What do you log?

MandyMoos1978
MandyMoos1978 Posts: 79 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have been on here for about a month but have been on my weight loss journey for 6 months. I have a general question to ask!

What do you log?

I log everything that goes into my mouth - drinks, fruit, veg, even chewing gum. Some people I have noticed may not log these things in their daily diaries.

I am just curious to why, especially as some of these things can have more calories in than we think - eg bananas / tea with sugar etc.

I appreciate any replies I get, I suppose I am just being nosey and curious! Thank you!

Replies

  • theesfield
    theesfield Posts: 31 Member
    I log every.single.thing :)
  • joy5877
    joy5877 Posts: 168 Member
    I log everything. I even learned from others on this site to log my vitamins. My fishoil tablets have 30 calories in them!
  • etrader24
    etrader24 Posts: 21
    i dont log in my chewing gum, but i log in everything else. i go to a lot of local restaraunts and make healthy choices so it is hard for me to log in stuff like that because it isnt in the suggestion box. but other than that, i log in everything. good luck (:
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    If you want to be successful as possible, everything.

    That being said, I don't log my 2 tbsp of low sugar ketchup every day. It's 10 cals, I don't know why I don't log it. I know I ate it and I just add it to my calories in my head. It just makes me feel better some how lol.

    I'm a hypocrit.
  • montana_girl
    montana_girl Posts: 1,403 Member
    I am one of those people that logs everything... even gum and vitamins (the vitamins is more a reminder to take them! LOL). I do this because I know those little things add up over time. Maybe not enough to make a difference, but why risk it! :tongue:
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,371 Member
    I log everything except calorie-free things such as spices, herbs, pepper but do log salt (if I add it) for sodium levels. Maybe once a week I'll have a pint of sugar-free squash that I can't see the point in logging since it carries so few calories but has no real nutritional value, but otherwise it all goes in.
  • MandyMoos1978
    MandyMoos1978 Posts: 79 Member
    Thank you so far, I agree with you all, I even log my ketchup and sauces and I agree these things do add up!
  • mckellipgirl
    mckellipgirl Posts: 63 Member
    I log everything, even the little bits when I'm taste testing while cooking.

    I never thought to log my vitamins though. Thanks for that suggestion!
  • TequillaLover89
    TequillaLover89 Posts: 260 Member
    I log almost everything.
    I do not log,

    *gum (only if I have one piece, if I have more than one I log)
    *"0" calorie or "diet" drinks (even though they must have 2 or 3 calories)
    *spices that do not have calories on them
    *water
    *tea (no cream no sugar)
    *coffee (no cream no sugar)
    *0 calorie liquor mixers (the same reason as the drinks)

    Reasons for not logging these things,

    It takes of stress of logging every little thing that goes in my mouth
    when I log cardio calories I round down by 10 so that gives me buffer calories
    I'm not trying to lose, just maintain now
    im pretty sure I lead an active lifestyle but have mfp set to sedentary
  • mazasmusings
    mazasmusings Posts: 74 Member
    I will be honest, I don't log everything. I log food, any drinks that have calories, etc., but things like my morning coffee that have next to none, etc. I don't log.
    I also have a bad habit of not logging on the weekend, even though I still follow the same guidelines as I do for the rest of the week. I even have the phone app, so I don't have the luxury of saying it's because I'm busy on the weekends anymore.
  • robinhardysmall
    robinhardysmall Posts: 246 Member
    If it goes in my mouth it goes in my food log~
  • jerber160
    jerber160 Posts: 2,607 Member
    i don't record gum, drinks ( coffee, diet pepsi....tea) I do record fruit juice if i have it...I skip seasonings and the cough drops i eat as candy (bad boy)... oddly i never count jarred spaghetti sauce... and most times i leave out grated romano cheese. i don't know why but I don't. i don't record no fat whipped topping but I record the jello i put it on... there are no rules...
  • coliema
    coliema Posts: 7,646 Member
    I log everything, except for my chewing gum...............because you burn more calories by chewing it, than calories actually being taken in by it, so I find it pointless to log gum.

