How do you record your food intake?

[Bronco0605 135]

I use my fitness pal but I am having a problem I cannot exactly measure what I have eaten. Sometimes it might only be a a teaspoon or a nibble of something and I know it all counts. Sometimes I put half a cup in my bowl but I can't eat it all. Sometimes I eat half or less and it just really compute well on my tracking. I will be honest I think the tracking is making me more crazy than tryiing to follow the diet.

Edited December 16, 2013 by Bronco0605

[Fluffnomore 1,235]

I use mynetdiary and there are plenty of options for tracking a teaspoon or a tablespoon. I also purchased a small scale and also try to weigh things. I'm pretty good at guessing at this point but certain things surprise me.

I find it essential to track right now. I'm about 2 months out and the thing is, in general I am too overconfident about "knowing" what is 2 oz or 4 oz…so between the weighing and the tracking it is keeping me honest. When in doubt I round up. It's also helping me recognize and curb (or at least be honest about) my old behaviors. When I find myself thinking, "Oh, it's only a bite" or "I don't really need to add that" I know that in fact, I must. Maybe someday I will be able to stop being so diligent. I know for sure that yesterday I probably would have inadvertently mis-entered to the tune of about 200 calories too few if I had not double-checked with weighing my portions and catching myself being lazy about tracking.

And let's say I put half a cup of something but don't eat it. I either leave it (rounding up) or I adjust later. It's not that big of a deal.

[McButterpants 2,846]

Do you have a kitchen scale? You can measure out your food before eating, then measure it again if you don't finish.

When I started out eating solids, I got spun up on trying to track every morsel that went into my mouth and you're right, it will drive you crazy. I figure if I capture most things, it's going to be as accurate as I need it to be.

[Bronco0605 135]

I do not have a kitchen scale. I have purchased so much paraphernalia to try to adjust to this new life. It is getting really expensive! Also I have a super small kitchen I know I probably need a scale so I will try to find one but the measuring is just making me nuts!

[Fluffnomore 1,235]

The scale is good because, oh, let's look at meat.

I had meatballs last night. I purchased them from the butcher. Before cooking (in the oven) they were 3.3 ounces. After cooking they were around 2.125 oz.

I don't know for sure, but 4 oz of cooked chicken breast on the scale looks different to me than 1/2 cup of chicken breast. Maybe it's not, but I think it's more accurate if I weigh it.

Somewhere buried I have a scale I bought from WW years ago. But recently I picked up a very simple one at the grocery store for about $5-7, when I couldn't find the first.

[M2G 1,836]

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/search/search.jsp?view=grid&_dyncharset=UTF-8&Keyword=food%20scale&pagSortOpt=Price-0&pagNum=1

I don't see it listed here but years ago I bought The Biggest Loser digital scale from BB and Beyond and you know they always have the 20% coupon...made it around $15 I think. I

I use my scale daily. Not to make myself crazy but as a tool to help me KNOW what I'm eating.

I'm not a fan of how MFP allows you to put your intake in. I use caloriecount.about.com and they have a ton of choices of HOW you can measure your food. For instance say you type in "carrots" well you will find about 10 choices of ways to enter the AMOUNT. Each one followed by a measurement. Like it might say cup, chopped (128 grams) and then you could enter 1/4 into the adjusting window. Or you could say 1 small carrot, etc. It also has things, like for instance pretzel sticks. It might show the serving size as 48, but you can make it say 1 instead or 10 or 20 or whatever. I like the freedom that cc gives in regards to HOW you enter your food.< /p>

I understand what you are saying that you have already purchased so much, but the food scale is something I'm still using 3+ years later. Totally worth the investment, IMO.

[McButterpants 2,846]

I read on this forum where someone went to the Goodwill store and got on for $5.00 or check out ebay - I just looked and there's a bunch of nice looking scales for under $10 and free shipping.

As M2G states above - it's one of those things you will use for years. I personally cannot judge how much I'm eating by eyeballing - my eyes will underestimate how much I'm putting in my bowl.

[endless80 697]

I never measure food.

I can only get 3-4, maybe 5 bites in anyways. I ate half a taco yesterday and I was stuffed.

I don't need to measure anything but slider foods. If I have chips, I put them in a small bowl. I do my best to never eat out of the bag because I'll eat and eat. Same with ice cream. I do not eat out of the pint. I measure a couple of spoonfuls and put it in a bowl. So I do not overeat these bad foods. But everything else, my sleeve does the work for me.