Regarding your food diary, would you bother to log in...

cortezpj
cortezpj Posts: 129 Member
edited December 2024 in Food and Nutrition
Today at work several co-workers threw a small birthday party for another co-worker. Someone brought in a store-bought chocolate cake. Nothing fancy, just one of those ordinary cakes you see for maybe ten bucks. No uber moist fillings or other creamy ingredients other than the frosting. Speaking of which, I didn't eat any of the frosting, only the cake.

So my question is, should I bother to log in a small cube of dry chocolate cake that was maybe 2" x 2" ? This was the first piece of cake I'd had in over 6 weeks and I don't feel like I'm in jeopardy of reverting to bad habits or anything (at least not yet). Overall, I'd say I'm very good at logging in everything I eat throughout the day. But the MFP food database only gives me chocolate cake options that are way more decadent than what I ate.

Thanks in advance. I look forward to your feedback.

Replies

  • Di3012
    Di3012 Posts: 2,247 Member
    Today at work several co-workers threw a small birthday party for another co-worker. Someone brought in a store-bought chocolate cake. Nothing fancy, just one of those ordinary cakes you see for maybe ten bucks. No uber moist fillings or other creamy ingredients other than the frosting. Speaking of which, I didn't eat any of the frosting, only the cake.

    So my question is, should I bother to log in a small cube of dry chocolate cake that was maybe 2" x 2" ? This was the first piece of cake I'd had in over 6 weeks and I don't feel like I'm in jeopardy of reverting to bad habits or anything (at least not yet). Overall, I'd say I'm very good at logging in everything I eat throughout the day. But the MFP food database only gives me chocolate cake options that are way more decadent than what I ate.

    Thanks in advance. I look forward to your feedback.

    Log it as "quick add calories" just so you have a record there of the calories consumed. You might have to take a stabbing guess at the calories though, but that is better than not logging anything.
  • kgprice11
    kgprice11 Posts: 749 Member
    Yes log it.....if its not the right cake but the right ingredients then that is fine, just think if you logged a piece that is more calories than what you ate then it won't hurt you because realistically you are saving a few extra calories for emergency purposes.
  • lwoods34
    lwoods34 Posts: 302 Member
    I would still log it even if its not in the database. You could add it under Quick Add Calories and overestimate how many calories that piece of cake was just to keep yourself honest. But thats just me!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    A 2" x 2" piece of cake with no icing?? I probably would not log it. I can't see how guessing at the calories would really be helpful and that one tiny piece of cake is not going to make any difference in the long run.
  • ms_sparky
    ms_sparky Posts: 17 Member
    I would log it and get as close as possible to the description, even if it doesn't seem like much. My purpose for logging food is so I can be real with myself about what I'm eating. It wasn't easy for me at first, but I had lied to myself for so long by minimizing what I ate, that I stopped caring. That's over for me. :)
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    It depends why you're logging your food. If you're doing it to have a record to look back on without judgement to see what worked and what didn't, log the cake. If you're logging food as punishment, don't log it, consider it a freebie.

    I'm basically saying remember what the log is for. It's not a punishment. It's a tool you're using voluntarily to help yourself meet your goals. Skipping entries isn't going to kill you but why bother logging if you're only going to log some foods? Log it as a cookie or a popsicle or whatever cal count looks fair to you but is also not probably fooling yourself. We underlog and non-log enough accidentally without doing it knowingly, if you ask me.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    Log it. You can't start ignoring the things you eat. No lying to yourself!
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    I'd just quick add 100-200 calories and make a note in the food notes.
  • IveLanded
    IveLanded Posts: 797 Member
    it's probably over 100 calories. and........it has calories and probably sugar. so yes, log it.

    and you could look up a cake mix calorie (Betty Crocker chocolate cake mix has an entry for cake only).
  • bluiz13
    bluiz13 Posts: 3,550 Member
    if you ate it you should log it....the diary is a record of what you take in...if you have a gain this week or next or whatever and look back at your journal you will see, oh yeah i had that little bite of cake....it's not a bad thing to have the cake but it's hiding/sneaking/lying to yourself if you dont log it....in my opinion....denise
  • Hayesgang
    Hayesgang Posts: 624
    I log every bite I take, if I don't log it~It's not like it didn't happen!

    Not logging can be a slippery slope, a few "bites", "nibbles", "tastes" here and there add up.
  • senyosmom
    senyosmom Posts: 613 Member
    Log it! Do quick add calories and take a guess at what it as. If you starting not adding small things like this before you know you will not owe up to bigger things you ate. Log it and move on.

