What works best for you for logging? Any tricks or tips?
Have any of you found that you prefer handwriting your food log? If so, is there a specific journal/notebook you like?
I think lots of people use My Fitness Pal which I do but handwriting things is lovely. I am crazy about stationary and especially Japanese stationary in fact any stationary!!! :-) and fountain pens... I have a collection... I never write with a normal one and if I have to I have the total grumpy face!!!!!
I love my mornings first thing and last thing as I write down everything that I have eaten & the exercise I have done in my day
Also I log my tablets (that I have to take for a few months post sleeve)
And my weight for the day.
Its a time for me and helps me feel considerate of myself ( I have always rushed anything to do with me ) but not this time. This is my time for taking responsibility for my investment of the sleeve to myself. I keep a note pad in my transparent toilet bag with my medication and I love sitting down and feeling in control of what my day will be or has been.
I am sure its a personal choice that will differ from person to person.
I am SUCH a fan of www.myfitnesspal.com. I've used it since 2.5 months prior to my surgery date. I still use it daily to plan and track my food and exercise.
I'm not sure I could have lost 100+ pounds and maintained that loss all this time without MFP. Truly, it's the second most valuable tool of my whole WLS journey, after my sleeve.
Consult: 235 lbs
My and doc's preop diet: 216 -19 lbs
M1 postop 205 -30
M2 193 -42
M3 184 -51
M4 174 -61
M5 167 -68
M6 162 -73
M7 156 -79
M8 151 -84
M9 148 -87
M10 146 -89
M11 144 -91
M12 143 -92
M13 142 -93
M14 140 -95
M15 139 -96
M16 137 -98
M17 135 -100
First Surgiversary post
Second Surgiversary post
Third Surgiversary post
I have been using the paid version of the LoseIt! app on my smartphone. I log my food, weight, and blood glucose. There is a free version that will do most everything I need. I went with the paid version but it did not really get me much except the blood glucose.
Like the other have stated, I use my fitness pal but I also like to handwrite my food log! Like Stacey, I love journals and pens! One tip that has worked for me, is that I log all my food in the morning before I start my day and I make sure to eat the things I pack for breakfast, lunch, and snack. However, it's not much since I still don't have an appetite and I'm not looking for it either, lol.
I have to admit, I am surprised by the number of people who like to handwrite their logs! My PCP requested I do that for her, just keep a general log of what I was eating for a couple of weeks and for some reason that was so much easier for me than MFP has ever been. I've tried MFP, FatSecret, LoseIt...
However, I am also a big fan of pens. I love different colored inks and different types. I have been looking for somewhere cool to buy personalized stationery but I haven't found anything yet. Any recommendations?
I did find an actual food log/journal notebook that is designed to be used for that purpose and I was curious of anyone here had used that and found it any more useful than a regular old notebook of some kind.
I do both - a bit ocd but there you go. I handwrite in a diary and have an app similar to MyFitnesspal called My Fat Secret (terrible name!). I chose that one as it had more relevant food for me (I'm in New Zealand). In the diary I keep note of my weight and anything that has happened during the day that may have thrown my food choices a bit - such as travelling or going to a rugby league game (the food choices are not good there and I know take my own food). I also log my steps and what walks I do. I like to keep myself accountable :-)
I use "My fitness Pal" and do it religiously. I had a 284 day streak going, but then I went camping with no internet signal and didn't pick up the phone for 4 days!
For me, logging my meals helps me see where I am at the end of everyday and lets me know if I need to eat more! Crazy to think that I use it to remind me to actually eat more (what a change from using something like that to help me lose weight)! The beauty of MFP is that you can set it to show calories, fat, protein, carbs, etc. If you are gauging your diet on protein it will do that, if you count calories, it will do that. It is highly customizable which is why I think it works so well.
Hope this helps!
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