At what point does it end - or doesn't it?
katiejanecollins
Posts: 236 Member
Some people may stay on MFP forever, and that's totally fine, but I don't really want to do that as I feel I could become obsessed with calorie counting like I have done previously. I'm 1lb off my goal weight (which realistically I don't think I'll get to - so I'm going to try and maintain it now instead), and after two years of calorie counting I'm pretty familiar with what food items I regularly consist of calorie/fat/carb wise, but is there a particular mind set I should get myself into so I can lay off the counting but remain at this weight.
Anyone know what I mean/do that themselves?
Anyone know what I mean/do that themselves?
0
Replies
-
If I were going to stop logging I would approach it as a set of rules for myself. For me they might look something like:
3 meals and one snack only
Have some protein with every meal
5 servings of fruit/veg per day
Only one serving of sweets per day
Stick to one starch per day (rice or potatoes or pasta but not all three)
Continue to lift 4 days per week
These would vary from person to person and of course none of them are strictly necessary, but the intention would be to control calories without actually having to count them.
I would also continue to weigh in regularly and would avoid the mindset of being "done." Personally I think it would be more challenging to maintain without counting but definitely doable. It's something I've been considering lately so I've given it a bit of thought.0 -
ILiftHeavyAcrylics wrote: »If I were going to stop logging I would approach it as a set of rules for myself. For me they might look something like:
3 meals and one snack only
Have some protein with every meal
5 servings of fruit/veg per day
Only one serving of sweets per day
Stick to one starch per day (rice or potatoes or pasta but not all three)
Continue to lift 4 days per week
These would vary from person to person and of course none of them are strictly necessary, but the intention would be to control calories without actually having to count them.
I would also continue to weigh in regularly and would avoid the mindset of being "done." Personally I think it would be more challenging to maintain without counting but definitely doable. It's something I've been considering lately so I've given it a bit of thought.
Thanks for that. Yeah I'm a bit worried that I'll give up if I stop logging. I think I'm going to stay on here until I'm EXACTLY where I want to be with my body. At that point, it would take a lot of bad eating to undo the hard work and there's no way I have any intention of going back to that habit again - I kind of hate the thought of it now!0 -
I've been here for 4 years. Different phases of life though. 1 year of weight loss. 2 years of maintenance. Another year of bulking and cutting cycles. During my phase of just maintenance I didn't always log my food. Just to check in sometimes. What and how much I eat has mostly become habit. I'm logging now because I'm fine tuning at the end of a bulk and heading into a cut soon. I need to create new habits again. You can absolutely do this without logging if you have created new habits that have stuck.0
-
If you weigh yourself every week/2weeks/month you should be able to see when you start gaining and make adjustments. That is where I went wrong three years ago.0
-
Just be sure to weigh regularly (weekly, bi weekly, what ever works for you) and either go back to logging or make adjustments if you find you have the need. I stopped logging everyday some time ago but continue to log some days and I weigh myself every Friday morning. I still track exercise regularly as the calories expended vary greatly based on the level of exertion (and I have some nifty tracking devices so it is easy). Good luck!0
-
For me, I'll keep logging. I have got to the point where I'm 'done' too many times over the years including when I first signed up to MFP (got to 133 left it for 6 months and weighed back in at 172). My ability to estimate calories is, sadly, lacking.
I've enjoyed bulking and cutting recently and find owning my weight gain much preferable to it creeping up on me, this is the way to go, for me, for the foreseeable future.
0 -
I've tried to live that dream. I'd say keep weighing yourself and be totally realistic about how slippery that munchy mind is.
The day you go out of your comfort zone come back to log again, you may really miss it. I take the odd couple of months off and I feel my body composition start to go backwards from being either under or over more frequently.
I wish I could do this instinctively but I cant. That's not too bad a problem to have, with such a fun and reassuring solution.
Plus there's some really hot guys here.
No, really, I'm here for the education.
