Maintaining but no logging what i eat at all
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Wynterbourne wrote: »@ferderickt911
I have been maintaining for over 6 years with not too strict or consistent logging or weighting. I don't log when on vacation unless I am cooking and the food items are already part of my food list (not too often), and I don't carry with me a food scale anywhere. I don't log restaurant food unless my choices are already in the database or if the restaurant has the nutritional information (I eat out two or three times a week). I don't log meals when eating at friend's house.
At the present time I am logging more because I am recuperating from knee replacement surgery and I can't exercise yet with the exception of rehabilitation exercises. So the reality is that I am logging because I am border line bored
. I weigh myself few times a week and I set an upper and lower weight range. My range is only 2 lbs because I am a very short and small person (I am also OLD), and I don't have too much room to wiggle. If I go over or under that range, I modify my "diet." After awhile we became more aware of portions size and of the nutritional information of our choices.
In my opinion it all depends on your relationship with food (do you or did you binge, are you a person that can't resist certain foods, are you an emotional eater, do you prefer to eat out or have fast food rather than cooking the meals yourself?), your motivation, goals and discipline. And I suppose that if you had a lot of weigh to lose, you may need to be more vigilant so you don't fall back into bad eating habits, if you had any.
Try and error and vigilance will do the trick. MFP is a very good tool that can became a crutch, if you allow it. Only you can decide what is best for you.
I don't binge, I didn't binge, I can resist certain foods, I'm not an emotional eater, I don't eat out but once or twice a month, haven't had fast food in decades, and prefer to cook. And there is still nothing wrong with me logging my foods. I see so many comments that seem (and I apologize if I'm misunderstanding) to indicate I'm some sort of failure if I can't 'move on' from logging or choose to continue to log. I'm gonna do what works for me. You do what works for you, but I'm not some sad, pathetic person in need of a crutch or having a bad relationship with food just because I continue to log. I repeat, it is a tool that no one should feel ashamed to use, indefinitely if they want. It is NOT a crutch.
@winterbourne: My comment was an answer to the OP's question and not directed to you or anybody else, so you have no right to comment in such a way. If you took it the wrong way, well maybe you have a chip on your shoulder. If logging is what you like to do, go for it and congratulations on your success and discipline.
I didn't say that logging is something to be ashamed of and I didn't call anybody pathetic; however, if I think that logging and weighting maybe a tool or a crutch, it is my opinion and I have the right to verbalize it or write about it. If you don't like it, well, tough.
The OP question has been asked several times already and people always give different answers. I am sure that you wouldn't agree with most of them. Some members expressed the need to log for ever because they don't trust their judgment in portion controls, some are afraid to go back to old eating habits, and others love the structure and relish seeing their calories in their dairy. All is good (except your posting and rant).5 -
Wynterbourne wrote: »@ferderickt911
I have been maintaining for over 6 years with not too strict or consistent logging or weighting. I don't log when on vacation unless I am cooking and the food items are already part of my food list (not too often), and I don't carry with me a food scale anywhere. I don't log restaurant food unless my choices are already in the database or if the restaurant has the nutritional information (I eat out two or three times a week). I don't log meals when eating at friend's house.
At the present time I am logging more because I am recuperating from knee replacement surgery and I can't exercise yet with the exception of rehabilitation exercises. So the reality is that I am logging because I am border line bored . I weigh myself few times a week and I set an upper and lower weight range. My range is only 2 lbs because I am a very short and small person (I am also OLD), and I don't have too much room to wiggle. If I go over or under that range, I modify my "diet." After awhile we became more aware of portions size and of the nutritional information of our choices.
In my opinion it all depends on your relationship with food (do you or did you binge, are you a person that can't resist certain foods, are you an emotional eater, do you prefer to eat out or have fast food rather than cooking the meals yourself?), your motivation, goals and discipline. And I suppose that if you had a lot of weigh to lose, you may need to be more vigilant so you don't fall back into bad eating habits, if you had any.
Try and error and vigilance will do the trick. MFP is a very good tool that can became a crutch, if you allow it. Only you can decide what is best for you.
I don't binge, I didn't binge, I can resist certain foods, I'm not an emotional eater, I don't eat out but once or twice a month, haven't had fast food in decades, and prefer to cook. And there is still nothing wrong with me logging my foods. I see so many comments that seem (and I apologize if I'm misunderstanding) to indicate I'm some sort of failure if I can't 'move on' from logging or choose to continue to log. I'm gonna do what works for me. You do what works for you, but I'm not some sad, pathetic person in need of a crutch or having a bad relationship with food just because I continue to log. I repeat, it is a tool that no one should feel ashamed to use, indefinitely if they want. It is NOT a crutch.
@winterbourne: My comment was an answer to the OP's question and not directed to you or anybody else, so you have no right to comment in such a way. If you took it the wrong way, well maybe you have a chip on your shoulder. If logging is what you like to do, go for it and congratulations on your success and discipline.
