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How to simplify food tracking

Weekly Technique

By Weight Watchers
Published 5 September 2022
How to simplify food tracking

One of the most effective tools for weight loss? Tracking what you eat. The best way to ensure you actually do it? Learn to track smarter, not harder.

Try This!

Use the WW app’s search tools Both the barcode scanner and the microphone (on your phone’s keyboard) save typing time.  Snap a pic of your meal Then track later. You can even save the photo by posting it on Connect.   Save go-to meals and recipes Tap the search bar, then Create to group foods or ingredients; next time, you’ll track only one thing.   Track similar restaurant dishes Can’t find your meal in the WW database? No need to try logging every ingredient.   Guesstimate Points® at events Instead of tracking a lot of foods, tap Quick Add to input the event name and total Points.  Pre-track a higher-Points meal When you have a special event coming up, log it, then plan your week around it. Try a shortcut, then take time to reflect: Did it save time and effort? If yes, cool—keep it up! Not really? Test-drive another.

Let’s dive a little deeper...

Ever find yourself struggling to log a chef’s every pinch and dash in the WW app? It’s understandable! Science says tracking is the single biggest predictor of weight loss, so, of course, you want to get it right. But science also tells us tracking regularly, not perfectly, is the secret.

It’s easy to get busy, bored, or distracted—and as humans, we’re less likely to stick with things that require a lot of effort, energy, and time. Like striving for a (nonexistent) Perfect Tracker gold star.

Remember, the point of tracking is awareness, not keeping score. That’s why it works and why consistency beats perfection. Shortcuts—like guesstimating Points, tracking a restaurant chain’s minestrone soup instead of your local spot’s, or relying on tools to streamline the tracking process—don’t make you any less aware of your eating habits, nor do they hinder progress. They make this journey easier and save time, which helps keep you on track to your goals.

Week three of our monthly theme, Time-Saving Solutions