Non tracking methods and behaviors that may help while tracking
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Great post. This is what works for many people long-term. All these strategies have been helpful to me.
Re willpower - I *could* expend mental energy making decisions about food four times a day, but I'd rather use that energy on other things. It really is easier to just go on autopilot once you figure out your ways. Not keeping high-cal, low-value food in the house makes willpower a non-issue for food, which is as it should be, in my opinion. I like food, but ultimately it's fuel for other things. Why set yourself up for failure or even just stress by keeping that stuff around?
Humans differ in terms of "willpower", but not that much. The issues still apply at some point. Especially when it comes to something as basic as food.0 -
Great post, thanks!0
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My reason for limiting access to high-cal, low-nutrient foods: decision fatigue, which studies have shown to impair judgment for additional decisions.
I make dozens of critical decisions daily in my professional life. I try to avoid having to make too many elsewhere. So I would rather decide once on my weekly shopping trip that I am not eating potato chips this week than having to decide at each meal or snack time whether or not to have chips.
Plus, when I get home from a really bad day at work, I'm not surrounded by opportunities to make bad decisions.0 -
PeachyPlum wrote: »My reason for limiting access to high-cal, low-nutrient foods: decision fatigue, which studies have shown to impair judgment for additional decisions.
I make dozens of critical decisions daily in my professional life. I try to avoid having to make too many elsewhere. So I would rather decide once on my weekly shopping trip that I am not eating potato chips this week than having to decide at each meal or snack time whether or not to have chips.
Plus, when I get home from a really bad day at work, I'm not surrounded by opportunities to make bad decisions.
Totally agree with this and this is why it can be beneficial to utilize environmental control even if you are using a food scale and tracking calories.0 -
A few things that have helped me...
Recognizing what time of the day that I seem to give in...usually that is around 4PM. What I am doing is moving my breakfast back so that I can move lunch to around 2PM. Hopefully avoiding that late afternoon craving.
The other thing that has helped is using smaller plates...I can't pile too much on that way. Another is I found some inexpensive small divided storage containers. One compartment will hold approximately a serving of meat and the other holds about two servings of vegetables.
I also have a serving spoon that holds about 50g of most vegetables so it is easy to estimate about how much is on my plate.
I still figure the calories and serving sizes in my recipes so that I have an idea about how much I am eating.
I have been doing this for about 2 weeks and lost 2lbs during that time.0 -
Amazing post! MY personal experience is that i from day one knew that i did not want to spend logging the rest of my life, actually in my first 3 month i did not log one single day ever, why? Because i wanted to properly learn to eat without developing any kind of dependecy with the logging part, i went tru trial and errol but i learned so much! And built habits for life, i lost 30 lbs in those 3 months and then by curiosity and very irregular i now log.
I see this here too commonly, some people that have being using mfp for years but dont know how to function without the app, you sit them in a table of food and still strugle with how to behave,
I dont know, of course each to their own, everyone should do what works for them but i find it very useful at the long term to excersice some of the things of your post.
Kary.0 -
Great tips, thanks for sharing!
I read this book "The Power of Habit" by Charles Duhigg and was really fascinated by it. One of the focuses was how it's important to form good habits so you don't have to rely on making all these tiny subconscious decisions throughout the day. It's remarkable how many decisions our brains make every day without us realizing! He mentioned how he had put on a few pounds, and he realized that he was getting up from his desk in the afternoon every day, wandering into the cafeteria to chat with co-workers, and invariably got a big cookie while he was there. So he made a list of all the possible reasons he ended up eating a cookie, and one by one testing out ways to deal with each possibility until something worked. Also discussed corporate culture (eg group think), weird consequences of brain injuries, etc.
I digress! But long story short, my worst food decisions always seem to be after a tough day at work, when I'm mentally exhausted. So out of sight, out of mind does usually work for me. And if I do still dig something out of the back of the freezer, I take one serving and put it back, so I won't absently decide to eat the whole damm thing (which used to happen often).
And to second one other tip, focusing on getting more protein & produce into my diet, and not sweating the other stuff too much, is probably one of the best things I did to get on track.0 -
Very good post, that i'll be bookmarking!
This one really summed me up:
Limit (significantly in my opinion) calories that come in liquid form. To be clear, these are not inherently bad, but they can add up in a hurry and seldom contribute significantly to satiety.
