Tracking calories forever!

cbirdso

After reading some of these posts, I have to agree that line between 'US' and 'THEM' is very faint if non-existent. I know many thin people who have never been overweight in their lives, but it is because they CAREFULLY watch what they eat and MAKE a POINT to exercise regularly. They calculate in their heads from experience how much they can eat and don't go above that even if pressed or it is something delicious to them. My brother is one of these people. He has never had a weight problem, but he weighs himself regularly, is always mindful of portions and works very hard to keep in shape. This is no different than what you or I need to do to keep off the weight.

paulawatkins1974

It's like those of us who have been overweight can never really be normal again. Whereas people who haven't don't have to worry about fitting in that "Big Mac Meal" They want. They just eat it...With a milkshake.

Really!?!?!

I am 53 years old. From the time I was 13 and a friend went on a "diet" I have been paying attention to what goes in my mouth and what stands on the scale.

So many overweight people believe that thin people can eat whatever they want and stay thin. Totally not true!!!!! Thin people stay thin because on a day to day basis they eat fewer calories than overweight people. Yes, very occasionally I have a Big Mac, but mostly I have a Cheeseburger, no fries, or pop and even that is a rare occurrence.

I can state without looking up online, the calories in a donut, cookie, big mac, milk shake and if I have any one of those today, I will be unlikely to allow myself to have one tomorrow.

I stand on the scale almost daily and if my weight goes up then I know that today is NOT a Big Mac day.

It sounds brutal, but it's not, it's just being aware of healthy choices and unhealthy, high calorie eating.

We thin people have the same base metabolic rate as heavy people. That's the benchmark, if our metabolism is higher (for most people) it is because we supplement our lifestyle with a LOT of exercise.

My genetic background has just as many people who store fat as anyone else. The rest is how and what we eat and how much we move around.

Almost everyone who is thin works just as hard as you are in order to stay thin.

I didn't mean to say naturally thin people eat alot. I know they eat less than big people that's why they're not big. Most of them though don't have to run to the computer after every meal to log what they just put in their mouth. I'm just hoping that the "normal sized peoples" mentality may some day be achieved by me so that I can live life knowing what's enough to eat, and having the control to stop. If that makes sense.

Sabine_Stroehm

It's like those of us who have been overweight can never really be normal again. Whereas people who haven't don't have to worry about fitting in that "Big Mac Meal" They want. They just eat it...With a milkshake.

Really!?!?!

I am 53 years old. From the time I was 13 and a friend went on a "diet" I have been paying attention to what goes in my mouth and what stands on the scale.

So many overweight people believe that thin people can eat whatever they want and stay thin. Totally not true!!!!! Thin people stay thin because on a day to day basis they eat fewer calories than overweight people. Yes, very occasionally I have a Big Mac, but mostly I have a Cheeseburger, no fries, or pop and even that is a rare occurrence.

I can state without looking up online, the calories in a donut, cookie, big mac, milk shake and if I have any one of those today, I will be unlikely to allow myself to have one tomorrow.

I stand on the scale almost daily and if my weight goes up then I know that today is NOT a Big Mac day.

It sounds brutal, but it's not, it's just being aware of healthy choices and unhealthy, high calorie eating.

We thin people have the same base metabolic rate as heavy people. That's the benchmark, if our metabolism is higher (for most people) it is because we supplement our lifestyle with a LOT of exercise.

My genetic background has just as many people who store fat as anyone else. The rest is how and what we eat and how much we move around.

Almost everyone who is thin works just as hard as you are in order to stay thin.

I didn't mean to say naturally thin people eat alot. I know they eat less than big people that's why they're not big. Most of them though don't have to run to the computer after every meal to log what they just put in their mouth. I'm just hoping that the "normal sized peoples" mentality may some day be achieved by me so that I can live life knowing what's enough to eat, and having the control to stop. If that makes sense.

And I think she's saying that many, if not most, lean people spend a lot of time and attention staying lean.

paulawatkins1974

It's like those of us who have been overweight can never really be normal again. Whereas people who haven't don't have to worry about fitting in that "Big Mac Meal" They want. They just eat it...With a milkshake.

Really!?!?!

I am 53 years old. From the time I was 13 and a friend went on a "diet" I have been paying attention to what goes in my mouth and what stands on the scale.

So many overweight people believe that thin people can eat whatever they want and stay thin. Totally not true!!!!! Thin people stay thin because on a day to day basis they eat fewer calories than overweight people. Yes, very occasionally I have a Big Mac, but mostly I have a Cheeseburger, no fries, or pop and even that is a rare occurrence.

