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Argh. Food Logs...

maria1012maria1012 member
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in Getting in Shape
I'm not a fan. I successfully kept one on The Daily Plate for one whole week and then it just went downhill from there. I eat a lot of whole, unprocessed foods that seem to be really hard to track and I just gave up.

I know that many people are successful by using them, but are they really necessary for someone who just wants to be healthy and fit (I'm not trying to lose pounds)?  

Anyone else think they are a big pain in their side? 

On the other hand, has anyone successfully fit them into their lifestyle? 
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Re: Argh. Food Logs...

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    NebbNebb member
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    Its not that hard, you take the weight or the volume, and find the closest similar result on TDP. If you had 5 large strawberries, there is a result for that. If you had a cup of steamed broccoli, there is a result for that too. You just have to be diligent. I have been keeping track of what I eat and counting calories for a year now, and its just 2nd nature to me now. I keep it all written down in notebooks and im just about to move onto my 4th notebook. I find it keeps me on track and it keeps me accountable to know what im eating.
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    raynesraynes member
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    I find that when I diligent with tracking my food, and stick to my ranges, that's when I lost weight (my goal) but when I get lackadaisical about it, I either stall, or gain.

    For you, if your goal is just to maintain/get a better understanding of what you're eating, Nebb's why with a notebook might be better.  Or some hyrbid.  Write down in a notebook through the day what you're eating, then when you get home at night, spend a few minutes inputting it into TDP to see how you did.  You can make adjustments accordingly.

    I plan out what I'm going to eat each day, so when I get into work in the morning, I spend a few minutes putting it into TDP.  Now, I eat almost the same thing every day, so I've got meals set up for things I eat often, so that makes it easier.
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    greenglassherogreenglasshero
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    I've been back & forth a lot on this one & I've tried it several different ways. My first attempt I did it all by hand in a book (hello PITA!).  Last time I tried My Pyramid (http://www.mypyramidtracker.gov/), a USDA ran site that can be really simple or really complex depending on how much you eat out or what processed foods you eat. This one might be easier for you to use once you get all your 'frequently eaten' foods added. Personally I love using TDP, I'm just careful not to assume that all their info is correct.
    Also, it can be REALLY useful for keeping track of health issues. FI had serious stomach issues, but it turns out he just can't tolerate eggs! (And I had been so worried that I had managed to undercook his breaded chicken tenders everytime, and somehow not my own.)
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    maria1012maria1012 member
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    Wow. A whole year of food tracking! That's pretty amazing to me :)

    I like the idea of using a small book to write things down. To me that's easier than having to get on a computer to track. Like you said Raynes, I'm not looking to lose weight, just maintain and build muscle with my crossfit workouts. I think for my purposes, it would be just good see what type of foods I'm eating, not necessarily quantity. I agree that its a good way to figure out illnesses...so maybe I"ll give it another shot. 

    Goes to prove, getting in shape takes dedication in every aspect!
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    mehgankmehgank
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    I use the Lose It! app on my iPhone, and it keeps me really accountable. I can set it to remind me to log my meals (at every meal, or once per night - which is what I have it set at now). You're able to search popular foods by brand or by a general name. So, for instance, say you had tortilla chips. You can either type in "tortilla chips" or type in "Tostitos" and it'll find them for you. You then adjust your portion size from there. It's really helpful.
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