Do you take days off of tracking?

mabearof6

I rarely log anymore......Every once in a while I will for a couple days just see where I'm at.

Psychgrrl

RedheadedPrincess14 wrote: »

Okay guys so I’m a goal weight and just working on recomp now and I’ve realized that I absolutely never take a day off tracking even though I have a super good idea of portions and food at this point. I think yes just become apart of my routine! Out of curiosity, does anyone take days off of tracking? I’m considering playing around with a tracking break to see how my intuition will do for 30 days. Has anyone tried this before?

It seems like you’re almost talking about two different things: taking a break and not tracking.

There’s a thread in this section called “Refeeds and Diet Breaks.” You could really benefit from checking it out—tons of great info in there.

You can take a break from being at a deficit, now that you’re at your goal weight. Personally, I need to track. On a 4 year + streak right now. Even when I go over my calories, the accountability is always there and always helpful.

If you need the mental break from tracking, do what will work for you.

RedheadedPrincess14

Psychgrrl wrote: »

RedheadedPrincess14 wrote: »

Okay guys so I’m a goal weight and just working on recomp now and I’ve realized that I absolutely never take a day off tracking even though I have a super good idea of portions and food at this point. I think yes just become apart of my routine! Out of curiosity, does anyone take days off of tracking? I’m considering playing around with a tracking break to see how my intuition will do for 30 days. Has anyone tried this before?

It seems like you’re almost talking about two different things: taking a break and not tracking.

There’s a thread in this section called “Refeeds and Diet Breaks.” You could really benefit from checking it out—tons of great info in there.

You can take a break from being at a deficit, now that you’re at your goal weight. Personally, I need to track. On a 4 year + streak right now. Even when I go over my calories, the accountability is always there and always helpful.

If you need the mental break from tracking, do what will work for you.

I meant a break from tracking. I already eat at maintance calories and my weight has either been stable or slowly going down still so I feel like at this point, I know how to eat for my body, I’m just a little addicted to the process of tracking

deputy_randolph

I went to Germany for a week (from US); I logged everyday. I guesstimated...

I logged most of the day on Christmas. I generally don't take a day off, b/c it's a habit now.

hesn92

When I stop tracking for long periods of time I find myself eating way too much (like instead of eating a portion of chips I’ll just bring the bag with me to the couch and eat half the bag lol) I do plan on taking short breaks for various reasons. I will when I’m traveling for example or Christmas, birthday etc.

stanmann571

I'll take days where I log less strictly, but Every day gets logged even if it's just an entry that clearly indicates I ate more than I estimated.

Bry_Fitness70

If you don't log "cheat meals" then you are just playing games with yourself. Eat it, enjoy it, log it, and then move on.

sarahlifts

yes when I'm bulking. When I am seriously focused on losing fat I track it all. Birthdays holidays etc. even if I go over, I track it just to be in the habit.

temazur

Oh god, I did this, it was a disaster. I tracked for nearly two years straight, when I did gain weight I at least knew where I went wrong, but I managed to keep it at a minimum of gain and lose that back.

I stopped tracking around early November to take a break because "I deserved it, blah blah blah" until the new year. Needless to say, the results were not pretty. If I ever do take a break again, it's going to be for no more than one week, so the damage will be manageable.

Also should note that, for me, it's all about portion control. I'm not much of a snacker, but I am bad about reasonable portions at meals, Knowing I have to enter it keeps me on track, if I don't do that, then I make less-healthy choices and end up with serving size creep over time. Same for alcohol consumption, knowing I need to track it means I stick to my plan for social drinking. Not tracking it means it's easier to say yes to a second and third pint even though my original food budget called for just one pint.

cs2thecox

I have days when I don't care, but I generally do try and log afterwards, at least approximately.

Some days I just can't remember or can't be bothered (Christmas day, new year's eve...) and never get round to it, but I'm totally ok with logging a deeply naughty day and then getting on with life.
I find that logging makes me more mindful about what I'm eating, particularly as my PT has access to my diary (it's open anyway, but he follows me) and will give me a poke if I get too ridiculous.

kristen8000

Now that I'm in maintainance, I find that if I log/track food, I'm restrictive. I make "really low calorie" choices and tend to eat less than I should be (making it so I lose weight, not actually maintain. I think my brain basically things "oh, she's logging, which means she's wanting to lose weight". Because that's what it's meant the last 6 years of my life. I lose the weight, then I get TOO relaxed and gain some back. Some as in 10-15lbs of vanity weight (lost 50 in 2011). Being tall, my weight can increase 20lbs and no one notices but me. My BF didn't even notice a difference between 160 & 140...but I can and I feel better lighter.

I've decided that if I make myself weigh everyday and log it in Libra, and notice any "increase" and react to it, I'm fine. Reacting to it means starting to log again and make sure I'm at a small deficient until I'm back in range again.

My maintainance range has changes 3 times since September. Originally, I thought 147-152. Then I changed it to 145-150, now it's 140-145...the past few months I've been in that range and see no reason to go above 145...honestly my range was high because I didn't think it would be possible to maintain this range...but I'm finding it harder to actually gain this time...

callsitlikeiseeit

i maintained a year without tracking.

i log and track when im in a 'loss' phase. time to up and lose this last bit. so yup. i track everything again.

LivingtheLeanDream

I do now and I can maintain effortlessly without logging but it took me a few tries to be able to do that over the years since reaching maintenance in 2013.

You can trial it but if you see gains then track again. I know I would go back to tracking in a heartbeat if I was to see weight creep.

cwolfman13

RedheadedPrincess14 wrote: »

Okay guys so I’m a goal weight and just working on recomp now and I’ve realized that I absolutely never take a day off tracking even though I have a super good idea of portions and food at this point. I think yes just become apart of my routine! Out of curiosity, does anyone take days off of tracking? I’m considering playing around with a tracking break to see how my intuition will do for 30 days. Has anyone tried this before?

I've been in maintenance going on 5 years...I haven't logged anything in about 5 years...

Lesscookies1

I've never tracked anything and lost 40 pounds so far. For some people it works, and for others tracking helps.

sijomial

I haven't logged for ages apart from days when I doing a major cycling event and need precision, hasn't impacted my maintenance at all.

I just weigh daily and keep a casual eye on any developing trend and take action if or when required by making different food choices.

Try it - you can always go back to logging if you want or need to. Long term maintenance shouldn't be a straight jacket the stops you experimenting or restricts you to having to stick to the same calorie goal daily - that's would feel like a never ending diet to me.

DebLaBounty

I reached my goal weight. Logged at maintenance level for two weeks. Haven’t logged anything for three months. I’m actually now maintaining at between three to four pounds below my goal weight! I think I learned good habits, but I weigh myself daily to continue to monitor my results.