And cat gifs.0 -
It won't end for me. I know myself, and logging will have to be in my life always.
I know some people can do it, just not me. The statistics say that the majority of people will gain all the weight back, some will gain even more than they lost back. I want to be in the small majority that never gains it back, and for me that means logging. Just the way it is, and will have to be, for me.0 -
I like logging and the data it provides. I have it down now to where I can pretty much pre log my day in five minutes. Plus, i have some awesome peeps on my friends list who provide awesome information and feedback about lifting and intake ….
MFP 4 life!0 -
I usually stick with these logging sites for 3 weeks ... then continue to lose weight on my own for several more weeks. Last time I did that was in 2011 and I lost 13 lbs in 13 weeks which put me back into the normal BMI weight range again.
The time before was in 2008. I logged my diet for 3 weeks, then continued on my own and lost about 9 lbs in 5 weeks ... I wasn't overweight then, just slimming up a bit for my wedding.
I've stuck with this site for about 4 weeks now, which is longer than usual. I do find this site easier to use than others I've tried, so that helps. It also has an extensive database of food, so that also helps. Therefore this time, I'm kind of loosely aiming for mid-June. But we'll see.0 -
Thanks everyone. I'll probably end up coming back now and then for certain meals if I ever do back away from MFP - I'll definitely keep weighing now and then too.0
-
How you approach MFP depends on your goals, really.
I stopped weekly weigh-ins in October when I started a slow bulk cycle and I've gone up about 13lbs - which is exactly where I wanted to be as I changed goal from "lose weight" to "get strong".
I still find myself vastly underestimating the food I eat when I don't weigh or measure it, and I need to get better at that if I want to leave MFP in the dust.0 -
I will be starting maintenance in the next week or so. I'm planning to continue logging for a while until I get a firm understanding of what my maintenance calories look like in actual food. Then I'm going to rely on the scale - give myself a weight buffer, maybe 5lbs and if I go above that buffer, I'll start counting again until I can get back on track.0
-
I would like to just comment on eating out. I think if I didn't have the app I would definitely check websites for nutrition info if you don't already. I always think eating a salad at a restaurant is a good idea and then I find out they are just as bad as some entrees. Just common sense stuff, really, but its easy to slip up when you think you're eating healthy food.0
-
Calorie counting is a great tool, but for me I knew it was a temporary one. I tracked when I was losing then bulking to get those numbers exact and reach my goal. Now that I am eating at maintenance, I check in a few days a week or the odd meal, but overall, I follow my hunger cues and have little goals to meet daily in terms of my eating and meals. But of course, if I start to slip I may track again, it all depends on how you are and your goals.0
-
For the most part you'll want to track your weight in some fashion to determine whether or not you are succeeding. You MAY need to establish or identify a set of habits that allows your calorie intake to remain within a reasonable range for maintenance.ILiftHeavyAcrylics wrote: »If I were going to stop logging I would approach it as a set of rules for myself. For me they might look something like:
3 meals and one snack only
Have some protein with every meal
5 servings of fruit/veg per day
Only one serving of sweets per day
Stick to one starch per day (rice or potatoes or pasta but not all three)
Continue to lift 4 days per week
These would vary from person to person and of course none of them are strictly necessary, but the intention would be to control calories without actually having to count them.
I would also continue to weigh in regularly and would avoid the mindset of being "done." Personally I think it would be more challenging to maintain without counting but definitely doable. It's something I've been considering lately so I've given it a bit of thought.
^ And this would be a good start/good example of some of those habits that MAY be necessary for you.0 -
I like logging and the data it provides. I have it down now to where I can pretty much pre log my day in five minutes. Plus, i have some awesome peeps on my friends list who provide awesome information and feedback about lifting and intake ….
MFP 4 life!
samesies. and added to that- I struggle with binge eating. I find being transparent about my food choices vital to my continued success. ie- when my food becomes a secret, its bad news for me.0 -
I like logging and the data it provides. I have it down now to where I can pretty much pre log my day in five minutes. Plus, i have some awesome peeps on my friends list who provide awesome information and feedback about lifting and intake ….
