Too onerous to log a custom food

[NancyLLOak]

I have started and stopped logging food in the fitbit app several times because it's so incredibly onerous to log custom food.

I started again, deciding that I probably just hadn't figured out how to do it correctly, but no: I talked with support and they confirmed that for a custom food you HAVE TO KNOW ALL THE NUTRIENT FACTS ALREADY. WHY, FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE, is there not a way to log the INGREDIENTS of a custom food and then fitbit will figure out on the back end the calories, carbs, fat, protein, etc.? That's the way noom does it and I think my fitness pal too. This is is a GIGANTIC barrier to food logging.

Developers: please, please, please make it so that we can add recipe ingredients and fitbit will figure out the rest!!!!

[ManuFitbit]

A warm welcome to the forums @NancyLLOak.

Thank you for taking the time to share all this information and the idea regarding food. I imagine how important and relevant this feature would be for you.

I'd suggest you post this idea in the Product Feedback board of the Community, since this section is regularly monitored by the team of developers. Please make sure to post your idea including as many details as possible. 

[llamalluv]

My workaround for this is to enter each ingredient for a new recipe. Yes, it's a huge PITA for a very complicated recipe, in which case, I go off of a recipe builder like MFP.

I really miss the USDA SuperTracker. It would calculate everything down to the niacin and zinc.

[NancyLLOak]

Thanks for the idea! I didn't think of using MFP and then transferring
the info in.

Still, I can't believe that the developers don't set it up the way MFP has
it.

[midmod]

Just wanted to say that I am also frustrated with this. What would be genius is having the ability to "build" the meal recipes using the phone app. If you could start a meal and just scan the code for each ingredient and have the app add it all up... would be amazing. Does MFP do something similar?

[NancyLLOak]

Yes! MFP and Noom *both *do this. It can't be that hard to program it in.

Also, it seems really dumb to me that the list of frequently eaten foods
isn't in alpha order.

Logging food in general is a hassle and takes way too long.

---

Hi Fitbit Moderator! 

Apologies - thanks for the nice note - I didn't see it until now! When I called Fitbit support they told me to go here to share feedback, rather than telling me about the product feedback board. I didn't know that existed. Excellent - will do - thanks so much!

[Pluvo]

Yes!  MFP does (or at least, used to) let you copy a website address and it would find and log all the food in the recipe; it is such a time-saver!  TBH, when I have to log a custom recipe, I end up only logging the main stuff I am tracking, like I'm not going to add spices or any other super low-calorie item to save time.  It makes my calorie tracking slightly inaccurate, but it's better than struggling through logging every tiny ingredient.

[NeeNee61]

You can enter your food in My Fitness Pal and then have it sinc with your Fitbit. That’s what I do. 

[LisaAMK]

Hello @NancyLLOak 

I agree logging food is a hassle.  😒 I have been logging for about 4 years now.  For what it is worth to you, I use Cronometer - https://cronometer.com/

I am a diehard fan of both Fitbit and Cronometer together.  They can be synced together.

I have a bad habit of being an all or nothing type of gal, but Cronometer has made logging easy in the grand scheme of things.  There is a lot you can do make things quicker and much less tedious.

This link - https://cronometer.com/blog/my-fitness-pal-to-cronometer/ - takes you to a quick read.  It is a summary with visuals on their database, creating recipes/custom foods/barcode scanner, etc.  There is a free version.  And there is a paid version (Gold $39.99 USD/year). 

All the best!
Cheers