Not logging when you don't eat well

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Replies

  • bethfartman
    bethfartman Posts: 363 Member
    I log my bad days, but I don't log when I'm on vacation (and since it's summer, there are more trips than usual.) Does everyone log when they're on vacation too? It seems too dificult to me since I'm normally have my phone off most of the time and much of what I eat is not in the database (and I typically end up losing weight during it anyway), but maybe I should start on my next trip?Those blank days really piss me off when I'm looking back. How do you guys log when you're on a holiday?
  • Heather_Rider
    Heather_Rider Posts: 1,159 Member
    The point of logging your foods/drinks into your diary daily is for you to see what you are consuming a day. I see so many people logging days they think are "good days" and on days where they eat out, eat too much, or go way over calories, they do not log. Not logging doesn't mean it didn't happen. You are only harming yourself because you don't know how much you are taking in one those days.

    Correct! You cant hide the obvious. the scale will not lie to you.
  • skylark94
    skylark94 Posts: 2,036 Member
    I have logged every single thing I have eaten for the last 300 or so days, regardless of how ugly it was. What I have learned from it is that I can have a "bad" day, or even week, every so often and still be successful in the long run.
  • missmuse06
    missmuse06 Posts: 50
    I agree!! Forcing yourself to log keeps you accountable..... and I know I certainly think twice about what I put in my mouth (heh) when I know it will put me close to (or over) my calories!
  • missmuse06
    missmuse06 Posts: 50
    I have logged every single thing I have eaten for the last 300 or so days, regardless of how ugly it was. What I have learned from it is that I can have a "bad" day, or even week, every so often and still be successful in the long run.


    Very nice!
  • chasper090
    chasper090 Posts: 14
    I think logging in your calories, whether its more or less, will keep anyone motivated towards the right direction. We all have our good days and our bad days. Numbers don't lie, bottom line. I think this is an excellent way of maintaining a healthy diet. Its sort of like that guy/girl looking over your shoulder. LOL. No matter what, continue logging and stay motivated to a healthy life.
  • chrischinchilla
    chrischinchilla Posts: 109 Member
    ...is a bad thing! Be honest with yourself, people!
  • leannems
    leannems Posts: 516 Member
    I'm super guilty of this, although I think logging the bad days would be better. Then I'd get to see what I'm doing.

    Usually what happens is that on "bad" days I'm eating whatever without logging first and then can't remember what I ate in order to go log it. I think if you log first - whether it's bad or good - you're better off. Now if I could just do as I say...
  • unfitgoku
    unfitgoku Posts: 5 Member
    I log everything, logging bad days actually helps you!!!
    It helps you by seeing that if you go through couple of bad days/week, you can see how it affects your progress and you know WHAT NOT TO DO!

    So, Logging Bad Day Helps!
  • Daydreams406
    Daydreams406 Posts: 249 Member
    It doesn't make any difference to me how people log their food. I am here for me. If I log my food or not, It only affects me. No one else.
    That said, I log everything. Even "bad days". My choice.
    Whether others do or not has no impact on my weight or my food log.
    Do I have friends on my list that do it? Sure...does it bother me? Nope. Because its their life. They are acknowledging it in their own way. Maybe they worked their *kitten* off all week in order to go out to dinner with their hubby, so they could eat without counting every calorie, and really don't want to know what that number was?
    So many scenarios...that is why it doesn't bother me how others log their food.
  • bodiva88
    bodiva88 Posts: 308 Member
    I've learned so much from logging the tougher days. Initially (my first week) I logged without changing habits just to see what I was doing. That was an eye opener.

    Then I discovered once I was being mindful about what I eat that on days I don't have cereal for breakfast I struggle for the whole day. So now I eat whole grain cereal with nonfat milk or have Grape Nuts, yogurt, and fruit for breakfast every day. It just keeps me on track for some reason.

    Finally, I love being able to see when I do have an over day that it hasn't killed my week. I can see that I'm still on track or I know what I need to do (extra exercise, extra mindfulness) for the rest of the week to be sure I don't let those days derail me.
  • muwchck
    muwchck Posts: 261 Member
    That's why I do my best to log everything, good or bad. Now I don't always remember to close my diary before midnight, but it's not a way of lying to myself or anything though.
  • joybedford
    joybedford Posts: 1,680 Member
    I agree we had fish and chips tonight and i still logged it might not be healthy but I was within my calories thanks to a 10 mile run. I am also on 48% fats but we will ignore that won,t we.
  • human28
    human28 Posts: 12 Member
    At least if you log your food, you can see how much exercise you could do to balance the calorie intake!
  • skellyness
    skellyness Posts: 165 Member
    I log everything otherwise what is the point in it?
  • bexxgirl
    bexxgirl Posts: 260 Member
    Sometimes I don't log when I go out for dinner, but most of the time that's because I can't be bothered trawling through the database for foods that may or may not be equivalent to what I'm having when I'm out!

