App to visually see your weekly diet

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Hi guys,

When it comes to dieting, I can be pretty ruthless on myself. I don't remember or give myself credit for eating healthy meals -- but the bad ones saddle me with guilt. I know that this isn't healthy, so I started journaling all of my meals and withholding judgement until I saw the big picture: How did the entire week go? A cheat meal is fine in the context of healthy eating.

I mocked up something that would make my food journaling a bit easier and wanted to get some opinions on it. It's basically a visual spread of your meals -- so you remember the steps forward and not just the steps back. If this would help other people, I'd love to make the app.

Basic functionality is that you open the app and take a picture of your meal (every meal) and it logs it for you (date/time). You can see a newsfeed of your meals or get concise "cards" of your week. Future functionality ideas welcome!

Thanks

2j667ln8xbse.png

http://imgur.com/F2Ra8Oy

Replies

  • Geocitiesuser
    Geocitiesuser Posts: 1,429 Member
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    My phone's default app (google photos) already does this. The only difference here would be that it is laid out differently. I, personally, do not see the value. Just my opinion since you're looking for feedback. This is nothing more than a photo gallery app.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    edited April 2017
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    I don't think I'd use that app, but your food is beautiful and looks delicious!
  • seantnash
    seantnash Posts: 77 Member
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    I think this is a brilliant idea. As you said we too often focus on the negatives and forget about the many positives we manage to achieve. Having an at a glance visual representation is a brilliant idea. I know you could look back through your MFP diary but this would be much more instantaneous for the brain to process and the brain much prefers that instant gratification way of thinking.
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
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    nowine4me wrote: »
    I don't think I'd use that app, but your food is beautiful and looks delicious!

    Google image search tells me the pictures were, um, 'borrowed.' ;)

    OP: Not really seeing the value in an app such as you propose, but I suppose it might be useful to some. I look at my MFP diary all the time and don't need a picture of what I ate to remind me of how I did. The numbers at the end of the day and my weekly weigh-ins do that for me just fine. :)
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    It is just photos of food? Why do you feel photos help you?

    I don't see how this would be more useful than a non-photo food diary that shows you number of calories and nutrients. I would think it would be less useful in feeling good about your overall diet.

  • seantnash
    seantnash Posts: 77 Member
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    I take it to be about addressing the psychological aspect of weight loss rather than using it to be what you use to track your food per se - i.e. its a companion app rather than a standalone app.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    For me, I don't think pictures of my meals would be particularly appealing, but I can see it being helpful for others. More often than not, mine end up looking like this:

    brinner2-041.jpg

    (full disclosure, this isn't actually my photo, but it is a fair representation)
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
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    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    For me, I don't think pictures of my meals would be particularly appealing, but I can see it being helpful for others. More often than not, mine end up looking like this:


    (full disclosure, this isn't actually my photo, but it is a fair representation)

    Maybe the theory is that you burn more calories from the effort of laboriously arranging/plating and photographing your meals. :D I'd probably eat less if I had to dig out my DSLR, flashes/stands, light umbrellas and a tripod every time I ate.
  • getupforchange
    getupforchange Posts: 86 Member
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    The Jawbone app does this already... I never found it useful enough to get into it though. If anything I would much prefer an app that would hit you up with recipes under X calories using X, X and X in my fridge for when I'm not feeling too creative in the kitchen or I'm doing a grocery shop and I don't want to end up buying food I don't need/food that won't go with anything.
  • Geocitiesuser
    Geocitiesuser Posts: 1,429 Member
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    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    For me, I don't think pictures of my meals would be particularly appealing, but I can see it being helpful for others. More often than not, mine end up looking like this:

    brinner2-041.jpg

    (full disclosure, this isn't actually my photo, but it is a fair representation)

    I have no idea what that is, but it looks delicious and 5 bajillion calories. You had my heart at melted butter and grease everywhere.