# Food and nutrition tracking



## GotGarlic (Sep 28, 2016)

I just noticed that PrincessFiona60's sig line is a link to the USDA's SuperTracker, a food, nutrition and activity tracking tool: https://www.supertracker.usda.gov/

(I usually access DC on my phone and sigs don't show up there.) Very cool! I'm taking Master Food Volunteer training through Cooperative Extension and our first homework assignment was to track our food intake for three days. The reports are pretty cool and I found it motivated me to eat more fruit and nuts.

Does anyone else use a system like this? I used to use FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal but got out of the habit.


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## Addie (Sep 28, 2016)

My living and eating habits are so erratic that I may eat at three in the morning due to being up all night. Or I may wake up at 10 a.m. and have my first meal at 2 p.m. Something like this system would never work for me.


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## GotGarlic (Sep 28, 2016)

Addie said:


> My living and eating habits are so erratic that I may eat at three in the morning due to being up all night. Or I may wake up at 10 a.m. and have my first meal at 2 p.m. Something like this system would never work for me.



It doesn't matter when you eat; it keeps track of what you eat. You can put everything in one meal category if you want and it will keep track of how many calories you ate, nutrients you ingested, items in the different food groups you got, etc. 

When you create an account, it asks for your height, weight and gender and determines your calorie needs from those characteristics, as well as any goals you have like gaining or losing weight. Then you can get a report of how much of the different food groups you got in a 24-hour period, and where you might be eating too much or not enough, whether you're meeting your need for specific nutrients and so on.


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## Merlot (Jun 24, 2017)

GotGarlic said:


> I just noticed that PrincessFiona60's sig line is a link to the USDA's SuperTracker, a food, nutrition and activity tracking tool: https://www.supertracker.usda.gov/
> 
> (I usually access DC on my phone and sigs don't show up there.) Very cool! I'm taking Master Food Volunteer training through Cooperative Extension and our first homework assignment was to track our food intake for three days. The reports are pretty cool and I found it motivated me to eat more fruit and nuts.
> 
> Does anyone else use a system like this? I used to use FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal but got out of the habit.


 
I'm actually taking my final today/tomorrow at UC in nutrition (I missed my final, had my gallbladder removed Monday!) and that was the tool we used as well.  I had to analyze someone else's intake 3 days and then my own.  I found it to be a wealth of information!  While I thought that I eat a healthy diet, I was shocked at the amount of sodium I was consuming just by eating plain tuna!  I started buying the low sodium tuna.  I also learned the vitamins I was lacking and was able to see the recommendations they suggested.  I got up this morning and added sautéed kale, tomatoes, mushrooms to a scrambled egg just to increase my intake of veggies.


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## Addie (Jun 24, 2017)

Merlot said:


> I'm actually taking my final today/tomorrow at UC in nutrition (I missed my final, had my gallbladder removed Monday!) and that was the tool we used as well.  I had to analyze someone else's intake 3 days and then my own.  I found it to be a wealth of information!  While I thought that I eat a healthy diet, I was shocked at the amount of sodium I was consuming just by eating plain tuna!  I started buying the low sodium tuna.  I also learned the vitamins I was lacking and was able to see the recommendations they suggested.  I got up this morning and added sautéed kale, tomatoes, mushrooms to a scrambled egg just to increase my intake of veggies.



This morning I had a scrambled egg and added some Vidalia sautéed onion, fried potatoes and topped with a slice of tomato. One of my favorite egg dishes. I often will eat a bowl of broccoli simply because it is one of my favorite veggies. I think I would rather have a meal of just veggies over any other meal. And no meat. 

Since I bought a set of child size dishes, I find I am willing to eat more often. Not a lot at one sitting, just more often. I find eating sometimes to be very difficult. And when you put food on a large dinner plate, I feel so overwhelmed.


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## skilletlicker (Jun 24, 2017)

GotGarlic said:


> I just noticed that PrincessFiona60's sig line is a link to the USDA's SuperTracker, a food, nutrition and activity tracking tool: https://www.supertracker.usda.gov/
> ...
> Does anyone else use a system like this?
> ...
> ...


I've used the one at MyFitnessPal.com. It does all of above with a pretty good food database and you can enter your exercise and it will try to subtract calories burned from calories consumed. There is also a large social ingredient with lots of members trying to encourage each other. During the times I have faithfully logged food and exercise I did lose weight and improved fitness. If you eat like I do though; everything is homemade; lots of ingredients; without recipes; keeping track is pretty time-consuming. In fact, it takes longer to log it correctly than it does to cook, eat, and clean up afterward.


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## GotGarlic (Jun 24, 2017)

Merlot said:


> I'm actually taking my final today/tomorrow at UC in nutrition (I missed my final, had my gallbladder removed Monday!) and that was the tool we used as well.  I had to analyze someone else's intake 3 days and then my own.  I found it to be a wealth of information!  While I thought that I eat a healthy diet, I was shocked at the amount of sodium I was consuming just by eating plain tuna!  I started buying the low sodium tuna.  I also learned the vitamins I was lacking and was able to see the recommendations they suggested.  I got up this morning and added sautéed kale, tomatoes, mushrooms to a scrambled egg just to increase my intake of veggies.


Sorry about the surgery, but congratulations on getting your degree! And it's interesting to hear your assessment of the food analysis tool. I found it very helpful, too.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jun 24, 2017)

Hi GG, I am glad you found the site helpful.  

Addie, the site does not care when you eat, keep track of what you did eat and enter it all at one fell swoop.

Merlot, sorry about the surgery, I hope you are healing well.  Congratulations on your degree.

Skilletlicker, ultimately all sites similar are there as tools to help you be aware of what you eat.  If another site works for you, wonderful.

I think if I had to do it again, I would have become a dietician, love the nutrition end of things.


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## Merlot (Jun 24, 2017)

Addie said:


> This morning I had a scrambled egg and added some Vidalia sautéed onion, fried potatoes and topped with a slice of tomato. One of my favorite egg dishes. I often will eat a bowl of broccoli simply because it is one of my favorite veggies. I think I would rather have a meal of just veggies over any other meal. And no meat.
> 
> Since I bought a set of child size dishes, I find I am willing to eat more often. Not a lot at one sitting, just more often. I find eating sometimes to be very difficult. And when you put food on a large dinner plate, I feel so overwhelmed.


 
That sounds good Addie!


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## Merlot (Jun 24, 2017)

GG and PF, I'm sorry to report, I do not have a degree in nutrition, it was just one of the many classes I'm in!  (but thank you for the well wishes!)  I think I'm a professional college student.  I love to learn and I know it just keeps on benefitting me!  I'm still in occupational therapy but haven't reached my masters yet and I moved up (again) to do management even though I swore I wouldn't again!!


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