Tracking Methods Question

countcurt

This question is for members of the group who have tracked/journaled (or seriously attempted tracking/journaling) both on paper and electronically...

Do (or did) you find one method more effective than any other? By effective, I mean helping to achieve weight management and other intake modification goals.

Your thoughts as to 'why' are appreciated as well.


Please note the question relates to effectiveness.

steve0mania

I've done both. In my early days of WW I tracked on paper. It was a bit harder to do, because it required the old booklet that WW provided with the points values of food. However, once I got in the hang of my "usual foods," it was easy enough. The think I liked was that it was easier to flip back through the book to look at my past history. Plus, once in a blue moon I would jot little notes to myself.

Now I'm exclusively tracking electronically. The latest iteration of WW etools (or whatever it's called now) work pretty well, and it's much easier to get the point values for standard foods. There are some quirks that are minimally difficult (for example, it's somewhat tedious to input recipes, and I still don't really know how to track food that doesn't come from a package or from cooking at home). The biggest drawback is that it's harder to review the details of your prior history (at least in my experience).

So, I guess neither is more or less effective than the other. They both work, they both have strengths, and they both have weaknesses.

As you know, though, the real trick for both approaches is that they both force you to pay attention to your intake, which is probably the greatest benefit!

Calvin2008Brian

> The biggest drawback is that it's harder to review the details of your prior history (at least in my experience).

I'm seeing that too. I thought I was missing something, but maybe not. I don't even see how to get to a week-at-a-time view within the current week.

To the original question: I'm rarely without my smartphone, so tracking with an app is more effective for me than trying to keep tabs on an old school journal. In fairness, I've not tracked on paper for a long time.

Al_Howard

Now I only track on WW, (usually on my PC, as I find the phone app to be lacking).
If I know what I eat, I can pretty much see why my weight is what it is.

88olds

I always tracked on paper until my last go on MFP.

I think pen and paper have been both easier and more effective for me. But I don’t have an apples to apples comparison.

My initial go at tracking started in 2006 and lasted 5 years. There weren’t so many gadgets and whatever there were you can bet I did not have state of the art. I spent a lot of time researching on the computer and using a feature on the WW site that let me adjust the quantity of something to give me the points. But I used that handheld point calculator a lot too.

Also, I just found it easier counting to around 33 daily points and using up my WPA for the week. I find counting to 1740 calories per day more unwieldy. Somehow with the bigger number the computer seems more helpful. Or maybe better software.

And last thing, all that time counting points, I just knew the numbers most of the time. In fact, I think I finally got away from counting when they started Points Plus and all my math went out the window. My counting became a confusing hodgepodge of the old and new programs.

countcurt

Thanks for the input. I’ve been trying to sort this out because I’ve continued to find tracking to be a fight. I actually think pen(cil) and paper are more effective. I think the act of actually writing out the journal provides additional Neurologic input and helps to reinforce the desired behavior by focusing more attention on it.

OTOH, there’s no doubt the electronic forms of tracking are more convenient. I was thinking about reverting back to paper today and realized I don’t even carry a pen anymore. So I suppose the ‘easy’ factor allows for increased likelihood of actually doing the tracking.

Or not.

I guess in the end, it really is more about actually getting one’s head in the game.

minimyzeme

countcurt wrote: »

OTOH, there’s no doubt the electronic forms of tracking are more convenient.

I guess in the end, it really is more about actually getting one’s head in the game.

Late to the party, but I've been tracking electronically since I started in 2014. At the suggestion of several GOADies, I didn't stop when I reached Lifetime. The smartphone tracker can sometimes be challenging with our slow internet, but most of the time it works.

At this point in my journey, I pretty well know if I'm coloring outside the lines on a daily or even any given meal or snack. A couple years ago, my WW leader suggested tracking no matter what. Doing so for me has kept accountability front and center, even if I go way over, blow through my weeklies in a single sitting, etc.

I think you're right that if your head's in the game, the method of tracking isn't as important.

misterhub

Paper is more immediate and satisfying for me. However, I am a pragmatist and have tracked via electronic media for several years now. I was very good at doing so with the WW app and online. I am much less disciplined and accomplished with the MFP app; but, I am trying to rebuild that discipline. Good question. Thank you for asking.

88olds

I never carried my tracker Steve. It sat out on the counter next to my scale. Even though we ate out a lot in those days, most eating was still at home.

And whenever I came in, I generally went straight to the tracker.

imastar2

Tracking electronically ever since I started 2010. I never did the paper tracking simply because I was an on line member come the start. That being said for me I'm thinking I would have a difficult time being effective with the paper tracking method mainly because I believe the electronics methods is more effective. (For me at least.)


SW 400.8
CW 332.0
Next GW 300.0
Final GW 185.0

68.8 bs Total lost

linmueller

I've done both effectively. I find the paper method esp. effective when I'm needing to do some brief journaling, note taking, or meal planning etc. Some seasons of life/WLJ are just like that for me.

myallforjcbill

I track on MFP and use one of those 3 month WW journal to track manually for WW with my little $10 point calculator. I just summarize for the meal and note the Calories/Sat Fat/Sugar/Protein totals I get from MFP less the zero point foods. Probably what I find most helpful is that it makes me review the meal and the day for stumbles and opportunities to improve.