MFP 4 life!
This is pretty much me too. I don't find logging a burden, and having all the things I measure (weight, exercise calories, weights I accomplish at the gym, calories of recipes) all in one place together with a great group of friends, just makes it convenient for me.
0 -
Years ago before I knew about MFP I embarked on the journey. I counted and logged calories and exercise. After a year & half I quit counting and just went on about my business. I maintained for several months, then the creep started.... I quickly got back to logging and discovered I was close calorie wise but not consistent every day nor was I exercising religiously (normal summertime activities replaced the strict regimen. Back on track again after a few weeks, I quit logging again. Over the years with the fall and winter months came the exercise routine, once spring & summer came along it was the normal home owner physical activities replacing the exercise. Over the years age (yep, blaming my age for the difficulty of getting it back off) became a factor and the creeping weight came back. I found MFP a few years ago and began my journey and had great success. Maintained for a couple of years then the creeping began again... Here I am again. Started back up logging again and seeing results. At the start of the year, my employer's health program now rewards me for tracking in MFP which is another incentive. To summarize after several months of counting, measuring and logging, you get a good idea of portion size for later on.... just my 2 cents worth...0
-
If you always do what you always did....you will always get what you always got.0
-
I've been in maintenance for a little over 3 months now. I don't log every day, but I do log some days. I weigh myself every day (it's what works for me) to keep a general eye on what's happening. I'm now in the process of dropping a few more pounds to achieve a good "racing weight" (I'm a runner, trying to do so competitively!).
Personally, I don't trust myself. At least, not yet anyways. I've been yo-yoing and gaining off and on for years, and I feel for the indefinite future, I do need the structure. What brings balance for me is not logging every day, but maybe 2-3 days a week. Maybe you could strike a balance like that somehow? Keeping an eye on what you're doing, but not as much as you are now? And then set some guidelines for yourself (e.g., if the scale goes up 5/10 pounds, I will go back to daily logging and eating at a deficit).
HTH0 -
I'd love to not log but I feel I still need to, even after 3 years and 1 of those years being at maintenance.. I just don't trust myself
For me its just too easy to eat over my calories and I am just not going back to being the fat friend/sister ever again!
Weekly weigh ins for me have to be a must as its all too easy to ignore gains, I have gained a few pounds recently at maintenance yet in my head I feel my body looks the same and my clothes aren't fitting any different - but the scale doesn't lie.0 -
I reached my goal weight just about 3 years ago (March 25th!) and I'm still at that weight. I have been on and off with logging during maintenance, although I come back when I start to feel myself slip. I hardly focus at all on calories anymore and kind of switch the focus to fuelling properly for workouts/training and eat when hungry, stop when not. Also, it's kind of impossible to not keep an estimated mental tally of cals through the day, you know? I still cook a lot of the same things I made when I was losing so the actual content of my diet hasn't changed much. It took me a while to figure out how I was going to maintain though. You have the right mindset which really is the most important part!0
-
I see no reason to stop logging. Maintenance does not mean we are "finished". It means we are still restricting calories to whatever number it is .... Forever..... To maintain the weight you are. Why would it be a good time to
Stop? I think it's the best time to continue. It is too easy to feel " I have arrived ".... ( new clothes, new size, new you).... And to believe it's "over". Studies say great majority people gain weight back .... I would imagine it's during maintenance that begins. I think calorie counting is forever. I like knowing how many calories I can have .... Takes anxiety away for me0 -
I like logging and the data it provides. I have it down now to where I can pretty much pre log my day in five minutes. Plus, i have some awesome peeps on my friends list who provide awesome information and feedback about lifting and intake ….
MFP 4 life!
