Non tracking methods and behaviors that may help while tracking
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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 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »SS: I disagree! You ARE good at writing this stuff. Best thread of 2015. THIS should be a sticky.
I agree! I don't plan on tracking forever, so I find the tips really helpful, especially how to slowly transition from logging to non logging.0 -
Very interesting! I hate tracking, mostly because I find it mentally exhausting to constantly be not only calculating calories, but worrying about how many I have left. I like the idea of thinking about eliminating/greatly reducing energy dense, hyper-palatable food as a way to manage calories.0
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Moving this up.0
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Moving this up. Ack, double posted from phone, sorry!0
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For me, I find hiding the hyper-palatable foods to be the best option.
On weekends when we are at the family camp, we are surrounded by delicious treats that are easily assessable. I find I do well at avoiding the foods at the beginning of my weekend but by the end, I have eaten way over my calories. I have used up all my willpower and have given in.
I have tried different 'tricks' such as logging the items before eating them as a deterrent or avoiding these items all together but that only works so long. Not too sure what I should do this summer and how to avoid going over my calorie allotment for the weekend. Right now, I feel confident that I can avoid all these foods but that's because we have not been there at all this year lol.
At home, all my trigger foods are hidden and I only have them if I have enough calories left in the day. It's a treat I look forward too. I wonder if I have more issues at the camp because it's different foods that I do not have access to at home? At home it's always the same treat (ice cream).
Any suggestions would be welcomed.0 -
For me, I find hiding the hyper-palatable foods to be the best option.
On weekends when we are at the family camp, we are surrounded by delicious treats that are easily assessable. I find I do well at avoiding the foods at the beginning of my weekend but by the end, I have eaten way over my calories. I have used up all my willpower and have given in.
I have tried different 'tricks' such as logging the items before eating them as a deterrent or avoiding these items all together but that only works so long. Not too sure what I should do this summer and how to avoid going over my calorie allotment for the weekend. Right now, I feel confident that I can avoid all these foods but that's because we have not been there at all this year lol.
At home, all my trigger foods are hidden and I only have them if I have enough calories left in the day. It's a treat I look forward too. I wonder if I have more issues at the camp because it's different foods that I do not have access to at home? At home it's always the same treat (ice cream).
Any suggestions would be welcomed.
Maybe try increasing your calories to maintenance for the weekend. That would give you a little more room to enjoy your weekend. Chances are that when you are camping you are more active...hiking...playing...etc.
I like eating a little more on weekends too...grabbing something from a restaurant...pizza. What I am trying to work with now is to have a couple of days during the week that I eat low. It is not quite the 5:2 method because I am not sure that I could eat only 500 calories but it is about 500 calories below my normal intake. This is allowing me to eat higher on the weekends. It takes a little planning on those low days making sure that I have plenty of vegetables and lean meats cooked.
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Great post, and as someone who doesn't keep a diary I can say that I pretty much practice all of the above. Over the last couple of years, I have maintained, done a bulk cycle, and currently cutting putting pretty much all of that into practice and not keeping a diary.
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For me, I find hiding the hyper-palatable foods to be the best option.
On weekends when we are at the family camp, we are surrounded by delicious treats that are easily assessable. I find I do well at avoiding the foods at the beginning of my weekend but by the end, I have eaten way over my calories. I have used up all my willpower and have given in.
I have tried different 'tricks' such as logging the items before eating them as a deterrent or avoiding these items all together but that only works so long. Not too sure what I should do this summer and how to avoid going over my calorie allotment for the weekend. Right now, I feel confident that I can avoid all these foods but that's because we have not been there at all this year lol.
At home, all my trigger foods are hidden and I only have them if I have enough calories left in the day. It's a treat I look forward too. I wonder if I have more issues at the camp because it's different foods that I do not have access to at home? At home it's always the same treat (ice cream).
Any suggestions would be welcomed.
Yes, I definitely think variety makes it easier to overeat! I try to only keep one or two types of treats at home. If I had 10 different types, I'd want to eat them all on the same day!
Would it be possible to move the food at your camp? Somewhere less noticeable? You could tell others you're just tidying up.0 -
For me, I find hiding the hyper-palatable foods to be the best option.