    Last night, for instance, I didn't log, but I'm pretty sure I was under my cals because I had over 1,000 of them up my sleeve. A friend was making dinner and it was cannelloni, salad and fresh bread. I'm not going to quiz him about exactly what was in it and work out how much a portion was.

    So logging the rest of the day was somewhere between pointless and impossible.
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
    I try to log everything I eat...good and bad.

    The problem I have is that when I am not eating "good", it's because I am picking at crap all day or eating at restaurants and don't know exactly what I am eating. It's hard to log that kind of stuff. When I try it always feels like I am underestimating my calories, which, in many ways, is worse than not logging at all.
  • kellyreynolds14
    kellyreynolds14 Posts: 56
    For me, alot of times the days I eat badly I do not weigh everything and eat things that I have no idea how many calories they contain, so it is hard to even estimate. I want to track every day, and I try not to eat poorly, but it happens. I guess we are all hear because this is work and a journey that is never over!
  • SunKissed1989
    SunKissed1989 Posts: 1,314 Member
    I do my best to log everything, but if I have a bad day, I don't click the button to complete my entry. Mainly because I'm afraid of what the "If everyday were like to day..." result will be because I know that everyday isn't like one of those bad days so why give myself the added distress...?

    I do still log all of my food though (except if I eat out somewhere that I can't find the nutritional info for, I add quick calories...and overestimate tham a bit...)
  • Stuz359
    Stuz359 Posts: 81
    Part of lgging in is owning up to your mistakes. It makes you take responsibility for what you put in your body. The only bad thing/vice I have is drinking, and my entire social life is built around it. I don't have a problem, I only go out twice a week, and even then I have switched from Lager to Vodka (about a 100/150 cal saving per drink). I sometimes think my social circle is too small, I don't really have any friends where I can just go and get a cup of coffee anymore, but part of that is my fault.

    I really went off on a tangent there but hey, log the bad days because they teach you, they force you to own up and recognise what you are doing wrong and that is not a bad thing.
  • Mich3ll36
    Mich3ll36 Posts: 96
    amen!!! i log on bad days too... helps keep me accountable.
  • hothodgie
    hothodgie Posts: 258 Member
    I log everything, lol. I am proud to say I have only had 3 bad days since mid May. One was almost twice my daily allowance, but the other two were just over a little bit. I use it to tell me why I am not losing weight or what I eat when I am losing weight. It keeps my head in the game. I don't make it public though due to too many judgemental people last year, but I can see it and that's what matters. I really HATE the red numbers.
  • NWCountryGal
    NWCountryGal Posts: 1,992 Member
    I have not logged on occasion(like a dinner out or bbq)but that's because I have no clue what all the ingredients are. I guess I could guess but my bottom line is I know I went over so the next day I am beating feet to get back on track;) I now like to put notes on my diary so other's know what is going on in more detail, I try to do that;) denise

    The point of logging your foods/drinks into your diary daily is for you to see what you are consuming a day. I see so many people logging days they think are "good days" and on days where they eat out, eat too much, or go way over calories, they do not log. Not logging doesn't mean it didn't happen. You are only harming yourself because you don't know how much you are taking in one those days.
  • xxnellie146xx
    xxnellie146xx Posts: 996 Member
    Guilty as charged :blushing:

    However as of May 1st 2012 I am proud to say I have finished my diary every single day no matter what I ate. :drinker:

    Good job!
  • happythermia
    happythermia Posts: 374
    I log everything. Sometimes I have to estimate, for sure.

    BUT I TOTALLY describe the awesomeness that I ate in the comments section. When I cheat, I make sure it's worth it. :-)
  • annahiven
    annahiven Posts: 177 Member
    I always log, no matter what. Even if I drink 1500 calories worth of alcohol, I log it.

    I don't want to stop losing weight and look back at a 'fake' diary and wonder, "But I am in line every day, why am I not losing?" I want to have all the information... even the ugly, calorie rich bits!
  • saustin201
    saustin201 Posts: 270 Member
    I log the good, the bad and the ugly.
  • ScarletFyre
    ScarletFyre Posts: 754 Member
    I am guilty of this and I agree! I think if nothing else, OK you had a bad day, ate over your calories, and if you "hide" from logging (at least my experience when I did it this way) is that I feel WORSE when I then hide from logging.

    now...i also tend to forget to log my entire day from lunch on...which is also no good...partially because i dont have internet at home, so if my phone is being a jerk, i put it away or else i will throw it out the window...haha! Seriously, though it's best to log, because that's the only way to see your patterns etc.
  • Antonia2501
    Antonia2501 Posts: 121 Member
    I think if your going to eat like crap be honest with yourself. You are doing it for a reason not to just have the good days logged that to me is pointless.
  • oliviadaughter
    oliviadaughter Posts: 6
    I just begun logging my food in myfitnesspal. Today I had a extra snack that I did not plan on having, but I logged it. Knowing I had to log it helped me have 3 whole wheat crackers instead of 1/2 the pack. LOL Logging helps me be accountable to myself.

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