How do you motivate yourself to keep logging?

Since I use the app, it's easy for me to log my meals as I'm eating. The only time I don't log is during the holidays when it's a lot of food and it's a little difficult to actually measure how much of each food you're eating.

The more you do it, and the larger your meals database gets, the easier it is.

I have not been a consistent logger until recently again . First time I used MFP three years ago it helped me to lose almost 50 pounds. When I stopped logging my food and exercise the weight crept back up - and now having to reverse course and re lose some of what I had already accomplished . So logging in again every day is a priority for me. When I tell myself I don't have time it's not really true. Doesn't take long as a habit end of day . And the person that said they "pre logged" is onto something . I do that some days for both food and exercise when I can . I think it helps set the "intention " - and can always edit if the day unfolds a different way.

I like keeping the streak going. Also, once I stopped thinking about it as a pain and just started doing it, my life became a lot easier.
Besides, I was kinda curious as to how many calories I was eating anyway.

I eat a lot of the same stuff frequently so it's all kind of in there for me now which makes it easier.

I like to imagine I'm on a perverse reality show, that it's all a silly game. Also I like numbers, and honestly it's fun for me to weigh the food and then log it, see how it adds up. Like solving a mystery! Also it helps me lose weight.

I feel for you OP. I've been off and on, never more than a few days at a time for years. This time around I'm mentally not "starting and stopping". I'm still going and if I didn't log a day then I log the next day like the "mess up" never happened. I don't try to keep a streak or perfect record. That would inevitably fail. I also had to come to the conclusion after taking an intentional break from counting calories for about 6 months, that while I CAN lose weight without counting/logging, it's a lot harder without concrete numbers and evidence of the deficit. For example, you could cut out soda. If you're a big soda drinker that might make a deficit for you that results in weight loss without counting a single calorie. But most of us here require more than that. While you can make changes such as the "no more soda" change and slowly make a deficit, I have come to the conclusion that the inconvenience is worth the effort because I KNOW it WILL work if I do it. You may have to adjust here and there, but if you do log your meals and eat at a calorie deficit, you WILL lose weight. Knowing that it may be inconvenient, but it's just about guaranteed to work, pushed me to a place where logging is now worth it. Just like getting up for work is worth it when you earn a paycheck. I came to this conclusion after reading some stuff by this guy named Pete. Here's his website, and he has a book I'd like to get too: www.straightforwardfatloss.com
Also, he's into counting macros but I personally don't worry about that for now. Best of luck! Friend me if you want!

Sarah

It's literally 2 minutes less time scrolling on Facebook per day. Bonus!

Some people find that logging is easier (and they are more compliant) if they pre-log the entire day's food and then stick to the plan. You can always change an entry if you ate more or less or something else. This is also a good strategy if you are going to a restaurant in the evening and you know what you are going to order. Decreases the chance of impulsively picking something you don't really have calories banked for (leading to regrets later).

Edited to add: I see that someone else already mentioned pre-logging, sorry.