I used to drink so much orange juice and thought i "was being healthy".
Clocked up 500 cals per day drinking that stuff.
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DeguelloTex wrote: »
I chose once, when I plan my day. I don't have to choose each time. Maybe that's the difference.DeguelloTex wrote: »
It's definitely worth paying attention to and, again, it would probably work better for some people. But I can leave the Peeps and jellybeans and snickerdoodles and chocolate ice cream right where they because they aren't part of what I've planned to eat... unless, of course, they are. Then again, I also don't stress about stock prices because short term fluctuations aren't important me. Maybe I'm just a special snowflake when it comes to not being distracted from goals.DeguelloTex wrote: »I think it's mostly reasonable.
The only thing I'd question is basically the hiding of hyper-palatable food. I'm sure it would work for some people but, in my view, the world's full of temptations and being prepared to deal with them is more effective than hoping not to be tempted. Plus, I live in a house with a couple of active kids who can still get way with eating just about anything and arranging the food in that way just wouldn't be feasible here. But, again, such an arrangement would probably work better than willpower for some people.
I understand your questioning and it's normal to question it. I'd have to dig for the papers but there's research supporting the environmental impacts (Wansink I believe) and there's additional survey data showing that most people don't think it applies to them.
I think it's profound. Most people think it applies to others and not them.
I think it is the single most underestimated aspect to dieting and that everyone should pay attention to it.
My belief is that the willpower argument I made earlier still applies.
It's not whether or not you can leave the jelly beans, it's that you're required to choose whether or not to leave them when you see them, and this choice is an act of willpower and willpower is finite.
This of course assumes that you enjoy jelly beans. If it was a plate of cat turds this wouldn't apply.
I normally do feel that way, but sometimes? I open the pantry, and there are the Snickers bars. I have to chose again. Sometimes, I chose to jiggle things in my day to fit one in. Sometimes, the choice is ... "well, there's always tomorrow." Other times, they don't even register. It depends on what my state of mind is at the time. And that's with putting the food away.
I have some extra perspective on having hyperpalatable food out and about. It's out in my house.
HOWEVER. It's food I CAN'T have because I have celiac disease. I don't know how much of eliminating gluten due to that comes down to willpower vs. you do what you must because you must. The mindset involved in that makes exercising willpower a bit easier for me, though, since I apply similar strategies.
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Definitely. I said, multiple times, that the hiding/avoiding environment might be better for some people. I just said it wasn't necessarily a universal thing. Plenty of people are able to cope with exposure to hyper-palatable food with overindulging or even indulging. Plenty aren't.DeguelloTex wrote: »
It's definitely worth paying attention to and, again, it would probably work better for some people. But I can leave the Peeps and jellybeans and snickerdoodles and chocolate ice cream right where they because they aren't part of what I've planned to eat... unless, of course, they are. Then again, I also don't stress about stock prices because short term fluctuations aren't important me. Maybe I'm just a special snowflake when it comes to not being distracted from goals.DeguelloTex wrote: »I think it's mostly reasonable.
The only thing I'd question is basically the hiding of hyper-palatable food. I'm sure it would work for some people but, in my view, the world's full of temptations and being prepared to deal with them is more effective than hoping not to be tempted. Plus, I live in a house with a couple of active kids who can still get way with eating just about anything and arranging the food in that way just wouldn't be feasible here. But, again, such an arrangement would probably work better than willpower for some people.
I understand your questioning and it's normal to question it. I'd have to dig for the papers but there's research supporting the environmental impacts (Wansink I believe) and there's additional survey data showing that most people don't think it applies to them.
I think it's profound. Most people think it applies to others and not them.
I think it is the single most underestimated aspect to dieting and that everyone should pay attention to it.
Don't you think however some of it depends on why you overeat?
I don't necessarily over eat because of appetite but instead it is because of boredom...habit...emotional. I can do fine for weeks...one serving and then done. Then all of a sudden one day that one serving turns in to 2...the 3...then the whole box/bag. For me it is just better not to have it in the house.
If it works better for you, by all means do it. That doesn't mean everyone needs to do so. It strikes me as very similar to the situation in which people cut out sugar or carbs in general or whatever and then start posting as if that is the way to lose weight. It isn't. And hiding/avoiding food isn't the way to deal with temptation. It is a way.