    I squeeze 2 lemons into my water everytime I have water, and I log the lemon, I constantly get asked why.
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
    If it has calories, I log it. The exception is the occasional piece of lettuce, pickles or mustard on a sandwich. And that's just because I'm being lazy.
  • MandyMoos1978
    MandyMoos1978 Posts: 79 Member
    I am loving the honesty - I am honestly just curious as I log everything including sugar free drinks and no cal stuff! I saw a quote from someone on here that said

    ' If I bite it, I write it' meaning everything that goes in her mouth she logs! I love it!
  • mjsunshine16
    mjsunshine16 Posts: 251 Member
    I log everything. I have learned if I don't log one thing it turns into a slippery slope and I stop logging everything. If I am not logging I also can not have an explanation of why I need to change my choices.
  • Brittany3914
    Brittany3914 Posts: 258 Member
    I log it all. Even the petty stuff that might have 0 calories, because I like to monitor my sodium intake. I don't log my multivitamins, though.. or if I grind some pepper onto my meal. Everything else though.. beverages and all (which can be quite a few on occassion) are tracked. Holds me accountable.
  • Goal_Line
    Goal_Line Posts: 474 Member
    I used to log everything. Now I tend to skip lettuce and veggies I find myself snacking on veggies frequently), but I always log anything that is going to contain protean, fat or caloric dense carbs.
  • cookiefluff
    cookiefluff Posts: 115
    I log EVERYYYYTHING!

    I'm just lucky I don't like junk food or gum, candy, etc... so you'll probably never see that in my diary for example.

    I do have a thing for chocolate but I just avoid that isle in the supermarket! I sometimes indulge in some homemade desserts that my hubby makes, like fruit crumbles etc. mmmm...
  • agerena007
    agerena007 Posts: 51
    I log everything that I consume minus gum. If you dont log it who are you fooling??? Your body knows what goes in and out, God knows what you do and you know what you do... Hiding it from people that help motivate and support you is pointless. Your not fooling anyone. Thats my intake of it, you should c my log from last night, geesh!!!! Overdid it like it was my last day on earth, lol. But Im honest.
  • MandyMoos1978
    MandyMoos1978 Posts: 79 Member
    I log everything that I consume minus gum. If you dont log it who are you fooling??? Your body knows what goes in and out, God knows what you do and you know what you do... Hiding it from people that help motivate and support you is pointless. Your not fooling anyone. Thats my intake of it, you should c my log from last night, geesh!!!! Overdid it like it was my last day on earth, lol. But Im honest.

    Totally agree hun! xxx
  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
    Some people need a rigid regimen to keep them on track and others find it a tedious chore and choose not to log the minutia. I know everyone is always saying "every little bit counts" and all that but not logging a 100 or 200 incidental calories though out the day isn't a big deal, especially if you're active or have a lot of weight to lose. It's all a guesstimate in the end (no matter how precise you try and be) so as long as you're losing the weight you want and expect to lose at the end of the week it's the right way to do it.

    I fall somewhere in between. I log everything but my spices (most of the time - I've been a little sloppy about logging lately) but don't use a food scale so there's probably as much variance in my log as someone who only logs the big things . If the package says there's about 4 servings in it that's good enough for me and I really don't care what size my fresh fruits and vegetables are and always choose large--some of them are absolutely gigantic though so I know I underestimate them a lot of the time. It doesn't matter. I've lost 42 pounds since I've joined and I'm happy with the rate I'm losing so it's working for me.
  • jerber160
    jerber160 Posts: 2,607 Member
    I log everything that I consume minus gum. If you dont log it who are you fooling??? Your body knows what goes in and out, God knows what you do and you know what you do... Hiding it from people that help motivate and support you is pointless. Your not fooling anyone. Thats my intake of it, you should c my log from last night, geesh!!!! Overdid it like it was my last day on earth, lol. But Im honest.

    Totally agree hun! xxx
    I totally disagree as long as you're getting results. if not,, then rethink.. everybody's different. sorry if it ticks you off I can lie to my phone and still lose.
  • Flafster
    Flafster Posts: 106 Member
    I don't log herbs & spices, or high water veg like lettuce & cucumber
  • babycook
    babycook Posts: 172 Member
    I don't log my supplements. I logged fish oil but it didn't appear as anything so I stopped bothering. I also take vitamin c because I'm a smoker. I don't log that.
    I don't chew gum so I don't log it.
    But besides the supplements I log everything. Mostly to show my doctor my intake as I have metabolic syndrome and high blood pressure and they're always riding me about carbs and salt.
  • MandyMoos1978
    MandyMoos1978 Posts: 79 Member
    I have to agree that if you are not logging everything accurately then you are only fooling yourself, even if you are losing weight. It may end up slipping into bad habits when it may actually stop you from gaining weight.
    I understand those of you who don't log calorie free things like herbs/spices/etc as those may not make much different but those who are not logging food like cheese and sauces that can contain amounts of calories etc that could make a difference to your calorie intake!
    This is just my personal opinion and it works for me when I log everything that goes into my mouth. I also weigh everything accurately so I know my calorie totals are completely accurate. If I lie and have something and don't log it, then I still know in my mind what I have eaten and mentally add it to my total and if it takes me above my calorie goal it makes me feel bad! Thats why I don't let myself get into that habit as I want to stay strict with myself and then enjoy the results!
    Thank you for your opinions, great job on your weight loss so far and all the best with your continued success!

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