Successful dieters log minor calories?

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  • kimmie185
    kimmie185 Posts: 550 Member
    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
    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
    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
    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
    I log everything I eat even supplements.
  • beccadaniixox
    beccadaniixox Posts: 542 Member
    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
    I log everything i eat and cook with.
  • londoneye
    londoneye Posts: 203 Member
    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
    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
    I am sure there are little things I forget but for the most part I try an log everything
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
    I weigh, measure, and log everything (except spices). I use a Fitbit to measure activity level. I eat part of my exercise calories and I graph my progress in order to be able to see what I need to change/correct.
  • rc630
    rc630 Posts: 310 Member
    I don't log things that are less than 10 calories (drink mixes, coffee, gum, etc.) but I also have my calories set to only 1200 and I lowball my exercise calories. I don't weigh my food, but I use measuring cups for volume and look at several estimates for things like vegetables before choosing how many calories to log for it. I have gone from ~145 to ~117 lbs and have maintained under 125 for well over a year, so I would consider myself successful.
  • Dauntlessness
    Dauntlessness Posts: 1,489 Member
    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?
    Both.
    I tell people all the time that an HRM is so important because MFP and the machines at the gym are usually way off!!! MFP and the machines tell me I burn 1000 calories for every 500-700 I actually burn with an HRM. The machines were the worst.

    The food scale is HUGE too. Some food, especially red meat can be pretty high cal and if you don't measure it you can be consuming alot of extra calories that you didn't know about. Even for a couple extra ounces can be like 100-250 calories.

    I suggest a Polar ft4 http://www.amazon.com/Polar-FT4F-Heart-Monitor-Watch/dp/B0031ZK84E

    I have the girl version of it and I love it! Its easy to program and works amazing!
  • jlr_12
    jlr_12 Posts: 170 Member
    I don't log the oil I add to cook foods, ketchup (though I log bbq sauce if something is covered in it), or if I'm having a bite of something (i.e. a handful of my boyfriend's popcorn or three chips). I weigh everything else and wear a HRM for exercise.

    I am exactly the same. I also don't log little amounts of exercise, like cleaning, running upstairs, carrying heavy loads...that way I figure it all evens out. I've been losing just fine...just see what works for you! If you don't want to log everything, don't...after a few weeks if your loss is slow, try logging it all.
  • MumOfGirlsOnly
    MumOfGirlsOnly Posts: 99 Member
    I log everything, I'm currently sucking on a mini candy cane for 12 calories and it's logged. I do this to keep myself honest and accountable.

    I have a HRM and food scale, I weigh everything I eat wear my HRM all day although I only log actual work outs.
  • rebyekah
    rebyekah Posts: 24
    This is really just a personal choice. You have to do what works best for you. Either way can be successful. I knew going into this that I didn't want to do anything that I wasn't willing to do for the rest of my life. So I chose not to weigh or measure anything and to not enter all the little things: ketchup and mustard on my veggie burger, gum, mints, samples at the grocery store, etc. I don't log little bits of exercise either. I figure it all evens out. The minutia of it all would have made me crazy. Over a year and a half I lost 90 lbs. and am now just maintaining. I plateaued a few times, but I never gained.
  • tuffytuffy1
    tuffytuffy1 Posts: 920 Member
    I have to say I don't log a lot of extremely low-cal veggies 100% of the time. Like if I have a slice of red onion, I may not bother trying to search it out and figure out exactly how many grams it was, etc. But on the other hand, I do use a digital scale for my proteins. I also have the Polar FT4 heart rate monitor. I got both from Amazon, I can't remember the scale brand, but it was $20 and it is great. My HRM was $63 with free shipping.
  • it_be_asin
    it_be_asin Posts: 562 Member
    I log everything - my water, my gum, my vitamins, my herbal teas, the cooking spray I use to grease my pans and baking trays... If I have a taste test of something I log it too. And all my fruit and vegetables of course, but I eat a decent amount of them so they do contribute to my calorie intake.

    I weigh and measure as much as possible also.

    But then again, I'm a trained scientist and I dig precision.
  • oldale40
    oldale40 Posts: 36 Member
    log it all. that way you can pinpoint the extra calories you can do without. not only that olive is good for you so dont try to hide it
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