Logging for life?

scolaris

I don't think any of us can really know yet... I came into this willing to log for 100 weeks. I divide my efforts into 10 week segments & I'm planning to complete 10 of them in order to see where this lifestyle might take me. I don't look beyond that at this point.
Sometimes I read the maintenance threads for tips & inspiration, and it looks like there are a variety of approaches.
I don't think anyone knows if they will or they won't need the structure of logging longterm, although we ALL need it when we begin! Good luck to you, Xo

vaguelyvegan

I don't know what I'll be doing for the rest of my life. That could end up being decades or days, and either way it's too vague a timeline to contemplate. What I do know is that logging is a habit now, and an easy one at that, and with such a low threshold for error in my caloric range it makes sense to keep close track of what I'm eating. Logging gives me confidence in my choices and lets me enjoy the treats I've allowed for without having to worry that I've overeaten. At the moment, I can't think of a good reason to stop.

jgaffney86

I lost 80 pounds 12 years ago now and I have still managed to keep most of it off. What resulted from that was a lifestyle change. That change was logging what I ate, eating healthy foods, checking portions, excersice, and making healthy recipes that tasted great! Loosing weight and maintaining requires to you keep these changes.

My best advice is when you screw up...just keep going. I have had countless days where I didnt track, i ate too much, ect...ect. Thats okay. There is always the next. Keep the good habits that got you to weight loss going for the rest of your life

helpatalkingmuffin

The last time I got to maintenance and stopped logging, I promptly gained about ten pounds (and over the next few years, I regained everything that I'd lost, plus more). I wouldn't say that I plan to log daily forever, but I know what happens when I don't log. When I get to maintenance this time, I'll probably log Monday-Friday and have occasional week-long breaks every few months. I'm just not good at intuitive eating, and I know it from experience, so if I have to log semi-regularly to maintain my weight, I will.

trojan_bb

Eventually you can use it as a tool to get back on track, or experiment with a new approach, or just increase results from time to time. Been "logging" for 7 years, but usually 2-4 months a year in total. After a month of logging I can generally keep the same routine for another month without logging before I stray off track.

rankinsect

I think some of it is getting a system in place where logging is really easy. With all my saved meals and the like, I can usually log the whole next day in a minute, and the only things I log day of are the extra snack calories I had left over. It's easy enough that it can be a part of my daily routine, like showering or brushing my teeth. It's very unobtrusive and simple.

avskk

I'm going to have to log at maintenance. In 2013 I lost nearly 70 pounds and decided to "maintain" for a while. Two years later, well, here I am -- all the weight regained plus some bonus pounds. It's not my body's fault. It's mine, for falling back into bad habits. I have to accept that I will most likely never "naturally" eat at maintenance. It will always take work.