Non tracking methods and behaviors that may help while tracking

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  • dalila747
    dalila747 Posts: 153 Member
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    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.
  • vinerie
    vinerie Posts: 234 Member
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    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.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    Moving this up.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    edited June 2015
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    Moving this up. Ack, double posted from phone, sorry!
  • susanmc31
    susanmc31 Posts: 287 Member
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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.
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
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    susanmc31 wrote: »
    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.

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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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.

  • jaga13
    jaga13 Posts: 1,149 Member
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    susanmc31 wrote: »
    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.
  • susanmc31
    susanmc31 Posts: 287 Member
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    Annie_01 wrote: »
    susanmc31 wrote: »
    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.
  • susanmc31
    susanmc31 Posts: 287 Member
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    jaga13 wrote: »
    susanmc31 wrote: »
    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.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
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    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. B)
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
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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.

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