I didn't say that logging is something to be ashamed of and I didn't call anybody pathetic; however, if I think that logging and weighting maybe a tool or a crutch, it is my opinion and I have the right to verbalize it or write about it. If you don't like it, well, tough.
The OP question has been asked several times already and people always give different answers. I am sure that you wouldn't agree with most of them. Some members expressed the need to log for ever because they don't trust their judgment in portion controls, some are afraid to go back to old eating habits, and others love the structure and relish seeing their calories in their dairy. All is good (except your posting and rant).
Then please direct your attention to the six words I wrote before what you bolded instead of telling me what I have the right to say. A simple, "you misunderstood" would be more appropriate than telling me, "you have no right to comment in such away" or accusing me of having a chip on my shoulder. Did I or did I not write the words, "and I apologize if I'm misunderstanding"??
This is my last comment on the matter.2 -
If you can be honest with yourself, you have been logging enough to know portion sizes by sight, etc. then you should be fine. Just stay away from the mindset that if you didn't log it you didn't eat it! Ideally you have been learning proper portion control throughout this process so perhaps you are past needing to log.2
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Wynterbourne wrote: »@ferderickt911
I have been maintaining for over 6 years with not too strict or consistent logging or weighting. I don't log when on vacation unless I am cooking and the food items are already part of my food list (not too often), and I don't carry with me a food scale anywhere. I don't log restaurant food unless my choices are already in the database or if the restaurant has the nutritional information (I eat out two or three times a week). I don't log meals when eating at friend's house.
At the present time I am logging more because I am recuperating from knee replacement surgery and I can't exercise yet with the exception of rehabilitation exercises. So the reality is that I am logging because I am border line bored . I weigh myself few times a week and I set an upper and lower weight range. My range is only 2 lbs because I am a very short and small person (I am also OLD), and I don't have too much room to wiggle. If I go over or under that range, I modify my "diet." After awhile we became more aware of portions size and of the nutritional information of our choices.
In my opinion it all depends on your relationship with food (do you or did you binge, are you a person that can't resist certain foods, are you an emotional eater, do you prefer to eat out or have fast food rather than cooking the meals yourself?), your motivation, goals and discipline. And I suppose that if you had a lot of weigh to lose, you may need to be more vigilant so you don't fall back into bad eating habits, if you had any.
Try and error and vigilance will do the trick. MFP is a very good tool that can became a crutch, if you allow it. Only you can decide what is best for you.
I don't binge, I didn't binge, I can resist certain foods, I'm not an emotional eater, I don't eat out but once or twice a month, haven't had fast food in decades, and prefer to cook. And there is still nothing wrong with me logging my foods. I see so many comments that seem (and I apologize if I'm misunderstanding) to indicate I'm some sort of failure if I can't 'move on' from logging or choose to continue to log. I'm gonna do what works for me. You do what works for you, but I'm not some sad, pathetic person in need of a crutch or having a bad relationship with food just because I continue to log. I repeat, it is a tool that no one should feel ashamed to use, indefinitely if they want. It is NOT a crutch.
I think your taking it wrong. Like calorie counting, crutches are a tool to help people who need them. I think that's a big part of the comparison right there. For many people, this is a learning experience; logging your good and counting your calories teaches people about portion size and about food and energy budgeting.
As somebody who's been injured, there's nothing shameful about needing crutches. That's slightly offensive.2 -
I started logging in October because I saw my weight creeping up and I wanted to make sure I didn't gain weight during the holidays. Before that I had gone for over a year without logging and without gaining much weight. I'm getting lax about doing it again, so I'll probably just stop because I think lax logging will cause me to overeat. When I'm not logging I tend to think more in terms of whether I'm hungry or not rather than whether I have more calories left that I can eat. If I'm lax about logging then those calories may be deceptive.2
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There is offense about the "crutch" comment and I do not understand why. A crutch is something needed for support in order to keep from caving in and falling down. There is nothing derogatory about that. It is all a matter of perception. Someone else compared weighing/measuring and logging to using training wheels. Again, something used to help someone stay up instead of crashing or falling down. Nothing derogatory about that either. How any person chooses to receive a comment is entirely up to the individual. Perhaps some people feel bad about not trying to give it a shot with out logging and weighing etc.... Nothing wrong with that either. Some people may never feel comfortable not using that "crutch" or "training wheels". Some will venture out then venture back in. What ever helps helps someone stay where they need and want to be is great in my opinion. Some people feel like they can't trust themselves to stay on track, others feel they will just not be good at eyeballing a good portion size, others may just be a creature of habit and just want to keep weighing, measuring, and logging because they are in the habit and it has become a part of their daily routine. While others may be weighing, measuring and logging in order to keep up with a diet which has medical reasons and they need to watch carbs, fat, sodium etc.... No matter the reasons saying it is a crutch is not derogatory.4
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I guess it's personal choice. If you feel the need to log - do it. If not - don't.
For me, I always felt like the largest benefit from logging and redesigning a lifestyle to include a work out plan was part of the learning / discovery process with the ultimate goal of letting go of needing to log food or exercise.