I can state without looking up online, the calories in a donut, cookie, big mac, milk shake and if I have any one of those today, I will be unlikely to allow myself to have one tomorrow.

I stand on the scale almost daily and if my weight goes up then I know that today is NOT a Big Mac day.

It sounds brutal, but it's not, it's just being aware of healthy choices and unhealthy, high calorie eating.

We thin people have the same base metabolic rate as heavy people. That's the benchmark, if our metabolism is higher (for most people) it is because we supplement our lifestyle with a LOT of exercise.

My genetic background has just as many people who store fat as anyone else. The rest is how and what we eat and how much we move around.

Almost everyone who is thin works just as hard as you are in order to stay thin.

I didn't mean to say naturally thin people eat alot. I know they eat less than big people that's why they're not big. Most of them though don't have to run to the computer after every meal to log what they just put in their mouth. I'm just hoping that the "normal sized peoples" mentality may some day be achieved by me so that I can live life knowing what's enough to eat, and having the control to stop. If that makes sense.

And I think she's saying that many, if not most, lean people spend a lot of time and attention staying lean.

Yes! And That's what I hope to be able to achieve without actually "tracking" everything. Working hard no problem. My post was about tracking everything. right now, it's a joke in our house. Every time I finish a meal instead of jumping up to do the dishes, i'm jumping up to go "track" just hoping to learn how to live without that and make healthy choices on my own. Hoping that after a year or so, I will have more of a normal outlook on food.

cbirdso

OP said: I didn't mean to say naturally thin people eat alot. I know they eat less than big people that's why they're not big. Most of them though don't have to run to the computer after every meal to log what they just put in their mouth. I'm just hoping that the "normal sized peoples" mentality may some day be achieved by me so that I can live life knowing what's enough to eat, and having the control to stop. If that makes sense.

OP, speaking for myself, I don't think I can ever get to the point where mentally, I know what's enough to eat and never have to put effort in pushing the stop button. If my short term memory goes, I will really be in trouble because I can ALWAYS eat and ALWAYS have room for more. Only seeing it written down and added up do I mentally know that I have eaten enough. I have accepted this about myself and don't even think about it as a chore I can't manage. We all have different talents and skills and if I have no talent to gage without help of tracking to stop eating, I can accept that.

crepes_

Yes! And That's what I hope to be able to achieve without actually "tracking" everything. Working hard no problem. My post was about tracking everything. right now, it's a joke in our house. Every time I finish a meal instead of jumping up to do the dishes, i'm jumping up to go "track" just hoping to learn how to live without that and make healthy choices on my own. Hoping that after a year or so, I will have more of a normal outlook on food.

I used to hate tracking for this reason, but it all changed after I got a smart phone. Is that in your near future? It makes tracking a whole lot easier. Barcode scanning, a few taps of the finger, and my entire dinner is logged in 10 seconds.

Or could you use a little notepad or text yourself the portions of what you're eating and then log it later on? Tracking should be as painfree and simple as you can possibly make it, so that it can remain a sustainable part of your life.

montana_girl

To the OP - Have you thought about pre-tracking? If you have been doing this for any length of time, then you probably already have a good idea what you will be eating throughout the day, so why not just track in the morning and then adjust only when needed? I have been doing it this way for over a year and it's a lot less hassle.

That said, I have been tracking my food intake for 10 years now (7 years with Weight Watchers and 3 with MFP), so it's very much a habit for me. And if it helps to keep the weight off, then I will continue to do it until the end of time.

I would like to get to the point that I didn't feel it necessary to do it every day. During the work week, I tend to eat the same breakfast and snacks, with lunch being leftovers from the healthy dinner the night before so really don't need to track on weekdays. Would love to get to the point where I just track on weekends, holidays and vacations (more to keep myself from over-indulging and going into denial about what I'm eating). That's my eventual goal ... but if it doesn't work out that way, oh well.

maryjpoppins

I've been a vegetarian for years and have been eating mostly "clean" (no processed foods) and exercising more for the past few months... It's been a lifestyle change, and I track occasionally just to see what I eat on an average day.. The healthy food and workouts have become second nature, and even if I eat unhealthy for a day or so I still lose or at least maintain my weight. I think once you get into the habit of being healthy, tracking isn't necessary.