    I read on this site just yesterday "If I bite it, I write it" - good way to put it.
  • kymberlyjt
    kymberlyjt Posts: 13
    that's barely going to add any calories anyway so it's not really a big deal - log it because eing honest and knowing your daily calorie amount overall is important
  • StartingAtSixty
    StartingAtSixty Posts: 85 Member
    I told myself ..If I bite it...I write it.. I had a few little pieces of bit o honey and I didn;t want to log them.. but I did.. I have no excuse as I have myfitnesspal on my iphone as well so no matter where I am.. I can log.. It is really up to you to be accountable.. But yes I would log it.. :flowerforyou:
  • DianaMMP
    DianaMMP Posts: 1
    It sounds like you're doing great! I would just log in 10 calories and call it good. You don't want to feel guilty for not logging in and the same time feel great about your successes. Keep up the great work!!!
  • BeccaLevine
    BeccaLevine Posts: 315 Member
    LOG EVERYTHING! Heck, I even log gum!
  • PippaJo_
    PippaJo_ Posts: 233 Member
    I'd just quick add 100-200 calories and make a note in the food notes.


    This.

    You say it was a store-bought cake? Like one of the Sara Lee frozen ones, that sort of thing? Do a quick Google Image search for it (or whatever), and see if you can find the kind of cake it was, or close enough, then check the MFP database for that.

    If you can't find it, or even that's too much bother, then just do the above. That's what I do when I eat things that I know won't be in the database, or if I'd have to try to find and log every speck of every possible ingredient just to get something close to right.
  • CallMeCupcakeDammit
    CallMeCupcakeDammit Posts: 9,377 Member
    I'd find something comparable and log it.

    ETA that sometimes the most innocent looking piece of cake sometimes is not.
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    it's probably over 100 calories. and........it has calories and probably sugar. so yes, log it.

    and you could look up a cake mix calorie (Betty Crocker chocolate cake mix has an entry for cake only).

    This.
  • jjnt007
    jjnt007 Posts: 302 Member
    I would log it. When I have a slice of pizza I never eat the crust but I still log it as canadian bacon pizza. I just do not like pizza crust unless it is Papa Johns. Also, when I have fajitas at a restaurant I never eat the chicken, I only eat the beef and shrimp but I still log the whole amount.
  • carld256
    carld256 Posts: 855 Member
    Possibly relevant. Based on this info I would probably log it as an ounce or two.

    http://www.fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/usda/chocolate-cake-(without-frosting)?portionid=45403&portionamount=1.000
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I'd find something comparable and log it.

    ETA that sometimes the most innocent looking piece of cake sometimes is not.

    But how would she know whether it's innocent or not? Without knowing the ingredients it's only a guess as to what is "comparable".
  • CallMeCupcakeDammit
    CallMeCupcakeDammit Posts: 9,377 Member
    I'd find something comparable and log it.

    ETA that sometimes the most innocent looking piece of cake sometimes is not.

    But how would she know whether it's innocent or not? Without knowing the ingredients it's only a guess as to what is "comparable".

    That's why I'm suggesting to log it as something rather than nothing.
  • SunKissed1989
    SunKissed1989 Posts: 1,314 Member
    I would log it, even if it's just quick calories added...you're adding extra calories.
    I had 2 pieces of cake last week - was a friend's birthday and my own so just had a wee square of each. I didn't know the nutritional info of my friend's so just added the quick calories. For my own, I'd planned to eat it later in the day so added it in the morning and had something to look forward to later in the day (and it was delicious:smile: ) was still within my calorie goal as well.
    Don't worry about reverting to bad habits - you should treat yourself now and again...just remember to keep track of your treats as well :tongue:
  • cortezpj
    cortezpj Posts: 129 Member
    Sorry for the delay in responding, but I wanted to thank all for their input and words of wisdom. It gave me something to think about and next time, YES...I'll log in a piece of cake, no matter how small.
  • EvanKeel
    EvanKeel Posts: 1,903 Member
    I probably would.

    For me it's not so much that i think the amount of calories in that cake is significant. It's the attitude that I might adopt. I might end up starting to think "oh it's not that significant" about a lot of tiny things, which in turn might me more likely to eat more tiny little things. They all add up.

    If I log it, I make sure I'm always aware of what I'm eating, and I don't risk denial--which I'm very skilled in.
  • Ilovejacks
    Ilovejacks Posts: 153 Member
    Today at work several co-workers threw a small birthday party for another co-worker. Someone brought in a store-bought chocolate cake. Nothing fancy, just one of those ordinary cakes you see for maybe ten bucks. No uber moist fillings or other creamy ingredients other than the frosting. Speaking of which, I didn't eat any of the frosting, only the cake.

    So my question is, should I bother to log in a small cube of dry chocolate cake that was maybe 2" x 2" ? This was the first piece of cake I'd had in over 6 weeks and I don't feel like I'm in jeopardy of reverting to bad habits or anything (at least not yet). Overall, I'd say I'm very good at logging in everything I eat throughout the day. But the MFP food database only gives me chocolate cake options that are way more decadent than what I ate.

    Thanks in advance. I look forward to your feedback.
    All this is making me want CAKE!!!!LOL
    Log it......if u start with something small(not logging)you'll start leaving little things out everyday:)Maybe.
    Have a great day!!!!!
  • cmp_denver
    cmp_denver Posts: 44 Member
    I agree with the consensus, log it. It's not a big deal that you ate it, but logging it helps you be accountable to yourself. As for not having the exact thing in the DB, I prefer to err on the side of caution and log more calories for an item than to under log. Now all I need to do is find a birthday party myself!
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