Tired of logging every little bite!

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2

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  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
    edited September 2017
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    Nykkismommy21 wrote: »
    Hi everyone. So lately im feeling a bit discouraged,tired or unmotivated to log all my food into my diary.And I absolutely hate feeling that way. I have lost 13lbs in the last 45 days or so...but I do notice that somedays I feel like logging is such a chore. It might be the days im eating more than I should. But I think my calories might be set to low anyway. Idk. I don't eat junk food though. Just more of the health stuff. But ugh sometimes logging it all gets to me. How do you guys stay motivated or how do you ensure to get it all logged in?!

    I rotate between a few breakfast, lunches, and snacks, so I can just copy them from one day to the next or pick them out of Recent or Frequent. I have more variety for dinner, so that can take a little longer. I cook, and I log while my OH does the dishes :smiley:

    How much weight do you have to lose? Some of the problem may be because you are losing weight too quickly. How tall are you and what's your daily calorie goal?
  • boredloser
    boredloser Posts: 119 Member
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    I tend to pre-log a day in advance and then make adjustments and changes along the way
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
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    Logging gets easier and easier as time goes on since more of your regular foods are already in the recent list.

    Using all the features makes it easier too. Use the restaurant tab for restaurant menus, use the recipe builder, save meals you eat frequently, use the barcode scanner for packaged items. If you have a scale with a tare function, you can just set your plate on the scale, load one food on it, tare it to zero, load your second food, and so on. Using all the functions I can log my food in just a few seconds now. Eating at the Korean restaurant? I always have dae ji bul go gi, two dumplings, a portion of rice, soup, and BBQ sauce. But instead of logging all that I just select the whole meal. Eating spaghetti? If I type "spa" it brings up the noodles, and if I select the noodles it asks if I am also eating Parmesan, spinach, a salad, dressing, meatballs, and sauce. Bought a new food? Scan the barcode. Breakfast? Same as yesterday, just slide right to add it.

    If the problem is that you hate logging because you don't want to be reminded that you are eating too much, raise your calories or add some exercise.
  • shipratsn
    shipratsn Posts: 13 Member
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    To be honest it was annoying for me too at the beginning. But when I saw the impacts of diligently data entry, it became a part of my day which now I can not even miss deliberately.
  • Nykkismommy21
    Nykkismommy21 Posts: 224 Member
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    janejellyroll wrote: »
    I pre-log the day before so I just have to adjust weights the next day. Logging is the best way I've found to maintain my weight loss, so it isn't hard for me to stay motivated. I'd rather spend a few minutes logging than gain the weight back.

    Why do you think your calories might be too low?

    Sorry i havent been on much lateky..I think they may be to low because I dont include the 4-5 miles I walk 5 x aweek. I only eat back some of my dvd workout calories.
  • Nykkismommy21
    Nykkismommy21 Posts: 224 Member
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    MegaMooseEsq wrote: »
    Well, it sounds like you have several options here. You could do something about your diet: move to a smaller deficit or take a maintenance break (go-to link: www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html/). Alternatively, you could pre-log, as others have suggested, or try quitting logging for a while but still weighing yourself regularly. Assuming you want to stay in a deficit, not logging means you have to watch your weight trends carefully, but it's certainly possible. The worst that happens is you start trending upwards, catch it within a pound or three, and start logging again.

    I think thats what I have been doing lately. The taking a maintenance break, for the last week,which seems to be working. I havent gained . I just havent lost either. I think I was feeling a bit burned out. I also am tired of eating the same things lol which i really love anyway, but im a vegetarian who needs cooking lessons or easy recipes. I need to eat more veggies. I think what I discovered was I need to learn how to meal prep too,because im kinda busy with the kids ,so I just grab what i need when im hungry. Sorry im rambling now!
  • macclone
    macclone Posts: 85 Member
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    I keep my meal choices limited to make it easier. For example, I have three main breakfasts - fiber cereal, eggs or a protein shake. Lunch is sliced chicken and pepper jack cheese on wheat bread with spicy mustard everyday. Snack are cheese stick, banana or protein bar.
  • Nykkismommy21
    Nykkismommy21 Posts: 224 Member
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    kommodevaran wrote: »
    You don't have to log to lose weight. But you have to eat less. But you can't eat too little. You've lost quite a bit quite fast. What's your height and weight and calorie goal? And you have to ask yourself a difficult question: Do you resent logging because it's tedious (and you'd eat appropriately anyway) or because it means that you can't just mindlessly eat whatever whenever in unliminted amounts? And are you eating "healthy" food you hate because you think you have to?

