General Chat

tinkerbellang83

chris_in_cal wrote: »

Does anyone here think that carefully logging all of your food here in MFP is good, but struggle to actually do it? Forgetting, and dismissing it, and stopping before building up a good routine?

Sometimes I think pessimistically, that it is a practice that is too unnatural, or too fussy, too obsessive, too 'many things.'

When I have carefully logged all of my food I was much more able to control and monitor what I ate, and I lost weight. Nearly all of the people that I interact with on MFP who are maintainers write something along these line of having a logging practice.

Looking at the pros vs. cons. The pros are a straight line towards a healthier weight, and the cons are all the stories I tell myself about what it means to be a person who carefully logs all of their food.

Am I missing something? Anyone else contemplating why they do or don't carefully log food?

I haven't really logged my food consistently for the last year, I do it from time to time just to get an idea of my average calories intake but I find it really detrimental to do it so rigidly, it just contributes to constantly thinking about food.

I was losing steadily and slowly before I started the meds, so I don't believe it's really necessary for me any more.

At this stage, after the 3-4 years of logging meticulously in the past, I can more or less eyeball portions to within a couple of grams for most of the foods I regularly eat, I know which foods are calorie laden and which are not so I am just trying to focus on portion control, healthier choices and less compulsive behaviour.

My trending weight tells me if I need to reign it in a bit and the app I use for that gives me an approx calorie variance, so I don't have to do the math. If I incorporate a new food/meal regularly in my diet it's not hard to dip back in for a few days.

I know from other groups I have been in that there are other who have consigned themselves to the fact that they will have to pretty much log forever to successfully maintain and a number of my MFP pals have been here at it for 10+ years, there are others that are still here purely for the social and support element.

So I think it really depends on each individual, in how it can help or hinder your long term progress.

chris_in_cal

I logged consistently and lost weight. ( but there is the burden of the commitment and the disappointment when I miss an entry.) I stopped a couple years ago.

About three years ago I started using an online home budget tracker (mint.com) I have been very consistent, made my budget every month, manage all my debts, bought a house.

It just struck me it is very similar behavior and also a very similar positive outcomes.

A part of me wishes I would stop watching my budget so carefully...but I think a better conclusion is a should bring back that behavior to food and start tracking that too.

Either way I have a problem to deal with. One the one hand being heavy and in debt. And on the other hand being a healthier weight, with my finances in order but worrying that I am missing out on something by having this daily responsibility.