KateK8LoseW8

I still log, and will forever. However, I'm much more willing to guesstimate than I was when losing weight. I'm okay with portioning out approximately half or putting things in a measuring cup instead of weighing, or go to restaurants 1-2x a week without calorie information and guess, which I didn't when I was losing. If I gain a little bit, I cut my portions a little bit, or increase my activity a little bit. No big deal. You don't gain 80 pounds overnight, so as long as you keep an eye on your weight and make adjustments as you need to, maintenance is straightforward. Maybe you won't have to track forever! Maybe you could track Monday through Friday and go without on weekends, as some do. For now just focus on the task at hand and don't worry too much about what you'll do in the future. You'll figure it out.

47Jacqueline

My dietician want's me to stop tracking. She's pretty level-headed and I agree with her, but I developed this habit of tracking and it's almost second nature. She suggested I try it for a day just to see, but I haven't been able to do it yet.

I'm happy with my maintenance level, tracking takes very little time now. I'm just not ready to stop. An old BF used to tell me not to wait until I'm ready to do something, but rather do things before I'm ready so I can move on. Tracking is a relatively innocent obsession. I'm still thinking about it. ;-)

paulandrachelk

Yeah, so?

GymTennis

So what.. You HAVE to do so many different things in your life.. Let counting calories be one of those things.. Besides, after two years of counting, you will easily have a rough estimate how much you're eating, if not precise.. Sounds like a lot better deal to me than binging, getting fat and frustrated and than starving to lose weight

Paul_Collyer

Since I got to my initial target of 80 kg I have logged only in phases - for example after the summer until Xmas, plus at any point where things start creeping up again, perhaps due to a holiday, or busy social time. It seems that if you do creep up a couple of kg or so its quite easy to lose it from a short period of logging again, so that is kind of my threshold.

But overall I have found as long as I am active most days and don't eat stupidly the weight stays roughly the same without logging.

SherryTeach

I'm going to be brushing my teeth forever. . . I'm so depressed.

But honestly, I spend 5 minutes a day logging my food. If I have to do this to maintain my weight, fine. It's a habit now.

VeryKatie

I have an idea - just track for the first week of every month and not for the rest. That way you're reinforcing portion sizes so you don't forget, but you also aren't doing it for the "rest of your life". I've been wondering about this myself. Tracking forever seems terrible to me right now. Not that I mind doing it now. But the thought of doing it when I'm 70 boggles my mind.

triciab79

I stopped logging right after I reached my goal the first time. I hopped on the scale everyday and adjusted as needed. It worked for the first year but then the weight kinda crept on (like 8lbs over 10 m). Now I am back to tracking while I lose these few pounds but I don't intend to keep doing it once I am there. I think you will have to track for a bit to get used to your maintenance calories but after than just do it as needed to lose a little if you misbehave.

sengalissa

I've been maintaining quite a while before getting pregnant again and it was not bad. I did not track but still maintained. By yhen you will have a good sense of what kind of food is high calorie. You will have your very own strategies. For instance, mine were to never eat between breakfast and lunch (carbs early in the day trigger hunger in me), or do go easy on supper if there happened to be cake around in the afternoon. I would have 3 meals and a healthy snack a day without exercise OR something extra plus exercise. I would plan meals around veggies. That was enough to maintain my weight.

gelar93

i personally don't mind it and the thought of tracking doesn't bother me. It rather gives me the feeling that I am having control over even the smallest things I eat and I like that but if that bothers you, I don't think you have to. Tracking for a year or two gives you a good idea of how much you're supposed to eat, and if you eat more than that one day and less the other day, not much will change.

ge105

What I do:
I actually tracked for one week when I signed up here and just tried to visualize that amount of food when serving myself and have now lost 7lbs. I think this would work for maintenance. I stopped losing, so I'm back. You could just go by how your clothes fit, which is how I mostly check my weight since I don't have a scale. Visualize the portions, then if your clothes starts to feel tight come back.

What my sis does:
She weighs herself once a week. She wants to weigh 120lbs. She allows herself to play it by ear (eat whatever she wants within reason) as long as she is within 5lbs. If she gets to 126lbs, she comes back and logs and drops the 5lbs. Usually takes her less than a month to get back to 120 and she says she usually only has track after she's been on holiday.

__hannah_

Now I'm thinking about what I'll do when I reach my goal weight. Initially I thought I'd track for a couple months after but now I'm not so sure. Tracking forever seems crazy to me now but I'm only 6 months in. Like several people said, tracking doesn't take too much time and it's worth it for my health. Maybe by the time I reach my goal weight I'll have a much better idea of portion sizes and calories in different foods that I won't need to track as much.