What to do when you miss a day of journaling (hint: it’s no big deal)

It’s Monday. You are motivated, refreshed and ready to connect All. On Thursday, you’ll have it figured out: your morning latte, the handful of pretzels from your colleague’s desk, and even that quick bite between meetings. Then the weekend arrives. Suddenly you’re juggling kids’ games, workouts, races, and a million other things. Before you know it, it’s 9 p.m. and you realize you barely registered anything and, honestly, don’t remember half of what you ate.

Sound familiar? You are certainly not alone. As a busy mother of two, I’ve been there more times than I can count. It happens to almost everyone who consumes food as part of their health journey. It’s normal, it’s human, and it doesn’t erase the progress you’ve already made. Missing a day (or a few) of journaling isn’t a failure, it’s just part of real life.

The good news? Getting back on track is usually easier than it seems. Experts point out that goal-directed behaviors, like tracking your diet to promote weight loss, are not the same as automatic habits, like brushing your teeth (1). This means there is built-in flexibility and room to adapt when life gets busy (1).

Ahead, we’re sharing simple, realistic strategies to help you get back into logging and make it more feasible…even on your busiest days.

Getting Back to Journaling After a Missed Day

Whether you missed a day or took a break during your vacation, we see you. And we’re here to help you get back on track with 4 simple strategies. Bookmark this page for the motivation (and friendly pick-me-up) you need when you’re ready to get it back.

1. Don’t give up

Have you ever come back from a day of sun, cocktails and good food and been tempted to throw in the towel when it comes to logging? This all-or-nothing mindset can set in quickly. You know this one: “I missed a day(s)…I’ll just do it again next month.” (2). Science shows that this is one of many cognitive distortions—negative thoughts that attempt to disrupt our realities (2).

Let’s be clear: you deserve the rest and relaxation that this day off has given you! So what you had a few extra drinks or appetizers, you might not have if you hooked up. It’s OK. This is life, and life is meant to be enjoyed. One (or a few) missed participations does not cancel out the efforts and progress you have made in recent months.

Recognize the thoughts that come to your mind for what they are, thoughts, and own the real you (2). Logging your food is a practice you engage in to achieve your personal goals, and let that motivation empower you to start again today (not next Monday).

2. Remember why you are logging in

Your Why matters, and it’s worth returning to, especially when that all-or-nothing mindset starts to take hold. Maybe you’re logging your diet to support your overall health, reach your weight loss goals, build muscle, stay hydrated, or keep your digestion on track (yes, we see you fiber fans). Either way, it’s valid, important and exactly what brings you back to apps like MyFitnessPal to track your consumption.

Habits take time, usually around two months, to truly become established, so don’t lose sight of your why (3). Every effort you put in, even on tough or failed days, creates momentum toward results that are truly worth it.

3. Estimate and add what you remember

Here’s the beauty of food logging…it’s not a test you’ll be graded on. It’s completely within your control and you don’t need to measure precisely (no one is watching you) to do this. This means that it is often better to estimate how much you ate from that bowl of oatmeal recorded in your food diary rather than not recording it. Recording estimates versus exact servings can be helpful in spotting trends and identifying what’s helping (or hindering) your progress toward your personal health goals.

The benefit of using an app like MyFitnessPal is that you can go back a day and insert these estimates. This can be very helpful for someone who has become involved in logging and is trying to achieve a personal goal. In this situation, an estimated data point is often better than no data point. Additionally, when journaling has become a habit, it may be easier for your internal cue, routine, and reward system to reactivate if you go back and enter a rough estimate of missed meals (4).

4. Skip it and start fresh with your next meal

Here’s your pass to entry: You don’t have to go back and log in that missed day if it’s stressing you out. Remember, keeping a food diary helps you achieve your goals. If you missed the whole day after lunch, it’s no big deal. Starting to log in again during your next meal will restart this habit loop (4). Wake up and start your day by saving your morning latte and these delicious (and nutritious) Avocado and Egg Breakfast Tacos.

Tips for Making Journaling Easy and Consistent

Journaling shouldn’t be another chore on your to-do list. MyFitnessPal Registered Dietitian Emily Sullivan shares, “Tracking your diet is a great tool to help you achieve your health goals. But it shouldn’t feel like a full-time job. Use the resources and tools available to make it easier to fit into your lifestyle, not another stressor.” Keep these tips in mind as you start logging your food again.

• Log in when it’s fresh in your mind.

Have you finished your dinner and are about to start washing the dishes? Hold up the phone (literally) and enter your meal real quick. Doing this quickly in the moment will prevent life from happening later. Alternatively, you can also pre-save foods if you are planning your meals for the week.

• Use the shortcuts that work for you.

Apps are available to take the daily grind out of the grind, meaning new features are constantly being added to help you log your food quickly and efficiently. If you’re new to MyFitnessPal, or haven’t been to it in a while, features like quick entries, saved meals, recipes, barcode scanning, meal analysisAnd voice recording the options are useful.

• Create meals and use them for busy days.

Did you just finish a salad from your favorite takeout at work lunch? Go for it ! Now tap on that logged meal and make logging work for you.

• Change your mindset.

Adopting the “best, not perfect” mentality is essential when it comes to tracking food intake long-term. This allows for flexibility when situations beyond your control may prevent you from logging your meals as you usually would.

Conclusion

Missed a day of journaling? Welcome to the club, you are definitely not alone! It happens to everyone, and the good news is that you can get back to it tomorrow. If you want, you can even enter what you remember from the day you missed, but without the pressure.

Food logging is a learning tool, not a test of willpower. To make it easier, try using a saved meal in your app to take the guesswork out of it and get back on track quickly. Remember: progress, not perfection, is what wins in the long run. Let the MyFitnessPal team help you! Open MyFitnessPal and get started today.

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