Really do not want to track

lordlensherr

I just signed up. I don't want to write down everything I eat out of embarrassment and laziness. Help and motivation appreciated , new so please add me! Thanks

Pixi_Rex

You either do it or you don't. Those are your options.

lolapedia88

I recommend tracking. It's hard but will help a lot

mahanaibu

Boy do I ever know how you feel! I never managed to keep food diaries before I joined MFP. But if you have a device around, tablet or laptop or whatever, and can add things in online as you go, I actually find it kind of fun on the website. The embarrassment....well, I know that, too, but I found the logging was what KEPT me from doing a lot of embarrassing things. I'd see after lunch how many calories I had left for the day so I could plan accordingly.

Maybe commit to trying it for a week. see how it goes. and see if it doesn't make a difference in how you eat and maybe in your weight. I think it's maybe the most important thing we can do.

snazzyjazzy21

You either do it or you don't. Those are your options.

Yep. Just do it.

kimtab

Yeah I used to hate it. I have tried and failed Weight Watchers several times for that reason. You just have to make yourself do it until it becomes a habit. By then you will probably realize what a valuable tool it really is. If you keep your diary closed there is no need to be embarrassed, no one but you will see what you eat but you won;t be able to hide it from yourself anymore...and that my friend is why it is so important.

Sunitagt

I had a big problem with being honest with myself when I first started. I would not count something if it put me over, or would just not log for a day, and I wasn't losing anything because of it. I recommitted to doing it right in June and have lost 26 lbs so far doing it right. Track everything no matter how hard it is to see. It will help you make better choices throughout the day. Pre-planning your day is also a really good idea to make sure you're going to stay under, and get enough food in for the day.

feelin_gr_8

It's the only way I've ever lost weight. After a long time, maybe when I hit my goal, I will have calorie rainman skills and will be able to look at a dish and know how many calories are there and if I'm good.....but for now, I track

Cullinanmarti

Logging is just a tool to help improve your diet and exercise program. Only you are making a self judgement in regard to embarrassment. I might suggest that you are not lazy, just a little afraid of the commitment to do what it takes to get to your goals..I believe we are all there at some point in our journey. Just remember to take little steps and just start...the rest of the journey ( the learning to use the diet and exercise journal information to improve yourself rather than judge yourself) becomes a habit and a help. Soon you will look back and see how successful you are!

pkoll

Track, but keep your food diary private when you do your settings. This is what I did to limit embarrassment .

lordlensherr

Thanks

LumpySpacePrincess1

Um, it might encourage you to eat properly if you're aware your food choices are embarrassing.
I don't get the whining on here. I understand lots of people need support and some encouragement, but declaring you just don't want to do something seems pointless. Are we supposed to convince you otherwise?
If you can't do something as simplistic as jot down your calories, I think you're not ready or willing to lose the weight.

PhoenixStrikes

Keep it private for now and learn to hold yourself accountable. Make it a goal to one day soon make you diary public that way you can work up to it. It can be a little disappointing to see the calories go up when you eat poorly but after logging them for awhile you start to rethink if you need that snack right now or if you're eating out of habit. Take it slow and easy and focus on relearning how to to be healthy. You'll get there if you really want too,

smvamp

It's not the funnest thing to do, but if you really want to see what and how much you eat...and get that under control...you're going to have to make that decision. How important is it to you?? And if it's not that important...don't do it. And don't complain when you do not see the results you are searching for. It's all about what's important to YOU! Now...go track.

mockchoc

Logging your food at least for a while is very important. You can make your diary private so only you can see it or make it only visable to those on your friends list if others seeing is too hard right now. You can change it back later if you want.

XxAngry_Pixi

I set mine to public from the start. yup it's pretty embarrassing what I eat some days, but it is going to help me make better choices. It's not going to work if you lie to yourself!

gramarye

I'm actually a fan of keeping my diary fairly private (private to friends). I log everything and just let it be. I figure if I have the sort of friends who will judge my occasional 3 AM Cheetos binge, then we're probably not going to get along very well.

But seriously: you gotta track everything. Even if you don't stay at goal every day, you can't make changes until you know what you're already doing.

bridgie101

I just signed up. I don't want to write down everything I eat out of embarrassment and laziness. Help and motivation appreciated , new so please add me! Thanks

Nobody will see your diary until one day you go and open it. The default setting for diaries is private.

The tool's completely for your own help. So you know how much you are eating, get to know better why you have not lost weight in the past.

use it and you'll be really glad you did.

