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Old 12-30-2005, 11:54 PM   #1  
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Default Does everybody journal their food?

I am wondering if everyone writes down their calorie intake? I am terrible at it and I tend to have a problem writing down everything. I try to keep mental note but its not working very good and I know i should be writing it all down. Is there anybody else who feels the same as me?
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Old 12-30-2005, 11:58 PM   #2  
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fitday....a PITA to get started...but quite a useful (and free) tool. The database in my brain would need a serious upgrade before I would honestly be able to remember what I ate over the course of a week.

Check the link in my signature - it isn't always pretty...but it's honest.

When I stopped journalling is when I started gaining weight back
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Old 12-31-2005, 12:02 AM   #3  
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Well, I don't count calories and I don't journal the food. For me, and I have absolutely no problem with other people doing it, but for me, journaling does not work for me. Then things feel like a diet instead of a lifestyle change. I don't journal and I don't have a hard time at all keeping on track. But I have heard a lot of people rave about fitday. I tried it but it made my head spin.
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Old 12-31-2005, 12:13 AM   #4  
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I keep a food journal and it's wonderful!!! It has helped me out alot and would recommend it to anyone. Fitday is more technical, but it's a good site. I have lost 2 pounds this past week just by writing down what I have eaten, how much water, and how much exercise. This helps me understand what I need to do in order to lose the weight. Like I might be eating too many carbs or not drinking enough water or needing to exercise longer.

But everyone has their own personal way of doing things. This is my way and I'm sticking to it. I have a deep respect for anyone who tries their best in losing weight and being health concense (spelling??)

Good luck to all!

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Old 12-31-2005, 12:28 AM   #5  
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I started Weight Watchers, so yes I journal everything.... well, everything with points... it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.
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Old 12-31-2005, 12:35 AM   #6  
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I use fitday religiously. I count calories so it is helpful in that respect. But, more than anything, it keeps me honest. When I journal what I eat EVERY bite counts. It isn't my main meals that give me trouble. Instead it is the handful of this and the nibble of that. Fitday helps me see how quickly that kind of eating adds up to a LOT of calories.
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Old 12-31-2005, 12:40 AM   #7  
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I will say that I never knew how much I actually ate until I journaled. I used fitday before joining WW, and I would have to journal as I went. I took one day and ate as I please and I was SHOCKED when the total was somewhere in the 4000 calorie range, and that was without even trying!
Journaling is a great tool.
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Old 12-31-2005, 01:23 AM   #8  
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I use fitday also. It's helped me so much!
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Old 12-31-2005, 08:32 AM   #9  
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For 6 months I've used FitDay

www.fitday.com

But recently on another site, someone recommended:

www.nutritiondata.com

And to be honest, that looks much better! The calories burned part of that site is definitely more accurate and useful than FitDay.

As I'm in the UK, I've had to put in a lot of custom foods, but as time goes on it gets quicker as you have less new stuff to input.

I give myself the odd week off now, as I've spent so long recording everything I eat that I do have a fair idea - and I found on the odd week I didn't use FitDay I still lost weight, but it helps me feel more in control and just as wyhen I was very overweight, I underestimated the # of cals in things, I find that now I'm getting closer to goal weight, I actually over-estimate cals and often eat less than I thought I had.

I can't recommend tracking your diet online, highly enough. These sites are free and they empower you to control what you eat and have no excuses about miscalculating!

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Old 12-31-2005, 08:46 AM   #10  
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Default Journaling for a while

I usually will journal for the first 2-3 months of the diet, then I don't. The reason is after that time, you tend to eat the same cycle of foods and you get used to what works and what doesn't.
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Old 12-31-2005, 08:58 AM   #11  
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Like teahoney, I used to HATE writing down everything I ate because I felt like I was controlled by it. But for some reason, when I started doing it this time, it just worked. For me it's a great tool. Like the others have said, it helps keep me in control, especially the nibbles! And I love all the reports I can generate.

I use nutridiary, and it is also a PITA to get started, but I liked it better than fitday. I do pay a fee to get access to the larger database (with a lot of restaurant items), but for me it's worth it
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Old 12-31-2005, 10:04 AM   #12  
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Fitday again! I couldn't do it without it.
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Old 12-31-2005, 10:35 AM   #13  
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Default Your Fitday diary

I was looking at your fitday diary because I was curious what other people are eating. I can't say I would be able to follow yours, but you seem to have a lot of discipline. Good for you! As far as the excercise, you forgot to include selfcare (dressing, etc). That counts too!
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Old 12-31-2005, 10:37 AM   #14  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by almost there
I am wondering if everyone writes down their calorie intake? I am terrible at it and I tend to have a problem writing down everything. I try to keep mental note but its not working very good and I know i should be writing it all down. Is there anybody else who feels the same as me?
I can't "write" everything down either. I use fitday, like many of the others here. It has its own database of foods, plus you can customize your own. Meaning you have your own list of foods that anytime you eat them, you can add them to your list with just a click. I have a HUGE customized list. I like fitday and look forward to using it every day. And anytime I buy a new food, I run to my computer to enter in all the nutrition info.
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Old 12-31-2005, 11:37 AM   #15  
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Like wyllenn, I use Nutridiary and it works well for me. I don't think it matters too much which system you use, but somehow doing it online is more motivating for me than writing it down manually in a journal. An added benefit is that I can see what percentages of protein, fat and carbs I'm eating and I've also recently been paying attention to the salt.

I also like the reports you can do with all kinds of pie charts and statistics over a period of time. Of course, to have these reports make sense you have to enter the data every day.

It takes a while to get custom foods entered, etc. but it gets easier to use with time.

I did Fitday a couple of years ago and lost some weight but immediately gained it back when I stopped journaling. It keeps me honest!

Last edited by penpal; 12-31-2005 at 12:26 PM.
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