Successful dieters log minor calories?

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  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    I have my calories set low to cover any little nibbles while cooking. I also quit counting my exercise calories and do not eat them back.

    Sounds like you're underrating and starving yourself, then.
  • kit_katty
    kit_katty Posts: 994 Member
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    I think both an HRM and a food scale are important, but I only have an HRM. I don't have a food scale and I don't log every little thing, but I do keep track of them mentally. I think if this method for me starts not working, then I'll adjust my habits, but currently I'm 22lbs down, so I think I'm ok, lol.
  • nenamartinez
    nenamartinez Posts: 140 Member
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    I don't have an HRM but I do have a scale for the kitchen. It's great especially for making ready-to-go portions of snacks, or figuring out the calories in a recipe..

    basically, I would recommend investing in a good digital kitchen scale. It's really comforting to know that you're using an accurate measurement and not just an estimation.
  • issyfit
    issyfit Posts: 1,077 Member
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    I love meals with a lot of ingredients and I know I forget things sometimes, but I almost always am under my calories so I don't worry about it. Also I follow South Beach and they don't require counting calories or macros as long as you eat from their lists.
  • brittanyjeanxo
    brittanyjeanxo Posts: 1,831 Member
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    If I eat it, I log it. That simple.
  • PirateJohn
    PirateJohn Posts: 80
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    No matter how accurately you attempt to record what you eat, there is going to be a margin of error as high as 5 or 10 percent, so I have never bothered with logging trivial things like cooking spray. Doing so makes the task overly tedious for me.
  • granolagrl85
    granolagrl85 Posts: 135
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    I have my calories set low to cover any little nibbles while cooking. I also quit counting my exercise calories and do not eat them back.

    Sounds like you're underrating and starving yourself, then.

    Not really. I'm eating those calories....like when I went to Sam's and tried a meatball and a shrimp. By the time I got home I didn't remember what brand they are. So I didn't log it but I knew I had the calories to spare. Or I drzel an unmeasured amount of of olive oil into pan beofre I put in my veggies/meat. Or take a nibble off my daughter's plate to entice her to try something new. Or I take a medicine, take a sip of my mom's Dr. Pepper.
  • PirateJohn
    PirateJohn Posts: 80
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    I have my calories set low to cover any little nibbles while cooking. I also quit counting my exercise calories and do not eat them back.

    Sounds like you're underrating and starving yourself, then.

    Not really. I'm eating those calories....like when I went to Sam's and tried a meatball and a shrimp. By the time I got home I didn't remember what brand they are. So I didn't log it but I knew I had the calories to spare.

    I think what he meant was that you are underrating and starving because you don't eat back the calories you burn through exercise.
  • granolagrl85
    granolagrl85 Posts: 135
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    I do not do any intense work outs and not eating back my exercise calories every day allows me to get 1000 calorie defficit.
  • k8bugz
    k8bugz Posts: 64 Member
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    No matter how accurately you attempt to record what you eat, there is going to be a margin of error as high as 5 or 10 percent, so I have never bothered with logging trivial things like cooking spray. Doing so makes the task overly tedious for me.

    Exactly.
  • kimmie185
    kimmie185 Posts: 550 Member
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    No, I do not log in every single minor calorie. I'm not going to waste my time logging in that I chewed a stick of gum for 3 calories and a tic tac for 1 calorie. :) I've been pretty successfull so far.

    I do however watch my portions, use my scale and measuring cups regulary and wear a HRM.
  • Chagama
    Chagama Posts: 543 Member
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    I log everything to the best of my ability. It's not always possible, but I never leave anything out by choice. Now, when my wife starts making up recipes as she goes, and there is no accounting for actual ingredients or quantities, I take my best guess, and move along.

    But if you intentionally start leaving things out, then you will have the tendency to leave more out, or you forget. Add everything possible in real time, is my approach
  • kathleen2001
    kathleen2001 Posts: 154
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    I log almost everything. Like some PP I don't log when I grab a bite off my son's plate. I do, however, allow for that in my allotment for the day. I usually add in 50 cals.
  • FitLink
    FitLink Posts: 1,317 Member
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    OK. I can see the need to weigh food to be accurate. I'm also working out 5 days a week. To be successful is a food scale or HRM more important?

    Do you actually have to choose? Because a good food scale can be had at Amazon for $10 ~ $20, and a decent HRM for $40 ~ $50. That seems pretty little to spend on health.

    And yes, I log everything I eat.
  • Kelly_Wilson1990
    Kelly_Wilson1990 Posts: 3,245 Member
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    I log everything I eat even supplements.
  • beccadaniixox
    beccadaniixox Posts: 542 Member
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    I don't log cooking spray, tic-tacs, mints, or gum.
    I find the scale to be very helpful - I used to each must less than I thought I was.
    I don't have a HRM, I don't have the money for it at the moment.
    It'd be cool to have one but I think I've done pretty well over the past year without it. :)
  • SKINNYMESOON2B
    SKINNYMESOON2B Posts: 112 Member
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    I log everything i eat and cook with.
  • londoneye
    londoneye Posts: 192 Member
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    I don't log the oil I add to cook foods.

    Seriously? Do you know how many calories are in a tablespoon of olive oil?
  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
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    Everything about my diet is just a best guess from my BMR, calories consumed and calories burned so I can't say that I'm overly concerned with the actual numbers. That said, I do make every effort to be as accurate as possible with proper use of measuring cups and logging everything I eat (except for spices). But as long as I'm consistent and the scale is moving in the right direction I'm happier without out all of the diet and fitness paraphernalia.

    So even though my first reaction to your post is no, you have to log everything I can't see how not logging some celery is much different than what I do. If it makes the process easier and less of a chore only to log calorie dense foods (and it's working for you, of course!) then keep doing it. Losing weight is hard enough so anything you can do to make it a more enjoyable experience is the right way, imo.
  • ahealthy4u
    ahealthy4u Posts: 442 Member
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    I am sure there are little things I forget but for the most part I try an log everything

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