Weighing and logging.....forever??

quinngetsshredded

Honestly I stopped– I got to my goal weight, I no longer needed to track it, and I felt like I had gotten a fairly good idea for what a "normal" portion size looked like.

Now I've gone back up over the past couple of years (as a result of eating more junk food, starting university, and not exercising), so I'm using this as a way to reset my eating and exercise habits to healthier ones.

I'll likely stop tracking again when I get back in the groove of things.

ItsyBitsy246

I weighed food and logged daily for six months. I'm still in deficit mode, but experimented with not logging or weighing for the past two weeks and continued losing weight. So... I'm not going to return to it unless I feel like it or need to (weight loss slows, need a portion size refresher course, or macro tracking).

This will be a longer-term experiment, because my goal after reaching maintenance is to not log. I was a always within a normal weight range until I hit my early forties, then gained weight slowly in the years after that. So, the six months of logging was very educational on how I need to eat for my current lifestyle. I weigh myself often; that and how my clothing fits should be enough of an early warning system to stave off weight gain once I reach maintenance. I hope!

ericatoday

I did this for 1 year once i hit maintenance i loggeed most days for a few weeks but now i rarely ever log a full day and its been weeks im actually a half lb under my goal weight. I onow what foods are good for me and what arent so i know if i have pancakes and sausage for breakfast not to eat pizza for dinner. If i have fruit and yogurt for breakfast i know i can get fries with my burger during dinner.

Heres a great rule. Eat good food that you enjoy but is healthy 90% of the time everyone wants those 10% dont deprive yourself. Only eat when youre hungry not when youre bored or sad. And only eat until youre full not stuffed. Try using a salad plate for meals no a full dinner plate. I do this everyday and ive kept my weight off just fine.

LB551

Few years back I never logged, but then again I was very discipline. I was a runner and ate everything, but in moderation. Never went to the gym and was in the best shape of my life. I enjoy logging. It keeps me in check.Once I become comfortable with the foods that I eat. I will probably stop logging.

quimbytimmons

I'll probably log my food and exercise forever, or as long as possible. I have overcome a terrible food addiction and I'm pre-diabetic so I need to see my macros and micros quickly. I don't mind it at all and even enjoy logging as it keeps me honest and nutrition oriented.

Christine_72

It boggles my mind that I managed to maintain a healthy weight for the first 40 years of my life without worrying about gaining an ounce , and now i have to count every single calorie to maintain my weight

jscott457

I prefer jogging to logging

Keladelphia

1.5 years after reaching maintenance I still log probably 90% of the time. I'm not super accurate unless i'm bulking/cutting and I only tend to weigh things like meat and dairy where a being a little off can make a significant difference. I also don't stress it if I feel like taking a break from logging for a bit; I think I have the whole intuitive eating thing down but it still scares me sometimes. Like many others I have lost and gained weight before and am determined to make it forever this time so if it turns out that logging forever will be the tool I need to maintain this forever than so be it.

wrharvill

I'll likely log for a long time. I get something out of the routine and the security of knowing how much I'm eating. I may relax it some, but I really doubt it. It feeds my OCD in a glorious way

lorrpb

I have not logged for 2+years and I've been losing the entire time. I now have reached my maintenance range, with just a couple more pounds to reach the low end of it. I'v been successful at this because I am a consistent eater. I have a "template" in my head for what I eat for each meal and snack and portion sizes. I set my maintenance range such that my frequent fluctuations are within my range. That is why I still want to lose a couple of pounds, because my low weight is within the range but my fluctuations can go above. Once I achieve that final loss, if I get above my range, I will track again until I get back where I want to be. My meal template is something like this:
Breakfast:
Eggs (poached, scrambled, omelet, or other form with mushrooms, cheese, veggies, etc.) & fresh fruit
OR
Oatmeal & yogurt

Lunch:
Rotisserie chicken, deli chicken or turkey wrap, tuna salad, Lean Cuisine entrée, OR leftovers. Sandwiches are made with low carb wrap or sandwich thin or one slice of bread.
Fresh veggies (carrots, cucumbers, broccoli, celery, etc.)
Fruit

Dinner:
Grilled protein (chicken, ground turkey or hamburger, pork chop, fish), often marinated in olive oil & flavored vinegar or lemon/lime juice with herbs (Foreman grill)
OR Pasta/zoodles with protein like ground turkey in sauce
OR Soup (homemade or semi-homemade)
Veggie (fresh, “steamed” in a covered dish with a splash of EVOO, flavored vinegar, herbs; or frozen steamed in basket over water)
Green salad with EVOO & flavored vinegar (mushrooms, nuts, snap peas, tomatoes, cheese, seeds, etc.)

