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How I stay on TRACK... part 2..


Part two of why its so important to track! 



How I stay on TRACK!
@quinlivan

In my last post, I mentioned how I use an app on my phone to track what I am
eating when I am eating it. It is the only way I can stay on track. At work when I
am having breakfast, I track my porridge as I have my phone on me. When I grab
a coffee, I track it. When I grab a yogurt from the fridge or a Weight Watchers
snack bar from the press… I track it.

My method for tracking is using an App called My Score Plus on the iPhone. 



It’s available here: 

https://itunes.apple.com/ie/app/points-calculator-plus-tracker/
id409395695?mt=8 

and while it is a bit pricy at €3.59 but it is well worth it and here’s why:


•   Daily Tracker

•   Food Calculator for calculating the ProPoints in any food

•   Bonus Calculator for Exercise

•   A Favorites Food Log that allows you to create a list of your commonly
     tracked foods for quick one tap tracking!

•   It doesn’t require 3G/WiFi – so you can track anywhere

•   Supports Imperial (lbs), Metric (kg) and Stone units

•   Various user settings such as setting what day your week starts and
     whether you display your points as a badge over the App logo.


When I am in a supermarket looking at a product, I can work out the points there
and then before putting it in my basket. When I was doing Weight Watchers
before I was using the paper slider to work out the points in a product – you
would rarely check multiple types of the same product, take wraps for example,
they can range from 3 to 8 points - now you can make an informed choice while
you are standing at the supermarket shelf.

If I am going out for dinner, I can have a quick look at my Remaining Weekly
Balance to see if I can splash out and have dessert. This app really has changed
my Weight Watchers experience this time around – it’s the constant reminder
(like my bank balance) of how much I have spent already.

I checked online and don’t think there is an Android version of this app which is
disappointing for anyone with a Samsung Galaxy or HTC. Does anyone have any
good recommendations? If so, leave a comment on this post so others can see
what you are using to track.

Before I go into the My Score Plus app, I also just want to give a shout out to
other free tracking methods people have told me they find extremely useful. A
friend of mine opens a blank email first thing in the morning and writes in what
she has when at work. She emails it to herself as she shuts down the work PC
for the evening so she can accurately track on her Green Tracker when she gets
home.


Another friend of mine uses a slimline notebook she carries around in her bag
while two of my male friends have their green tracker in the inside pocket of
their jacket that they can use when they get a moment alone. The important
point to note here is: Of all my friends which have successfully lost & kept the
weight off, tracking is the one common thread in their success. Some friends
have taken up exercise while others are just dieting sans exercise.

Tracking is so important… but often the thing we forget to do! If you own an
iPhone, I would highly recommend getting this app.

The Tracker shows the points you have used, remaining, earned and your weekly
remaining balance across the top. You can simply track food you eat using the +
button in the top right hand corner.







The Favourites Tab allows you to save foods you use often. Using the Add Button,
you can add something you have pointed using the Calculator on the first tab.
The app sorts these alphabetically so you can quickly find that chocolate bar or
breakfast cereal you have often. The Database contains hundreds of pre pointed
foods, so if you don’t have the nutritional information to hand, this can be a
lifesaver.





Hope this helps you as much as it is helping me. (By the way, I didn’t make this

app, I don’t know who developed it nor am I making money by promoting it – I
just wanted to share it with you all).


8 comments

  1. I have one for Samsung Galaxy called "WWDiary" Seems to do most of the same things....There's no food database but once you enter something once then it's stored so you can quickly build up your own database. There is also no calculator but there us a separate app called "ProPoints Calculator" that does the job. Both are free and both sit side by side on my home page. Swear by them for tracking!!!
    Jojo

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  2. As above, use WWDiary on android, think it's excellent ( and also free!). There's an accompanying website www.canofsleep.com with blogs, forum etc but I don't use it.

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  3. I am an android user and mine is calledd WWPP Calculator, it used to be pants but was updated this month and looks the same as the one above now. It is also free which is a bonus :)you can upgrade it but I haven't bothered!

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  4. That app looks fab, as do some of the other ones. I'm still in dinosaur land when it comes to smartphones, so I bought a deadly little notebook and pen for tracking and the WW calculator at the meeting, I'd be lost without the calculator.

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  5. The ultimate food diary is amazing, great for tracking and you can even scan bar codes and it gives you propoints values...well worth it! On android also!

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  6. I use "Points Plus Calculator" for Android - it's brilliant. Food database, Points Calculator, Activity Tracker, Weight tracker etc etc. I did WW once before and found tracking a total pain in the a***, but with my phone app it's all under control! I checked the Points Calculator against the WW website and it seems to be v accurate.

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  7. My Fitness Pal is amazing! :)

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  8. I just purchased my score plus app on phone and so far it's great. When I look at a day that I have added food to buy when I look at weekly remaining that number is not going down when I use my points. Is the weekly remaining number suppose to go down?

    ReplyDelete

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