How do you log accurately?

With all of the misinformation and incorrect entries on MFP, what do you do to ensure that you are accurately logging calories?

I mean, I have a food scale, so I know that one, but how do you use that plus the nutritional info on here to do it right?

Replies

  • helenrosec1
    helenrosec1 Posts: 82 Member
    I add all my own foods rather than using the database and add them privately so no one can change them.
  • Nicklebee93
    Nicklebee93 Posts: 316 Member
    I only track my calories and protein. So i only make sure those are 100% right. Which, so far, i've not had any problems with.
  • drummondk
    drummondk Posts: 79 Member
    I add all my own foods rather than using the database and add them privately so no one can change them.

    How do you do that?
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    drummondk wrote: »
    I add all my own foods rather than using the database and add them privately so no one can change them.

    How do you do that?

    You can add them under "My Foods." That way nobody can mess with them and you know they're right.
  • foxygirl14
    foxygirl14 Posts: 158 Member
    Or you can account for the 20-25% inaccuracy and add quick calories to your daily allowance that you don't actually eat. That's what I do. So if your allowance is 1200 then eat 960 and quick add 240 cal (25% of 960) you don't eat and it will come out to 1200.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    foxygirl14 wrote: »
    Or you can account for the 20-25% inaccuracy and add quick calories to your daily allowance that you don't actually eat. That's what I do. So if your allowance is 1200 then eat 960 and quick add 240 cal (25% of 960) you don't eat and it will come out to 1200.

    The risk with this is if you *are* getting accurate entries that day, you are only going to be eating 960 calories. Over time, this could make it really hard to stay on plan and it could result in not getting what you need nutritionally.

    I'd rather take the time to ensure my entries were accurate than regularly eat 25% fewer calories than I could.
  • Cynsonya
    Cynsonya Posts: 668 Member
    I check all whole foods against the usda website.
  • sympha01
    sympha01 Posts: 942 Member
    1. Take advantage of your recent foods list, your favorite foods list, the "copy to date" function, the "copy from date" function to make sure that the foods you eat on the regular are logged consistently.
    2. When you log a food that you know you haven't eaten before or recently (i.e., aren't in your recent foods list), take a moment to review the nutrition data, compare it to a label if you've got one, use your judgement if not, before logging it down. It takes all of a minute. I've got a minute here and there. With a little experience logging, you can tell at a glance if an entry is crazy wrong. There are red flags: macros left blank was a big one when I was staring out 3 years ago. Almost anything that doesn't have at least 1 mg of sodium lol -- if it isn't fruit or the blandest vegetable on earth that's almost sure to be wrong. (Fresh greens are full of sodium). Macros that don't add up. Anything that looks too good to be true. (Hot tip: Slice of cake < 200 calories, probably too good to be true).
    4. I try to log accurately, but I'm not gonna sweat it too much if once in a while I'm careless and log a 70 calorie piece of cheese with the wrong entry and only take down 60 calories, or get a gram or two of protein wrong. It all works out in the end. I'm sure it happens a couple of times a week. Mis-logging 50 calories over the course of the week isn't going to make a difference in my plan.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Cynsonya wrote: »
    I check all whole foods against the usda website.

    This is what I do. If I have a food label in hand I use it. Otherwise I use USDA info.
  • LazSommer
    LazSommer Posts: 1,851 Member
    Prayer.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    I use this site to double check whole foods

    http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search
  • brb_2013
    brb_2013 Posts: 1,197 Member
    I do a Google search of the same wording that I put into MFP and usually the usda info pops up so I compare there.

    Like last night we had bacon and I had to verify the entry, first one I found was way off but when I compared usda to the list on MFP it became obvious which one was correct. Then I over logged it by 10g to make extra sure. The extra steps are really worth it to me!

    In addition to that, I have started adding 1.1 or 2.2 for any packaged items. I generally eat a packaged item to avoid weighing it but I know they're not all perfect accurate. By doing this I hope I account for at least some of the errors in caloric representation on the label.

    That said don't weigh absolutely everything. Had to use a tablespoon for mayo today and felt a little icky about it. But I did my best with what I had!
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    I double check entries with food labels or other sites.
    I've been logging for over a year so I have a good idea what is reasonable for what I usually eat. I have a lot of foods and recipes entered.
  • AddieOverhaul
    AddieOverhaul Posts: 734 Member
    I agree with a lot of what was said above, And I too tend to err on the side of upping the calories a bit if I'm not sure. I'd rather be a bit more under than over without knowing.