Filling in your food diary help please

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irishcailin2012
irishcailin2012 Posts: 47 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi all

I was just wonder when it comes to filling in your food diary, I heard people saying they'd just add in the calories themselves. My thing is if I bake something myself how do you fill that in in your diary? as its not going to come up in the list of food. I also read that people do the same thing when it comes to their exercise diary - they just fill in the calories they know they have burned off.

Can anyone tell me how to do either of these things? I've only recently joined.

Thanks Sinead

Replies

  • jennifer52484
    jennifer52484 Posts: 888 Member
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    If you know the ingredients, add them individually. it might take a few minutes but it is the most accurate way.
  • kgprice11
    kgprice11 Posts: 750 Member
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    You can look up the nutritional values online if you want or take a similar meal and add it to your diary and make a note saying that this is not the exact meal but close and so forth
  • DyanCB
    DyanCB Posts: 138 Member
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    I do a lot of cooking myself so my meals are not in the database either. I have utilized the "Recipe" tab quite a bit. It does take time but it is a great way to get a more accurate read on what you have made. The recipe tab database does have most of the ingredients I have used in most of my recipes so I have not had to supplement much at all.

    Good luck!
  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,143 Member
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    If I am making something, I find each ingredient in the database and add a serving sized portion. You can also add your own recipes and then figure the serving size and add it to your favorites list so you dont have to keep using the ingredients separately.

    You also have the option of searching the exercise database for the exercise you performed and then add the calories you burned, although the program will calculate the calories. But I usually find that inaccurate compared to what my machines say. But if you have no machine to measure the calories burned, the program estimate is fine.
  • rlboles
    rlboles Posts: 3
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    I use the recipe tab as well, It is very handy!
  • Flissbo
    Flissbo Posts: 302 Member
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    If you know the ingredients, add them individually. it might take a few minutes but it is the most accurate way.

    Then you can save it as a meal for the next time you eat the same thing, much quicker and easier! Just watch out for some of the calories in the database being wrong, and I recommend weighing all your food till you get the hang of portion sizes.

    Good luck!
  • NikkiSmo
    NikkiSmo Posts: 180 Member
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    You have a couple of options here: if your baking you could take each item you use in the recepie and add them up then figure out how many portions and divide it that way (its time consuming but accurate). Or you can look in the food list and see if someone has made something simular and - I always go with the higher calorie option - choose that way. As for imputing the excerice if you have a smartphone you can download an app like Map My Run and it will kep track of how many calories you have burned during your exercise. However there are several exercise options available on the MFP list I'm sure you can find something that is around what you are doing. Just play around with the options you will learn how to find what your looking for.
  • betteringmyselfeachday
    betteringmyselfeachday Posts: 99
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    When I make a recipe or something homemade, if it is something with lots of ingredients that you use often, then I would add it to your recipes. You can put in there how many servings it makes, how much of each ingredient, etc. Then you can keep it for you to use next time you use it.

    I do this on crockpot recipes and that sort of thing.
  • irishcailin2012
    irishcailin2012 Posts: 47 Member
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    Thank you sooo much everyone. Thats what I love about this place, theres always someone to help you out :happy:

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