There must be a easier way
joangutierrez6017
Posts: 10 Member
Then adding all my food and food information
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Replies
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I look at it this way: Sure, it would be real "easy" to jump in my car and head off to 431 Jones St. in Decorah, Iowa. But I'd probably arrive at my destination a lot more quickly and efficiently if I used some kind of navigational aid to actually know what roads I needed to take to get there and where the destination actually was.
Logging food/calories is kinda like that.28 -
I can’t get my husband to use MFP because he doesn’t want to enter all his food either. You’re not alone in your reluctance but there’s not really any way to count calories without counting calories. The database helps a lot just beware of inaccurate entries.
After a while, you might be able to eat more intuitively. I don’t log on weekends anymore, for example. I also just had a few months (Nov through Feb) where it was very difficult to track due to computer issues. I was able to maintain my weight through that period because I had spent almost 2 years logging everything. Logging taught me the proper amount of food to eat so I can control myself without it.
It’s a pain and a fair bit of work but it’s worth it IMHO. I had never been able to lose weight over the course of 20 years of trying until I found MFP. Now I’m back to the size I was in high school and before I had my kid.12 -
Do you mean creating a new food every time you eat? Like is this a technical using the food log question?
You can search the database and find most common foods you need to. If this is a technical question, more specific info would be helpful.
If you're just saying logging seems time consuming, it's a skill that does require practice. The more you do it, the easier it gets. I hardly ever spend more than 5 minutes a day (if even that) logging. And it's a heck of a lot easier than following most of the popular fad diets out thete, at least for me!13 -
Do you mean creating a new food every time you eat? Like is this a technical using the food log question?
You can search the database and find most common foods you need to. If this is a technical question, more specific info would be helpful.
If you're just saying logging seems time consuming, it's a skill that does require practice. The more you do it, the easier it gets. I hardly ever spend more than 5 minutes a day (if even that) logging. And it's a heck of a lot easier than following most of the popular fad diets out thete, at least for me!
^^^^ yes, this from me too. But she said it better than I could have.1 -
Most people tend to eat the same basic foods from day-to-day. After a couple of weeks of logging, many items will be on our recent foods list and logging takes very little time. If it were burdensome, I'd be too lazy to do it
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I look at it this way: Sure, it would be real "easy" to jump in my car and head off to 431 Jones St. in Decorah, Iowa. But I'd probably arrive at my destination a lot more quickly and efficiently if I used some kind of navigational aid to actually know what roads I needed to take to get there and where the destination actually was.
Logging food/calories is kinda like that.
Cool... that's not far from us! You'll have to stop & say hi
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joangutierrez6017 wrote: »Then adding all my food and food information
What exactly do you mean?
Of course you don't have to do this. I choose to do what works, though. Calories are the only thing that matters for weight loss so it is smart to know how many of them to eat. If you find a better way, I'm all for it.
Intuitive eating got me nowhere. Well, that's not really true. Intuitive eating was a free-for-all in my world. I had the time and the money and I just ate - - all the way up to 220 pounds.
Like the others already said, it takes only a couple minutes a day to enter foods. Where are you struggling? We can probably help.3 -
Some people don't have to log to lose weight. The more a person has to lose, the easier it probably is to do that way, because there's a lot of room for error. But what can be a bummer is either overestimating everything and cheating yourself out of what you could have, or underestimating and having things take much longer than you might like. You can always try and see how it goes, and come back to logging if things don't work the way you would like. Personally, I've never lost weight over an extended time without counting calories, whether electronically or with pen & paper (now THAT was a hassle!)4
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Accurate logging of everything you eat and drink & staying within your calorie budget, is a win, and definitely worth the effort. A lot easier than keeping track of it manually once you have your base of foods in your diary. Just a matter of logging it.2
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Think of how you would have to do it without the app and internet! That would be WORK. Writing on a piece of paper, looking up all the calories, adding it up.4
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So far I really like the logging food in, it's too easy for me not count a handful of jelly beans or a pat of butter or mis guess how many calories something has if I don't log everything every time I eat. I thought I would hate it. The food directory is pretty extensive and that helps.2
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Most people tend to eat the same basic foods from day-to-day. After a couple of weeks of logging, many items will be on our recent foods list and logging takes very little time. If it were burdensome, I'd be too lazy to do it
^^ What she said. After being on MFP for awhile, logging becomes easy. I'm a creature of habit. I don't try new recipes more than occasionally, so I don't have to log "new" foods very often.2 -
weighing, measuring, and logging are teaching me about portion size and calories. sometimes i won't log a bit of lettuce or pickle because i've learned they aren't significant, but a carrot at 40 cal is. check the difference between mustard and mayo. i'm also practicing weekly meal planning and setting up recipes so i log 1 serving vs every ingredient. it saves time and the planning help me stay on track6
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Some people don't have to log to lose weight. The more a person has to lose, the easier it probably is to do that way, because there's a lot of room for error. But what can be a bummer is either overestimating everything and cheating yourself out of what you could have, or underestimating and having things take much longer than you might like. You can always try and see how it goes, and come back to logging if things don't work the way you would like. Personally, I've never lost weight over an extended time without counting calories, whether electronically or with pen & paper (now THAT was a hassle!)
It's true. I lost almost 20 lbs without counting calories (pre mfp). But it was hard. I only ate "diet" food (instead of eating reasonable portions of food I love within my allotted calories) and felt like I had to feel hungry all the time. So I was miserable, hangry and cranky the entire time. Counting is SO much better (and easier than guessing).
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Most people tend to eat the same basic foods from day-to-day. After a couple of weeks of logging, many items will be on our recent foods list and logging takes very little time. If it were burdensome, I'd be too lazy to do it
So very true. I can log 95% of what I eat all week just using my recent foods list.
Don't forget you can build and edit recipes or meals for things you tend to cook often. I set the entire recipe as 1 serving and log 0.2 servings or whatever that I tend to eat since I live alone.2 -
Its not difficult and look at it as a game. I look forward to sitting down and inputting cause its all about ME!
What else would you be doing? Do you want results or not?5 -
It gets easier as you will yourself to do it and keep at it!0
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You have opened up a few different message boards with no intention of participating? Whats up?3
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The more you do it the easier it gets. Weight loss requires some regimentation--sorry about that.1
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So funny I just replied in a new thread.0
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There must be an easier way
joangutierrez6017joangutierrez6017 Member
April 30, 2018 12:45PM in Getting Started
Wow I had no idea. Sorry about the silence. I am an accountant working on clients month end financials. I get super focused.
Meanwhile, thank you everyone. For the advice. I am having some frustration over when adding foods to my list, I have made a mistake or two and can’t figure out how to make changes. The accountant likes accuracy I guess.
I will try out the some of your tips and thank you. The fact that there are so many people “listening” is encouraging.3
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