Quitting Logging Milestone

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  • jrwms714
    jrwms714 Posts: 421 Member
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    Wishing you the best. It works well for some to not log. It doesn't work for me. 3 years into maintenance. 6 years total on MFP. Logging is so easy due to the technology that I don't mind it at all. And I never feel like I am on a diet. I just feel like this is as much a habit as teeth brushing and yes, weighing each AM. But I know lots of people on here do well without it. And, if you find yourself gaining outside of your goal range, you can always go back to it intermittently.
  • DX2JX2
    DX2JX2 Posts: 1,921 Member
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    Good luck! One tip - remember that there's a difference between logging and being cognizant of your calorie intake.

    I still monitor and control my calorie intake to keep myself from drifting back to old habits with portion size and snacking (why I put on weight to begin with is not a mystery to me). That said, I don't keep a running log or anything. I just keep track of one day at a time.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    All the best :smile:

    Its approximately 2 years since I stopped logging food here. Occasionally I log to see how my macros are doing but that's all.

    I weigh daily still, use a trending app and have little issues of staying within my goal range. For me its all about being mindful. I mentally tot up my calories so I know I'm staying within my average TDEE. I have to say if I did see weight creep happening over time then I wouldn't hesitate to go back to logging again but it looks like I can maintain just fine on my own.

  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    nowine4me wrote: »
    I almost put the food scale away too, but decided against that. It will help keep portion creep in check.

    I still use the food scale, it does keep the portions in check for sure.
  • fiddletime
    fiddletime Posts: 1,862 Member
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    I’ve been maintaining the past year. For the past two months I’ve stopped logging twice and gained 2-3 pounds. I’m back logging again to lose 2.5 pounds. I dont do do great not logging, but like the break and now know what trips me up. Junk food- a bite here and a biter or piece there. With logging that wouldn’t trip me up.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
    edited May 2018
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    I have to be very mindful of how I eat. The thing that messes me up is just mindless snacking. Like I’ll munch on chips or crackers or something as I’m cooking dinner and it adds up to basically a second dinner worth of calories. I have to make rules for myself. Like I only eat breakfast, lunch, dinner, one afternoon snack and maybe something small after dinner if I really want it. And nothing else
  • ITUSGirl51
    ITUSGirl51 Posts: 192 Member
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    I’m thinking people who have been overweight and no longer log have other rules they follow to maintain.
    I like logging and knowing a candy bar can fit into my calories today and I can still maintain my weight. My rules are just the number of calories I can consume in a day and nothing else.
  • MikePfirrman
    MikePfirrman Posts: 3,307 Member
    edited May 2018
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    I lost all of my weight (around 70 pounds) on another site a few years ago. That site has lost a lot of its functionality and I enjoy a more active forum (to remind me how I got there to 245 in the first place!).

    I stopped logging around 3 years ago after two years of successful maintenance and religious logging. I have a red line that I follow and, it seems, every time I get close to it that just the thought of having to go back to logging every morsel that hits my lips seems like such a pain that I seem to lose the weight again.

    The most important thing that tracking did for me was eliminating all the garbage. It honestly becomes habit after a period. I think it is easier if you also workout quite often (of course). Luckily, after I lost my weight my wife wanted to get on board with healthier eating (and we don't have kids at home) so it's honestly easier on me than most, I assume. We are both on the same page about not keeping junk in the house, so most of my "go to" past garbage habits are no longer available, which probably helps me more than anything.

    Sounds like you'll do fine. It is liberating when you can do it and it's successful. I was a bit scared to do it at first and then learned that most of my habits are so engrained it would take a deliberate effort at this point to gain a lot of weight.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
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    Thanks for sharing your advice @MikePfirrman and keep up the good work.
  • mk2fit
    mk2fit Posts: 730 Member
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    After losing 70ish pounds and holding rather steady on maintenance, I stopped logging just about a year ago. I stopped weighing weekly at the beginning of the year. I have kept my weight within a couple pounds of where I am comfortable.

    It's kind of funny because after logging for a couple of years here, I sort of "log" each meal in my head. My fitbit keeps track of my exercise.

    I agree with @MikePfirrman that it is liberating and also that it would take a lot to gain much.
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,384 Member
    edited June 2018
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    Good luck! I am in the same boat.

    I've been logging calories on and off since 2011 and I really don't want to do this for the rest of my life. I'm really close to maintenance and shifting focus to intuitive healthy eating and strength training. It's scary but like you said - continuing to do regular weigh-ins to stay accountable is a great tool.

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