Diary review - suggestions welcome

krajka88
krajka88 Posts: 6 Member
edited December 19 in Food and Nutrition
Hi guys! I'm new to the whole idea of logging meals and could do with some help. My diary is public and if anyone can find time to have a look at it and give me some tips it would be very much appreciated. I'll add that I am currently at 181 lbs and would like to go down to 150. I have set my goal on loosing one pound a week however I'm not sure about activity level. I have a desk job but I'm trying to get at least 30 minutes of excercise a day and I go hiking every weekend. If there's anything else you want ask just let me know and feel welcome to add me :)

Replies

  • RelCanonical
    RelCanonical Posts: 3,882 Member
    Welcome to the forums! Make sure you're getting weights on all of those foods, especially the banana. They can vary widely in size, and when you don't have a ton to lose, those variations can eat up your deficit. With desk job, you would be considered sedentary. With MFP, you log intentional exercise separately. Generally, it's better to lean towards less calories burned when logging exercise, just because MFP has a tendency to overestimate just how much you burned for a particular exercise.
  • jessetfan
    jessetfan Posts: 373 Member
    Are you using the recipe builder to calculate the calories in your meals or are you using other people's recipes? It's always best to use the recipe builder so that you know the ingredients and calorie counts are accurate.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p1
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    Just wanted to second the advice to not use recipe style entries in the database that you haven't entered yourself. Most of the entries in the database are user entered, and some of them are sketchy. And with the recipe ones, you have no idea what the random user who created it put in it or if they even created it accurate for themselves.

    Double check everything :smile:

    If you're in the mood to do some reading, these posts are great:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale#latest

    Welcome :drinker:
  • mypointhome
    mypointhome Posts: 12 Member
    I would 3,4,and 5th the food scale. I have just started this new way of living and have lost about 7 lbs in the first two weeks. The real aaaha for me was to see what 25g of Almonds, 2 Tablespoons of cheese, 3 oz of meat really looks like. Accurate portions are crucial if you want to accurately log your food. It was a huge eyeopener for me when I started weighing foods.

    Also, I found eating at home and cooking from scratch for awhile has helped me to stay focused on staying within my Carb/Fat/Protein numbers. My meals are very simple.....30 minutes tops from start to table; a piece of meat with spices on it, roasted veggies and a small serving of fruit and maybe some shredded parmesan. I have never gone hungry and sometimes have a hard time eating all the meal while still staying between 1,200-1,500 calories a day.

    I plan my meals ahead with what I have in the fridge, then I tweak my macro's at the bottom in snacks. Sometimes I move them to a meal or leave them in the snack section after I get my macro's where they need to be for the day. If they are a snack, and I can, I set them all out in the am and graze when I need something to perk me up.

    Keep putting one foot in front of the other, make small habit changes. This week I committed to eating only at the table and putting on my fitbit that has been in storage for a few years! You Got This!
  • krajka88
    krajka88 Posts: 6 Member
    jessetfan wrote: »
    Are you using the recipe builder to calculate the calories in your meals or are you using other people's recipes? It's always best to use the recipe builder so that you know the ingredients and calorie counts are accurate.

    I create my own recipes, weight all ingredients and cook every meal at home from scratch unless my diary tells different - for example store bought salad last week.
  • krajka88
    krajka88 Posts: 6 Member
    Thank you all very much for advise and all the kind words :) as I said earlier I'm a beginner to logging my meals. I have pretty good idea about portion sizes but you're all right that I could make more effort to log accurate weights of all food.
  • kath06139
    kath06139 Posts: 10 Member
    I should make mines public :) that would help a lot. how can people comment on your meal plans?
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