Linda860

If you don't want to track your food, why are you here? Tracking is what it's all about. And it's for YOU, not others on here. Tracking teaches you how to eat. By learning the nutritional values of foods, and knowing your limits, you train yourself how to eat and along the way lose weight. I've been at this for more than two years now. While I can size up the calories and carbs in a meal just based on experience, I still track my food and have no plans to stop. Try it. It works. Or don't try it. Up to you.

Alatariel75

It doesn't matter whether you track it or not, you ate it. You can either Ostrich or own up - it makes no difference to any single person on the face of this earth but you.

nickyrobinson

A possible way to start is to start at maintenance calories. Then you are learning one new thing (tracking) instead of 2 new things (how to eat less AND tracking).

ElsaVonMarmalade

I don't want to either. I wish I was one of those people who can intuit how much to eat, listen to every last tiny bodily signal, or just effortlessly maintain my weight.

Wishing did not make it so.

Thus, here I am.

nicoleisback

I actually find the tracking on here really easy. If you eat something regularly, save it as a meal and you can add it to any day in just 2-3 clicks. as for embarrassment, why would you feel embarrassed writing things down? Isn't it more embarrassing to put the stuff in to your mouth in the first place? There is nothing embarrassing about trying to get healthy, and the logging teaches you where you are going wrong and how to fix it.

cjclark99

Yeah, i get the "i don't want to", but in my experience tracking is THE most important thing. No matter what system I've used, when i track it works, when i "play ostrich" (and hide my head in the sand) and pretend it doesn't matter... well, weight loss doesn't just magically happen... So, to make it more palatable, promise yourself you'll track for one week. Try to make a game out of reaching your goals (although i certainly had my problems this week!) and know that tracking is probably the best thing you can do for yourself.

ninerbuff

Good luck with that.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Debbie_Ferr

If you don't want to track your food, why are you here? Tracking is what it's all about. And it's for YOU, not others on here. Tracking teaches you how to eat. By learning the nutritional values of foods, and knowing your limits, you train yourself how to eat and along the way lose weight. I've been at this for more than two years now. While I can size up the calories and carbs in a meal just based on experience, I still track my food and have no plans to stop. Try it. It works. Or don't try it. Up to you.

this.

_HeartsOnFire_

Um, it might encourage you to eat properly if you're aware your food choices are embarrassing.
I don't get the whining on here. I understand lots of people need support and some encouragement, but declaring you just don't want to do something seems pointless. Are we supposed to convince you otherwise?
If you can't do something as simplistic as jot down your calories, I think you're not ready or willing to lose the weight.

This!

You'll never know if you're at a deficit if you don't track.
If you really want to lose weight you'll do what it takes. Simple.
If you're not ready that's fine, come back when you are.

zophiel67

You can set it so that you're the only one to see your diary. It holds you slightly less accountable, but I know that the embarrassment of looking at it myself was enough for me in the beginning.

trogalicious

Um, it might encourage you to eat properly if you're aware your food choices are embarrassing.
I don't get the whining on here. I understand lots of people need support and some encouragement, but declaring you just don't want to do something seems pointless. Are we supposed to convince you otherwise?
If you can't do something as simplistic as jot down your calories, I think you're not ready or willing to lose the weight.

This!

You'll never know if you're at a deficit if you don't track.
If you really want to lose weight you'll do what it takes. Simple.
If you're not ready that's fine, come back when you are.

yup. For the most part, weight loss is a math equation. You're trying to figure out how to create an equation where you lose weight. If you aren't tracking and not losing weight, the answer is simple. As it stands now, you're trying to add cats and tube socks in a hope to wind up with dinner plates. Replace those with usable data and complete the process.

WillowWindow

Some really good answers here and the usual "tough love" or is it just tough? crowd. Tracking is a pain, especially at first until it becomes a habit -- then you'll feel guilty if you DON'T track. Until then think of it as the work you need to do to change your health and your life for the better. You'd be willing to do a lot of work, I'd bet, if someone promised it would guarantee you'd win the lottery. Well, gaining good health, a more youthful feeling and appearance and probably living a longer and healthier life with the energy to enjoy every day is like winning a lottery. Maybe better. The food tracking works because it educates you and only you how to control your weight. You will start to notice patterns, learn to budget your calories, improve nutrition, even learn what kind of exercise you can do and enjoy and how to build it into your lifestyle. Because it is such a powerful learning tool it's worth the effort. And the huge success rate on MFP shows that this method, unlike most of the fairy dust and snake oil methods out there, works. Stick with it kiddo. You'll be happy you did.

deksgrl

Okay, don't track. Keep eating whatever you want, in whatever quantities you want, and see you back here again when you weigh 50 more pounds.

Whutevah.