    Me? I log what I eat because I plan my meals and it's just as easy to keep it as I eat than to erase it, and it's interesting to look at, and it reminds me of what I like to eat, and it helps me get structure and variety, balanced meals, and save money. BTW, I'm a big fan of meal planning if that was unclear :D

    Hi my current weight is 183. I started on mfp at 196. Was set first at 1200 sedentary. Then started walking my son to school and picking him up,so I moved to 1390. I walk 4 miles a day and don't try to eat those calories and I workout or was working out 20 minute body shred 5x a week ,until i got a cyst on my tailbone that left me on the sidelines for a week. Anywhoo those calories i eat. I have a first goal of getting to 150. And its funny because I had told myself i wanted to lose 20 lbs by Christmas time,i was ok going slowly but surely. I think i got happy with results and kept pushing and got burnt.
  • raleighgirl09
    raleighgirl09 Posts: 694 Member
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    Pre-logging is key for me and I started just this week logging several days in advance because I tend to eat the same things multiple times and have cooked ahead for meals. Seeing what is stacking up keeps me on track and I adjust as I go. Nothing is going to make it less work, right....? It is a commitment and it does take time to complete regardless of when you do it. It's how you feel about it that will be the difference, not the act. I agree with all of the comments above, especially from those who did it with success and stopped - with equal (bad) success... => What we do the most consistently is what will show, in the end.

    Try to find a way to make it mentally less challenging. If I eat too much, I just log it and my diary is open but I am in it to win it over time, not just lose a little weight this week. That being the case, and knowing this chore is a part of the success, I will keep doing it and I, too, have had periods of not wanting to do it.

    Good luck - if you can trudge through this period and find a way to perk it up mentally, you'll do great. It's like an Olympian who doesn't feel like training one day but he pushes through. Be your own weight loss Olympian and push past the lethargy for logging.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,509 Member
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    Nykkismommy21 wrote: »
    Hi everyone. So lately im feeling a bit discouraged,tired or unmotivated to log all my food into my diary.And I absolutely hate feeling that way. I have lost 13lbs in the last 45 days or so...but I do notice that somedays I feel like logging is such a chore. It might be the days im eating more than I should. But I think my calories might be set to low anyway. Idk. I don't eat junk food though. Just more of the health stuff. But ugh sometimes logging it all gets to me. How do you guys stay motivated or how do you ensure to get it all logged in?!
    Systematic eating. Meaning eating the same meals everyday. You already know what the calorie count is, so you just have to eat.
    It's kinda like buying 7 pair of the same clothes or wearing a uniform to work. No thought process has to go into what one has to wear. You just put on the next set.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • Nykkismommy21
    Nykkismommy21 Posts: 224 Member
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    Thank you all for your advice and input. I'm sorry I hadn't responded right away,like I said I was a bit discouraged and tired of the whole thing ,well logging mostly. I think i came in way too fast and got burnt out. I think I had to take a little maintenance break, because I havent gained weight or tried eating the wrong things. It wasn't really about that. I have been eating more, which is probably what the problem was , not sure. But I think im starting to come back around. And alsi I need to come up with more veggie meals instead of just fruit and yogurt, I am a vegetarian. And I also need to learn to do more meal prepping. I have two toddlers and a 10 yr old ,and a 13 yr old in football so im kinda always on the go. I need better options sometimes. I made a veggie stir fry blend wuth veggie steak strips the other day before hand and realized I need to do more of that so I don't get bored with my meals. This is truly a great app,MFP , i mean its truly wonderful and definetley works ,and I love that so many of you came to help me. It's really encouraging.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    Sometimes, and today is one of those days, logging every little thing is the motivation I need to exercise just a little more.

    I've logged 2 cardio sessions today, and still need just a little more to get green.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,609 Member
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    @Nykkismommy21 It's not a race. Take it easy. Prep some meals. Investigate some "go-to staples" that you can have when in a hurry.

    Also... get a trending weight app. When you slow down you won't be able to see your weight loss as immediately and the weight trend apps are very helpful in showing you the progress you're making even if you can't see it from your day to day results.
  • mail2dijaw
    mail2dijaw Posts: 36 Member
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    honest logging is very important to keep on track. i would say dont think too much about it and do it as an important daily chore :)
  • unparalleledAF
    unparalleledAF Posts: 45 Member
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    I just remind myself that if I don't log it, then I'm definitely going to overeat. Logging helps me see that all those little bites of ice cream here and there really add up...
  • timtam163
    timtam163 Posts: 500 Member
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    Sometimes I need a break from logging so I can remember to live my normal life; but sometimes I want a break from logging to avoid responsibility. It's ok to stop logging for the former, but it's important to keep going if the latter is the case.
  • fiddletime
    fiddletime Posts: 1,862 Member
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    Having stopped logging twice in 4 years and regaining the weight I'd lost I decided I'd rather log than have to lose a bunch of weight....again. This time I'm taking my time, not losing too fast, using the recipe and meal function in mfp, and logging everything, even if I'm guessing a little. Read the Maintenance boards every week to get some perspective on what "long term weigh loss" entails. There's lots of interesting info there that's useful even if you're still losing weight.

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