The learning experience from the process gave me the confidence to do this without having to rely on logging. I did consider it a crutch for myself and once I got to maintenance I dropped logging food.
It did feel like taking the training wheels off at first. So far, so good.1 -
I think part of the problem with calling it a crutch or training wheels is that it seems to imply that if you are doing it right then you shouldn't need those things. Especially when they don't give any advice, they just state that it is a crutch. If they offer good advice and refer to it as a crutch I don't know that people would take it that they are saying they are weak. Personally I don't think that it is bad to rely on crutches if you need to. But no one should feel like somehow they haven't successfully managed to maintain because they still log daily. I'm still logging because I am still trying to figure out what my maintenance calories are. But I may always log because I like having the data and it is just such a part of my routine that I see no reason to stop. Maybe some would think I'm weak for relying on a crutch. But I don't care. I'll do what I want.4
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ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken wrote: »There is offense about the "crutch" comment and I do not understand why. A crutch is something needed for support in order to keep from caving in and falling down. There is nothing derogatory about that. It is all a matter of perception. Someone else compared weighing/measuring and logging to using training wheels. Again, something used to help someone stay up instead of crashing or falling down. Nothing derogatory about that either. How any person chooses to receive a comment is entirely up to the individual. Perhaps some people feel bad about not trying to give it a shot with out logging and weighing etc.... Nothing wrong with that either. Some people may never feel comfortable not using that "crutch" or "training wheels". Some will venture out then venture back in. What ever helps helps someone stay where they need and want to be is great in my opinion. Some people feel like they can't trust themselves to stay on track, others feel they will just not be good at eyeballing a good portion size, others may just be a creature of habit and just want to keep weighing, measuring, and logging because they are in the habit and it has become a part of their daily routine. While others may be weighing, measuring and logging in order to keep up with a diet which has medical reasons and they need to watch carbs, fat, sodium etc.... No matter the reasons saying it is a crutch is not derogatory.
To call something "a crutch" is typically a derogatory term. A non-derogatory term would be "an aid". Sure, there's not much difference in the actual meaning, but sometimes communication is improved if we stop to think about the history of how various phrases have been used.4 -
TimothyFish wrote: »ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken wrote: »There is offense about the "crutch" comment and I do not understand why. A crutch is something needed for support in order to keep from caving in and falling down. There is nothing derogatory about that. It is all a matter of perception. Someone else compared weighing/measuring and logging to using training wheels. Again, something used to help someone stay up instead of crashing or falling down. Nothing derogatory about that either. How any person chooses to receive a comment is entirely up to the individual. Perhaps some people feel bad about not trying to give it a shot with out logging and weighing etc.... Nothing wrong with that either. Some people may never feel comfortable not using that "crutch" or "training wheels". Some will venture out then venture back in. What ever helps helps someone stay where they need and want to be is great in my opinion. Some people feel like they can't trust themselves to stay on track, others feel they will just not be good at eyeballing a good portion size, others may just be a creature of habit and just want to keep weighing, measuring, and logging because they are in the habit and it has become a part of their daily routine. While others may be weighing, measuring and logging in order to keep up with a diet which has medical reasons and they need to watch carbs, fat, sodium etc.... No matter the reasons saying it is a crutch is not derogatory.
To call something "a crutch" is typically a derogatory term. A non-derogatory term would be "an aid". Sure, there's not much difference in the actual meaning, but sometimes communication is improved if we stop to think about the history of how various phrases have been used.
I don't agree completely but I do see what you are saying. I don't feel it was meant in a derogatory way here.0 -
sure you can, I have been doing that for a year, and still on the same weight0
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I don't log. But it took me about 2 years to learn how to eat intuitively and listen to my body cues when unhappy/full/bloated and to understand how much food I need for MY diet, and find other ways. simple example, i use a different (smaller) plate for my food when plating mine and my husbands meals. I will of course have a smaller portion this way. But after a while you become a human calorie calculator... i always have an approximate count for the day going in my head after so long logging, without meaning to! Works for me though, i'll only log to check stuff now, like a new meal i've made where i'm not sure on the fat content etc or if i want to focus on one nutritional goal then i'll use this for that. Hope this gives an insight!1
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I don't log. But it took me about 2 years to learn how to eat intuitively and listen to my body cues when unhappy/full/bloated and to understand how much food I need for MY diet, and find other ways. simple example, i use a different (smaller) plate for my food when plating mine and my husbands meals. I will of course have a smaller portion this way. But after a while you become a human calorie calculator... i always have an approximate count for the day going in my head after so long logging, without meaning to! Works for me though, i'll only log to check stuff now, like a new meal i've made where i'm not sure on the fat content etc or if i want to focus on one nutritional goal then i'll use this for that. Hope this gives an insight!
When I first saw people talking about using smaller plates my thought was, "there's no way that can work," but after I bought a set of 9" plates and tried it, I found that it really does help.0
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