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Well, yeah, sometimes there's the leftover peach pie on the counter or the strawberry preserves next to the Greek yogurt in the fridge or just that wafer thin bit of chocolate ice cream left in the carton after I measure out my serving. And then I have to choose again.mamapeach910 wrote: »DeguelloTex wrote: »
I chose once, when I plan my day. I don't have to choose each time. Maybe that's the difference.DeguelloTex wrote: »
It's definitely worth paying attention to and, again, it would probably work better for some people. But I can leave the Peeps and jellybeans and snickerdoodles and chocolate ice cream right where they because they aren't part of what I've planned to eat... unless, of course, they are. Then again, I also don't stress about stock prices because short term fluctuations aren't important me. Maybe I'm just a special snowflake when it comes to not being distracted from goals.DeguelloTex wrote: »I think it's mostly reasonable.
The only thing I'd question is basically the hiding of hyper-palatable food. I'm sure it would work for some people but, in my view, the world's full of temptations and being prepared to deal with them is more effective than hoping not to be tempted. Plus, I live in a house with a couple of active kids who can still get way with eating just about anything and arranging the food in that way just wouldn't be feasible here. But, again, such an arrangement would probably work better than willpower for some people.
I understand your questioning and it's normal to question it. I'd have to dig for the papers but there's research supporting the environmental impacts (Wansink I believe) and there's additional survey data showing that most people don't think it applies to them.
I think it's profound. Most people think it applies to others and not them.
I think it is the single most underestimated aspect to dieting and that everyone should pay attention to it.
My belief is that the willpower argument I made earlier still applies.
It's not whether or not you can leave the jelly beans, it's that you're required to choose whether or not to leave them when you see them, and this choice is an act of willpower and willpower is finite.
This of course assumes that you enjoy jelly beans. If it was a plate of cat turds this wouldn't apply.
I normally do feel that way, but sometimes? I open the pantry, and there are the Snickers bars. I have to chose again. Sometimes, I chose to jiggle things in my day to fit one in. Sometimes, the choice is ... "well, there's always tomorrow." Other times, they don't even register. It depends on what my state of mind is at the time. And that's with putting the food away.
I have some extra perspective on having hyperpalatable food out and about. It's out in my house.
HOWEVER. It's food I CAN'T have because I have celiac disease. I don't know how much of eliminating gluten due to that comes down to willpower vs. you do what you must because you must. The mindset involved in that makes exercising willpower a bit easier for me, though, since I apply similar strategies.
Even so, the whole concept of "willpower is finite" strikes me as a too cute way of dismissing the issue. OK, let's say it's finite. The world's full of things that are finite, but still sufficient. My car holds a finite amount of fuel. That doesn't mean it doesn't have enough to do what I need to do. Bill Gates has a finite amount of money. He probably gets by OK. That willpower is finite doesn't necessarily imply, let alone dictate, that there isn't enough to get you through the day.
In the little over a year in which I have been losing weight and counting calories I cannot think of a single time -- literally, honestly not one single time -- when I ever said, "Screw calories, screw my plan, I'm eating this stuff." Whenever I've eaten over my normal deficit -- at maintenance over the holidays or when I stuff my face with Tex-Mex or when I have that banana split -- it was a choice not to have a deficit or to cut back for a couple of days before to make enough calories available.
I'm not claiming that that's how everyone has to do it. I'm just claiming that not everyone needs to hide the potato chips (crisps?), either.
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I agree with most of it, but let's be honest, I'm here because it's not easy for me to do all that. That's why I log, that's why I will probably never be as thin as I'd like either, but I've mostly made my peace with that.0
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DeguelloTex wrote: »
Well, yeah, sometimes there's the leftover peach pie on the counter or the strawberry preserves next to the Greek yogurt in the fridge or just that wafer thin bit of chocolate ice cream left in the carton after I measure out my serving. And then I have to choose again.mamapeach910 wrote: »DeguelloTex wrote: »
I chose once, when I plan my day. I don't have to choose each time. Maybe that's the difference.DeguelloTex wrote: »
It's definitely worth paying attention to and, again, it would probably work better for some people. But I can leave the Peeps and jellybeans and snickerdoodles and chocolate ice cream right where they because they aren't part of what I've planned to eat... unless, of course, they are. Then again, I also don't stress about stock prices because short term fluctuations aren't important me. Maybe I'm just a special snowflake when it comes to not being distracted from goals.DeguelloTex wrote: »I think it's mostly reasonable.
