We are pleased to announce that on March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor will be introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the upcoming changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

Do you log everything?

jadedone
jadedone Posts: 2,446 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Looking at other peoples diaries, I notice they log things I don't. Do you log everything?

I know I leave off things like spices (unless I am making a recipe), tea, lemon juice, calorie free sweeteners, gum, and vitamins.

I add milk or honey if I use it in my tea, but I usually don't add the cup of tea. I know I occasionally forget things like a splash of broth (amounts less than an ounce for sure) or a supplement with a few calories.

What do you think: good, bad or indifferent?
«1

Replies

  • Aerialanew
    Aerialanew Posts: 15 Member
    I think that if they are negligible calories, like spices its not too bad, because most spices don't actually have calories unless you use like the entire bottle. but I personally do log everything because it helps me to just see what I'm doing and how my eating habits are fairing. and i am a visual learner so if i see that there is something unhealthy or that needs changing i like to see it. also its good reference, i actually log my food the day before this also helps me to prepare myself for the day ahead
  • 2Bgoddess
    2Bgoddess Posts: 1,096 Member
    I log every little thing. Cuz sometimes I have tummy troubles, and I go back to see what may have been the trigger. I don't use a whole lot of spices though.
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
    I do not log spices. I do log vitamins simply because that way I will remember if I took them or not, as sad as that is.

    If I can shoot it with the bar code reader and if it is a splash of this or that, I will log that as well.

    I do not log coffee, since I drink it black.
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
    Not vitamins, single herbs, Lemon juice, tea (if not sugar) or spices unless it's some kind of mix that has calories, carbs, fat or sodium.
  • Jessica0982
    Jessica0982 Posts: 209 Member
    To each their own...

    I personally log everything except for gum. I don't chew it often. As for spices, it depends on what I'm using. But yes, for the most part, I log everything . I like to see what I'm eating and what the nutritional info is. Because it all adds up in the end...
  • I don't log spices, splashes of milk or Pam. But that's only because I know my body well enough to not focus on the little things. For me, weight gain triggers are dairy and grains. So I tend to only have one serving of each a day if that. I also don't use a lot of salt, if I did, I would log it. So I think until you find your triggers it is important to log everything. HTH :D
  • No spices and not my morning coffee.
  • shreyaj
    shreyaj Posts: 196
    I only log things that have calories. Spices usually don't have calories like you said and if they do it's only 3 or 4, but other than I log pretty much everything even marinade I use on meats, it's tedious but it has gotten me in a good habit of portion control.
  • sirabe
    sirabe Posts: 294 Member
    I do log everything. But mainly in recipe complilations. Lemon juice has calories. a splash of milk has calories. So yes I log everything. If you dont see it in my diary, trust me it is in the recipe entry.

    For me, every little thing counts
  • laurelderry
    laurelderry Posts: 384 Member
    I log everything, especially since some of those spices have added salt. That's just me though- I like to see EVERYTHING I'm eating, so if I don't feel good, or my losing halts I can trace it back to something.
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
    I don't log spices and I don't log my juice - I mix like a splash of juice (no added sugar) with like a litre bottle of water. I worked out that for all the juice I drink everyday (and I drink around 10-14 "glasses" usually) it will never be more than 50 cals so there's no point since it's so hard to measure it.

    Everything else, yes I do. Otherwise I don't see the point in this if you're not logging it all.
  • Thriceshy
    Thriceshy Posts: 708 Member
    I log everything that has calories and carbs. I'll add spice mixes if they contain salt. That's just me--we've all got our thing that works for us.