Snacks:
Berries & yogurt
Apple, orange , banana, etc.
Protein shake with banana &/or berries
Rice cake or English muffin (half) & PB
Nuts & dried fruit
Protein bar
Hummus & veggies or a FEW crackers like Triscuits
86% dark chocolate (1 square)

Dessert: Rarely at home, usually split when eating out.
Eating out: Follow the same meal plan as much as possible, often eating only half and bringing the rest home for another meal or two. Limit bread to one piece or none. Pasta: eat the protein and a little pasta, but NOT a huge bowlful. Pizza, 2 slices, lots of leftover!

hrush1889

For those on here who are maintaining currently and also logging daily, do you go by what MFP sets for you to maintain your weight as far as calories? Do you find its a pretty good estimate of what to eat? Just curious as I am almost to my goal and going to start maintaining soon

RAinWA

hrush1889 wrote: »

For those on here who are maintaining currently and also logging daily, do you go by what MFP sets for you to maintain your weight as far as calories? Do you find its a pretty good estimate of what to eat? Just curious as I am almost to my goal and going to start maintaining soon

I have my fitbit synced to MFP and I've found that the calories are pretty dead on. MFP has my sedentary calories to maintain at 1440 (I'm short and old!) but my fitbit adds another350-500 a day. So yes, MFP tells me (with Fitbit adjustments) that I can eat between 1800-1900 to maintain and it works great.

elisa123gal

I find logging food a stress for me. Being in the losing phase - I am not logging, weighing, or measuring food. I've done that for years on here and have gone up and down 15 pounds the entire time.

I ultimately decided, I want to eat intuitively so when I reach my goal my eating habits are effortless. It is working for me and I could't be more happy.

Obviously other people are not bothered by weighing, measuring food and prefer to log. You need to do what works for your personality and results. My suggestion is if you don't like logging start right now to trust yourself to eat the way you need for your goals. You do have the knowledge and you can do it if you simply make the decision to do so..

kgirlhart

RAinWA wrote: »

hrush1889 wrote: »

For those on here who are maintaining currently and also logging daily, do you go by what MFP sets for you to maintain your weight as far as calories? Do you find its a pretty good estimate of what to eat? Just curious as I am almost to my goal and going to start maintaining soon

I have my fitbit synced to MFP and I've found that the calories are pretty dead on. MFP has my sedentary calories to maintain at 1440 (I'm short and old!) but my fitbit adds another350-500 a day. So yes, MFP tells me (with Fitbit adjustments) that I can eat between 1800-1900 to maintain and it works great.

This is true for me too. Mfp gives me 1550 and my fitbit adjustment is usually 300-500. I usually eat about 1900-2000 and have been maintaining since the end of July.

I still log and I think I will continue for the foreseeable future. It really is a habit for me now and I don't find it tedious.

IremiaRe

juliebowman4 wrote: »

Jonesingmucho wrote: »

I have the sneaking suspicion it isn't my inability to gauge portions at the heart of my weight struggles, but more likely my reveling in gluttony and debauchery in general. For that reason, weighing and logging is my penance, and probably going to need to be part of my life forever.

".....reveling in gluttony and debauchery in gerneral..."

Oh boy. I laughed ....and at the same time nodded and whispered 'me too''

OMG - this!

jdhcm2006

I do not find logging to be annoying or a pain, so yes, I plan to log forever. I do not want to gain any weight back. I made it to maintenance once I was very close to maintenance a second time, and gained everything back both times b/c I stopped logging.

I'm back in maintenance mode, and I'm dedicated to continuing logging b/c I know that for me no logging means gaining.

Logging is no more time consuming for me than brushing my teeth or checking facebook or sending a text.

Gamliela

I kept in the healthy weight range all my life until I got to be in my early 50's. Having lost weight once snce then and then gained it back, I have no problem accepting that I with tracking my calories I can stay at my healthy weight. I don't know what changed since my younger days, but I don't question it, I accept that something changed.
I just accept I will log calories from here on out.
I didn't meticulously weigh food while I lost weight this year, so I haven't been now in maintnenace, but I measure and read the packages and I'm getting really good at estimating serving size.
I guess the proof for me I need to continue to track calories has been that logging the calories makes me more responsible for what I eat every day and I like that. So I figure that since it works I'm not going to monkey around with any thing else.

kenyainez

If you have the disposition to do so or you don't see it as a chore, then sure why not? I don't think you would "have" to or "need" to per se, but if you don't see it as an inconvenience, then you could foresee yourself doing it forever. I plan to do it for a while; while I"m on my deficit, when I maintain, and when I bulk. Then again, I like to create recipes so I like knowing the serving sizes to my ingredients.

srecupid

I don't want to log forever but I honestly don't know how to maintain otherwise. I will just eat indiscriminately. Heck I've been logging every day and have been slipping up lately. I think i will religiously log breakfast and lunch and slack a little during dinner which I don't prepare myself. At least for the time being. One day I want to stop but unless I can find a way to jot eat out on anxiety or boredom it's all that is keeping me in check right now. Maybe I'll buy pants that fit absolutely perfect and get rid of the rest

karl317

If you're spending more than two minutes total time per day logging your food, then you need to embrace the technology a little more I think. I log religiously and it takes me so little time, I don't know why anyone *wouldn't* do it. What exactly is hard about a simple accounting of what you eat with a smartphone you're already carrying?

dn0pes

juliebowman4 wrote: »

Once you reach maintenance, how many still weigh and log everything?
I'm hopeful that my end result will be a much better ability to eyeball portion sizes and calories as well as having a strong desire and personal accountability to keep moving forward, not backwards.

Besides.....the thought of weighing/measuring and logging my food forever, makes me a little sad.

Absolutely nothing is forever..,.. Just today.

uwannasaysomething

Julie, what I do is take measuring cups and mark my Tupperware accordingly. So I know exactly where 1 cup, 1/2 cup, 1/4 cup is on any leftover or anything I make and store. You do it once and you have the it!