What's realistic..

Csmcnevin

Hey All,

I made a goal in January to track every thing I ate even if I wasn't perfect...actually I wanted to track especially when I wasn't perfect. My healthy eating took a battering in the run up to xmas with exam stress then a sun holiday then xmas, so by January I had reverted to some old bad habits.

So come January I tracked every single thing. Every mini-binge, every vodka, every post night out munch on 20-left-over-prawn-crackers etc. The good, the bad and the ugly. I also got a Polar FT4 watch so I could accurately track my workouts, which I did. After the month this is what my month looked like... not perfect by any means, but I ended up losing 4.5lbs.



After losing 50lbs (and still have 15lb to go) I just wanted to remind those who started out being crazy strict with themselves at the start of January that being restrictive doesn't work...at least not for me. I'm an all or nothing person but i've learnt I can only sustain 100% for so long before I revert, so I'm better off aiming for 80-90%. Its about setting a realistic goal and sticking to that. I once heard it described at a ww meeting as 'turning the ship slowly back in the right direction'. If you try do a speed boat type 180 turn everyone on board just ends up falling off. Next month my goal is to be more consistently within my calorie goal. Happy tracking friends

DigitalDiana

Thank-you...I needed to hear these ideas...yes... maybe it's time to declare one day a week as the "cheat" day and eat within range on the other six.
Since Christmas I went on maintenance, not because I am where I am at goal, but because it's -45C outside, I'm less active and Xmas did not seem like the time to restrict calories.
I found myself almost wanting to give up as the scale so slowly inched upwards since Christmas...should read...Maintenance is hard!!... I believe that now I need to get back to tracking every little thing... like you are saying, and then allowing myself an 80-90% success rate, so Thank-you....great post!

Francl27

I agree with your point, however your goal is most probably too low... so that's why you go over a lot... but in the end you probably eat what you should.

If someone has a more realistic goal, they won't feel the need to go over as much, and going over so much might have more of an impact. A cheat day here and there won't derail you that much though, but you have to keep in mind that a 1200 calorie goal (which I'm assuming is your goal from your diary) is too low for most people.

Csmcnevin

My goal is actually 1400 which I think is reasonable (5'7 student who sits at a desk alot). The days I go way over are days where I have been drinking and then have a post night out take away etc. I agree that its a bit swingy thats why my goal for next month is to try and have it more consistent! Bring on February!