Tell me about your logging routine!

So I've been trying different things, seeing what works best for getting in the groove of logging every bit of food. Tell me about your routine! Do you

• log on your phone as you cook / eat?
• pre-log and preplan everything?
• Log at the end of the day by memory?
• use a book and pen type of journal?

I pretty much do a mix of the above, and I am curious what everyone else does...

:)

MFP is what I use for logging. I pre-log and preplan a few days in advance. If there were adjustments, I will make them at the end of the day when I log my exercise. My phone is not great for using the app, and I will sit down at my laptop with a coffee and plan for 3-4 days.

It makes me accountable

lets me see trends

makes me happy when I track exercise

lets me know what's on the menu so I can post it on the daily what are you eating/doing thread and there is no last minute scrambling to find something to eat

I plan my day menu out in the morning, and stick with it.. I add my daily data in MFP after lunch , and if i have any extra food, or less food i change it right away. I like to plan , makes the option to deviate less through the day. I have the app on my phone, so try to be vigilant and add any changes the moment it happens so i can track right away so I'm accountable.

I use the Baritastic app. It tracks my weight loss and has recipes too. I add in food as I go when I can but sometimes on my work days it gets done when I get home. It gets easier over time because your foods get saved so it can get added quickly. Good luck

I use MFP and am all over the place with logging but I log everything. It keeps me honest and it shows me in black and white where I am because it's so easy to over eat.

I typically meal prep so every morning I log what I know I will be eating. If something changes during the day then right after the change I will wipe out what was there and input what I actually logged.

For me, I'm in and out of MFP multiple times a day.

I never thought to pre-populate the day - that's such a great idea. I think I will try it!

I'm just trying to get into the habit now ahead of my dietician meeting. To get into the habit, I've been using an app called Ate. You literally just take pictures of what you eat and it tracks the time between meals etc. I use it as a photo diary of food I ate, so I can back fill my food log. Some people use it to share with their trainers or nutritionist, kind of like an accountability tool.

Sometimes I plan several days ahead especially my lunches through the week, or when I'm cooking something in a larger batch and will be eating it for a few days.

I find it really helps you plan your food and make sure you stay within your macros if you preplan.

I've actually become a bit OCD about it. If I can't log and see where I'm at, I get a bit panicky.

It's just such a great tool because it's soooo easy to overate and not realize that you are.

Good Luck.

My concern is with the constant weighing and logging in food, I'm getting too obsessed with the tracking and it actually gives me anxiety. I assume it's different on the losers bench, because you really are learning to eat in a whole new way.

I know people who don't log and are doing fine.

For me, it keeps me LITERALLY on track. I need that.

It's almost like when they first started showing the nutritional info on restaurant menus. When I saw some of the calorie, sugar and fat contents in foods that I would typically order all the time, I was horrified. There was something about SEEING it that made it real.

When I log my food I get that same jolt. It's real. I've really put this in my body. At least now it's good not bad. But I still get wake up calls when I realize that I've snacked too much (slippery slope), or how many carbs were really in that piece of bread or portion of rice.

I think that again, you need to think of it as a tool to help you change your habits. In time, maybe you won't need to log everything but I probably will need to do it forever and I'm absolutely fine with that. Whatever helps me stay the course I will do.

It's a personal choice.

A bit late but I thought I would chime in. I use MFP because they hv that recipe option that I love. I log early in the day because I pack my meal and snacks for work religiously. Every now and than I dont log but usually return pretty quickly so I might miss two days at most. MFP is on my phone which is always with me so no excuses!