The only thing I'd question is basically the hiding of hyper-palatable food. I'm sure it would work for some people but, in my view, the world's full of temptations and being prepared to deal with them is more effective than hoping not to be tempted. Plus, I live in a house with a couple of active kids who can still get way with eating just about anything and arranging the food in that way just wouldn't be feasible here. But, again, such an arrangement would probably work better than willpower for some people.
I understand your questioning and it's normal to question it. I'd have to dig for the papers but there's research supporting the environmental impacts (Wansink I believe) and there's additional survey data showing that most people don't think it applies to them.
I think it's profound. Most people think it applies to others and not them.
I think it is the single most underestimated aspect to dieting and that everyone should pay attention to it.
My belief is that the willpower argument I made earlier still applies.
It's not whether or not you can leave the jelly beans, it's that you're required to choose whether or not to leave them when you see them, and this choice is an act of willpower and willpower is finite.
This of course assumes that you enjoy jelly beans. If it was a plate of cat turds this wouldn't apply.
I normally do feel that way, but sometimes? I open the pantry, and there are the Snickers bars. I have to chose again. Sometimes, I chose to jiggle things in my day to fit one in. Sometimes, the choice is ... "well, there's always tomorrow." Other times, they don't even register. It depends on what my state of mind is at the time. And that's with putting the food away.
I have some extra perspective on having hyperpalatable food out and about. It's out in my house.
HOWEVER. It's food I CAN'T have because I have celiac disease. I don't know how much of eliminating gluten due to that comes down to willpower vs. you do what you must because you must. The mindset involved in that makes exercising willpower a bit easier for me, though, since I apply similar strategies.
Even so, the whole concept of "willpower is finite" strikes me as a too cute way of dismissing the issue. OK, let's say it's finite. The world's full of things that are finite, but still sufficient. My car holds a finite amount of fuel. That doesn't mean it doesn't have enough to do what I need to do. Bill Gates has a finite amount of money. He probably gets by OK. That willpower is finite doesn't necessarily imply, let alone dictate, that there isn't enough to get you through the day.
In the little over a year in which I have been losing weight and counting calories I cannot think of a single time -- literally, honestly not one single time -- when I ever said, "Screw calories, screw my plan, I'm eating this stuff." Whenever I've eaten over my normal deficit -- at maintenance over the holidays or when I stuff my face with Tex-Mex or when I have that banana split -- it was a choice not to have a deficit or to cut back for a couple of days before to make enough calories available.
I'm not claiming that that's how everyone has to do it. I'm just claiming that not everyone needs to hide the potato chips (crisps?), either.
What I bolded is key for me. I think this is a matter of how people are wired. It's clear to me that you (and I'm this way too, because dieting is now easy for me thanks to realizing this) are satisfied with your intake because you can apply the logic of ... this is what my body NEEDS (in terms of caloric intake). And that logic of need vs. want will always trump any whim that comes along.
Do I need to employ strategies to put this into practice? Yes. But I've been logic-driven my whole life.
Still, many people are not like this. Impulse is a strong thing for a lot of people, especially when it comes when you're tired, bored, stressed. Something as simple as removing the food from sight so the impulse can't strike you is probably a good tool for those types of people. Different strokes and all that.
Me? I just don't like clutter. I have one spot where food's out and that's just because the pantry is overflowing. It drives me batty.
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Agreed.0
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Great post. Bumped and bookmarked.0
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Nice write up SS.
The article, not really a fan of the it. Yes I agree calorie counting isn't for everyone and some people shouldn't do it but the article is trying to paint it as something that is so much more negative than it really is.
Definitely agree with you. I think PN generally paints calorie counting negatively and I don't think that's fair or accurate. But, I do think the portion size estimation method they promote is solid. I really just wanted to link the article for that and that only.0 -
Bumping this, because we could use a well balanced, awesome thread this morning.0
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I agree Sabine...so I will bump it again.
Maybe there has been a study done...IDK...of people that lost weight and kept it off and the method they used...Calorie counting vs an alternative method.0
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