log things with more than 5 calories. 1 brazil nut has 23 cal!

    Gosh I wish nuts weren't so high in calories. Hard to believe one little nut can affect your weight!

    One won't ... but who stops at just one nut?

    If you're anything like me, you grab 2 or 3 ... or a "small" handful ... and next thing you know, you've downed 100 or 200 or more calories.

  • DaFibble
    DaFibble Posts: 152 Member
    I really try to. If I take a bite or two out of something I might not log it but I approximate how many calories and do a little more exercise to cover it.
  • Ame_ly
    Ame_ly Posts: 29 Member
    If you have 'little snacks' too often it will add up so ye you should log it.

    For me it depends: somedays I log everything(from that small bite I took from someone's apple, to every tea and the lemon slice I added in my water glass - I just like to see jt there) . Sometimes I don't bother logging stuff that are like below 10 cal. Sometimes I have to log everything(like when I'm baking a lot of stuff for an event, I usually end up with 200 cals only from tasting).
    However my goal is to increase my calorie intake. If you're trying to lose weight you should try and be as accurate as you can. It might not seem much but that finger of mayonnaise added with that tbs of peanut butter could be the reason behjnd your plateu.
  • PowerKickChic
    PowerKickChic Posts: 108 Member
    Most of the time. Healthy veggies or fruit I am pretty lax on but any processed foods/meats/carbs, Absolutely!

    I think the other component to an accurate calorie count is to weigh your food. Nutrition labels have a weight measurement right beside the serving size so its super easy.

    plr7k1l4hrgh.gif

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpHykP6e_Uk
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
    My son had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and asked if I wanted a bite... I definitely logged the bite...
  • DianaLovesCoffee
    DianaLovesCoffee Posts: 398 Member
    Yes - the small stuff adds up. There's a WW saying - BLT (Bites, Licks, Tastes) should all be logged. One thing I've carried with me from that program, lol.

    I agree in theory but struggle with how to do this practically. My husband bought a pretzel at the mall yesterday. I ate one bite. How do I log that? We are at the mall so no scale. Just 50 or so quick calories?
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