    :-)

    Kris
  • jrsey86
    jrsey86 Posts: 186 Member
    I log everything but the tea that I drink, since I don't use sugar or milk. I had one snow pea today and, yes, I logged it. :laugh:

    It's my way of holding myself accountable.
  • SexyCook
    SexyCook Posts: 2,249 Member
    No..thats why on higher sodium intake days...I shoot for a great intake on water... I based it around the seasoning....
  • glenbabe
    glenbabe Posts: 303 Member
    anything I know to be neglible or zero calories I dont log as there isnt really much point to it for the weight loss side of things.
    thats vitamins ....spices...herbs....sugar free gum.
    everything else I log religiously ...... if I dont weigh and measure all my foods then my diary would not be accurate and that would defeat the object of MFP .....also I tend to underestimate on excercise and I dont always eat it depending on my hunger levels this then gives me a margin for error.
    whatever you feel is right though should be fine as long as you get the results you want without under eating and then affecting your health.
    what I do works for me as I have lost weight slowly but surely from the start.
  • ki4yxo
    ki4yxo Posts: 709 Member
    The only thing I don't log is Pepper, unless it's in a
    recipe.

    It pains me to log a little tsp of hot sauce.
    (is has a lot of sodium)
  • bjfmade
    bjfmade Posts: 543 Member
    I add spices that have sodium in them.
  • SarahMorganP
    SarahMorganP Posts: 921 Member
    I do not log spices. I log everything else.
  • I don't log spices or non-caffeinated teas. I do try to log everything else, though sometimes I don't bother with salt because I don't have any sodium-related issues so it's not important for me.

    I sometimes will have a late-night snack after I've turned my computer off, and then forget to back-log it the next day, oops. I'm trying to get better about remembering things like that, though!
  • cjpg
    cjpg Posts: 433 Member
    I don't log things that I could burn off with 30 minutes of regular breathing ;)

    In other words, I wouldn't get down to the 0.1's of calories. You know what you need to log and what you do not. Common sense is your friend :)
  • LeanerBeef
    LeanerBeef Posts: 1,432 Member
    Looking at other peoples diaries, I notice they log things I don't. Do you log everything?

    I know I leave off things like spices (unless I am making a recipe), tea, lemon juice, calorie free sweeteners, gum, and vitamins.

    I add milk or honey if I use it in my tea, but I usually don't add the cup of tea. I know I occasionally forget things like a splash of broth (amounts less than an ounce for sure) or a supplement with a few calories.

    What do you think: good, bad or indifferent?

    No, you should only log the healthy stuff..........:noway:
  • KeriD
    KeriD Posts: 324
    I log just about everything except spices and here comes my bad............ whip cream UGH guilty guilty guilty.

    I have whip cream on my espresso and I don't log it and worse yet... sometimes an extra squirt here and there.

    Shhhhhhhhhh don't tell on me :)))
  • I keep a hand written food diary so all I log in here is the total cals for each meal. I do make sure to check everything I use, eat, or drink for calories though. Some spice mixes do an a cal or 2.
  • jennyjo79
    jennyjo79 Posts: 95 Member
    I don't log anything without calories (or no calories, unless in large amounts) ... no spices, tea, diet soda, etc.
  • I do not log spices. I do log vitamins simply because that way I will remember if I took them or not, as sad as that is.

    I haven't been logging my vitamins but that's a great idea! I forget to take them more often then I remember to.
  • psmd
    psmd Posts: 764 Member
    lemon juice b/c I track my vitamin c and it has calories, albeit small.
  • georgia98_98
    georgia98_98 Posts: 123 Member
    To each their own...

    I personally log everything except for gum. I don't chew it often. As for spices, it depends on what I'm using. But yes, for the most part, I log everything . I like to see what I'm eating and what the nutritional info is. Because it all adds up in the end...

    AGREED!! :wink:
  • I just started this past Monday and I do log everything so far as soon as I have it or right before so I can check out how many calories I am taking in so i don't go over
  • i log everything because I don't feel like I am doing a complete job if I don't. Plus I am not completely literate about what has calories and what doesn't. I've found somethings have sodium that I didn't know had sodium at all.

    I especially make sure to log drinks - I see a whole lot of ppl with diaries that don't log drinks. Drinks totally count!
  • Yep! I try not to cheat myself
This discussion has been closed.