On weekends when we are at the family camp, we are surrounded by delicious treats that are easily assessable. I find I do well at avoiding the foods at the beginning of my weekend but by the end, I have eaten way over my calories. I have used up all my willpower and have given in.
I have tried different 'tricks' such as logging the items before eating them as a deterrent or avoiding these items all together but that only works so long. Not too sure what I should do this summer and how to avoid going over my calorie allotment for the weekend. Right now, I feel confident that I can avoid all these foods but that's because we have not been there at all this year lol.
At home, all my trigger foods are hidden and I only have them if I have enough calories left in the day. It's a treat I look forward too. I wonder if I have more issues at the camp because it's different foods that I do not have access to at home? At home it's always the same treat (ice cream).
Any suggestions would be welcomed.
Maybe try increasing your calories to maintenance for the weekend. That would give you a little more room to enjoy your weekend. Chances are that when you are camping you are more active...hiking...playing...etc.
I like eating a little more on weekends too...grabbing something from a restaurant...pizza. What I am trying to work with now is to have a couple of days during the week that I eat low. It is not quite the 5:2 method because I am not sure that I could eat only 500 calories but it is about 500 calories below my normal intake. This is allowing me to eat higher on the weekends. It takes a little planning on those low days making sure that I have plenty of vegetables and lean meats cooked.
Thanks for the advice! That's a good idea and totally doable.
At this camp we are not really more active as it's a family camp with only water access, so you are kind of stuck there. We play a lot of card games and I find that's where my issues arise because its nothing for someone to grab a bag of chips and dip and leave them out while we are playing.
I have also thought about bringing my workout clothes and getting someone to drive me over to the road side so I can run on one of the days that we are there.
I think this year might be a little different because I have my daughter now who just turned one and is always on the go, so I will be chasing her around and not sitting and being tempted by food.0 -
For me, I find hiding the hyper-palatable foods to be the best option.
On weekends when we are at the family camp, we are surrounded by delicious treats that are easily assessable. I find I do well at avoiding the foods at the beginning of my weekend but by the end, I have eaten way over my calories. I have used up all my willpower and have given in.
I have tried different 'tricks' such as logging the items before eating them as a deterrent or avoiding these items all together but that only works so long. Not too sure what I should do this summer and how to avoid going over my calorie allotment for the weekend. Right now, I feel confident that I can avoid all these foods but that's because we have not been there at all this year lol.
At home, all my trigger foods are hidden and I only have them if I have enough calories left in the day. It's a treat I look forward too. I wonder if I have more issues at the camp because it's different foods that I do not have access to at home? At home it's always the same treat (ice cream).
Any suggestions would be welcomed.
Yes, I definitely think variety makes it easier to overeat! I try to only keep one or two types of treats at home. If I had 10 different types, I'd want to eat them all on the same day!
Would it be possible to move the food at your camp? Somewhere less noticeable? You could tell others you're just tidying up.
Yes, I am the same way! That's why we only have ice cream at home, its something both my husband and I love and we can use it in moderation.
I don't really think there is any place to move the treats, it's a small camp and there is only one section that we can put them in (which is out in the open constantly). Maybe I can put a blanket over them so I won't see them lol.0 -
I find I tend to lose control and overeat when I'm exhausted. If I don't get enough sleep, or have had a long hard day my willpower just caves. Great post by the by, a timely argument for me, as is the recomp post. I have 5 kilos I'd like to lose, but am stalled. Some people would be happy to be where I am (reading the threads) at 5'11" and 167lbs. Tracking my protein and fats on MFP has made a big difference, since I'm older and need those macros. I'm not sure I'd hit them without tracking. Thanks.
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@Susan One other suggestion - prepackage your snacks before leaving home. That way when others are eating you will have something to eat along with them.
Last year I went camping and I took foods that I knew the calorie count on. You can also use the methods that Sidesteel referenced in his post...hand sized portions.
I don't know if you exercise or not but there are some great ideas on the internet about using the great outdoors as your gym. Nature has a way of providing most everything that you need to do aerobic and especially some resistance training...pick up that log and go some presses! Burn off a few of those extra calories that you eat.0
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