Yep. This. I've been maintaining for almost 6 months now.0 -
I'm planning to log forever, but like a lot of other folks, I enjoy it!0
-
Logging makes me less obsessive and usually makes me eat MORE, not less. I had good habits before I lost weight, and just ate a little too much as my metabolism slowed down. So it wasn't hard for me to lose. I don't have big food or body issues. That's certainly true for anyone. That said . . .
When I log, I know I'm on track and don't have to think about it. Now, if I don't log, I tend to be cautious about what I'm eating and often find I undereat. Usually logging tells me I've got enough calories left to eat naturally and follow my appetite. And I like logging - I find it interesting intellectually.
If you don't log, weigh yourself frequently and adjust.
Personally I think obsessiveness is just a personality trait. You're going to do it or not, it doesn't matter whether you log or weigh or do something else.0 -
Obsessive or not...I will always log. I became obese by being in denial over the amount I was eating, this keeps me aware. Sometimes it's okay to have a crutch if it got you over the finished line then it anchors you there.0
-
This is an excellent question. I've been the same weight */- 5 lbs for ages. Years really. I go through phases of cutting to be seriously lean. Or times, sadly, when I skip working out for 2 months. Luckily, I've got a good foundation on basic clean eating. I know people here bash clean eating because well, if it's not clean... It must be DIRTY! But seriously, if I go through a lazy spell (usually in the winter) and I don't workout... I can't be eating donuts and cake and such. But when I come out of hibernation and life starts blooming around and I'm out and about and I KNOW I'm about to sport a bikini, sh** gets real and I focus.
Not going to sugar coat my lifestyle... I drink fairly regularly. From a glass of wine a few nights a week to 2 nights of social gatherings that are 6-8 hours of chatting and drinking. That's A LOT of calories. And that is truly, the only reason I use MFP. To see how many of my calories are blown up in smoke by drinking them. Eh. Not exactly the model of health but it's life. I enjoy my nights out. I LOVE my time with friends playing games and cutting up. And 99 % of the time that includes alcohol. So I account for it. And I pay the piper some days.
Some people are on a journey to lose weight. I'm on a maintence basis. I love my life. I love my body. I answer to no one. Except my jeans. They tell me if I've done wrong.0 -
katiejanecollins wrote: »Some people may stay on MFP forever, and that's totally fine, but I don't really want to do that as I feel I could become obsessed with calorie counting like I have done previously. I'm 1lb off my goal weight (which realistically I don't think I'll get to - so I'm going to try and maintain it now instead), and after two years of calorie counting I'm pretty familiar with what food items I regularly consist of calorie/fat/carb wise, but is there a particular mind set I should get myself into so I can lay off the counting but remain at this weight.
Anyone know what I mean/do that themselves?
I'm going to take the opposite side of most people in this thread, and I'll begin by saying that everyone is different. Some people intend on logging forever, but I didn't want to be that person that was entering food in my phone during meals for the rest of my life. People have been staying skinny for hundreds of years without logging or worrying about calories, and I wanted to do it too.
As someone weaning off of logging after logging for two years straight, the hardest part I've learned is listening to your body. For the past two years, I've been so concerned with calorie counts/timing/hitting macros that I've forgotten what it feels like to be hungry, what it feels like to be comfortably full, and what it feels like to enjoy food honestly. I've actually found that I've been eating less now since I stopped logging several weeks ago. My biggest suggestion would be picking up the book "Intuitive Eating." There's lots of awesome tips and tricks in there to help you maintain your weight without the stress/worry that the numbers will bring you.
Also the feeling of nurturing your body when it's hungry and taking care of it instead of fighting it constantly by tracking is kind of nice.
Also, another big piece of advice is don't be scared! You'll see on the scale and on your body if you go too far in one direction or the other. You're not going to go back to your original weight by letting go of logging with all the new skills and attitudes you've learned.
I wish you success if you choose to stop logging, and enjoy the freedom that it brings
0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.6K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.3K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.5K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 431 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.6K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.8K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions