Why accurate logging works for me

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desweds
desweds Posts: 126 Member
in Motivation and Support
Why I'm convinced that accurate, daily logging is key to my success thus far.

1) Logging keeps my diet in the front of my mind. As a fatty, if I stop thinking about what I'm eating I fall off the wagon hard.

2) Logging makes me think about my next meal. If I'm near the end of my calories for the day and it's only 2PM, I'm going to work hard to try to stay under - or at least minimize the damage if I go over.

3) Logging keeps me from lying to myself. I was one of those folks who said "I only eat 1200 calories a day!" and "Some days I eat nothing!". I was lying to myself. Logging tells the truth.

4) When I catch myself trying to lie to MFP I know I'm in denial. We do not lie to MFP. It is the ultimate truth. Again, I won't lie to MFP.

5) When I REALLY blow my diet (a whole pizza and a massive cookie), accurate logging is critical. MFP is a place to reflect on my transgressions. I click back to that day and consider my action.

6) I log EVERYTHING: the tablespoon of olive oil I used to cook my fish. The salt I added. I even add things that "Are so low in calories they don't count" such as mustard, pickles, lettuce, etc. They add up.

7) I round up. I refuse to doggedly search for the lowest calorie count for my food. I ignore the "too good to be true" entries.

8) I added a category called "booze". After two and a half months it shocked me. I'm no longer drinking.

9) My food diary is public. It gives me a sense of peer pressure that works for me.

10) If there are people in my life who are sabotaging me, I include their opinions in my logging. I will stare at a menu and mention calorie counts. I will pound/cajole/hug them into right thinking. I will recruit them as allies.

There is so much more here but if I don't post this now I never will.

Replies

  • red_90
    red_90 Posts: 28 Member
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    Great post - I need to get more accurate in my logging, especially at weekends.
  • 1pjah7
    1pjah7 Posts: 24 Member
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    Great post! I agree.....I force myself to log everything even though some entries make me cringe. But I figure I'm working on changing eating habits that took me 50+ years to develop, and try not to beat myself up on the days I went over my calorie allowance. On "bad" days, I like to look back and see if something I ate earlier in the day led to the overeating at night.

    I also find that logging every day makes me much more aware of what I'm eating, and if a particular food isn't worth the calories I can pass it up more easily. That eliminates a lot of mindless eating.

    Still not brave enough to make my food diary public though.

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