Can you maintain your weight by not tracking food

Go_Mizzou99

I can't do it very well. When I quit logging I creep up about 5 pounds...log again until back down. Repeat.

CmeATtheGym

I need to track to lose. If I am not eating well, no amount of exercise will shift the weight.

Strivingforhealth12

No. I can't.

goldfinger88

Exercise really doesn't have much to do with your weight. It's about building and keeping muscle. It does burn a few calories but not nearly as many as many folks think.

As for tracking, I didn't track while losing and now that I'm maintaining I'm sure not tracking. We should know how and how much to eat, what to eat, when to eat, without tracking it. People have since the beginning of time. Unless you want to be tracking in your seventies, eighties and until death, it's not a good habit. We need to learn to eat for our fuel, for the size we are or want to be and just not be pigs and not eat junk and processed food.

Some folks will say yes, track forever. Well, I'm 70 and I don't want to spend the rest of my life writing down every bite I take. There's this whole thing called life that's a whole lot more important.

sdauback

I can now...once my thyroid was regulated. I rarely track my intake now but I have a clean, healthy diet. No boxed, packaged or otherwise heavily-processed foods. Fish, lean meats, fresh and frozen veggies...very few starches such as potatoes, rice, bread, etc. No soda and only very occasional treats (ie ice cream, etc) I exercise 4-5x per week and don't use that as an excuse to over-eat later.

But everyone is different. Figure out what works for you and go with it.

laserturkey

I can't. If someone else finds they can, that's awesome for them. It's just not realistic for me.

MaryJane_8810002

How can you loose weight?

meeka472

I tried and gained back some of my weight. I found for me, I need to hold myself accountable by logging both exercise and food.

donald149

Only if, and as others have posted, food is thought of as fuel and not your friend.

cwolfman13

I don't log, I used to and will never go back. You should be able to have enough self control to eat freely without having to write down every little thing you eat every single day, that just unnatural. I know a lot of people on here log and that's fine I just don't see how you guys manage to do this or why it's needed 24/7. Really sorry if I offended any trackers by this

Remember that in 20years when you've had a couple kids and a few life experiences. At 19 life is good.

I'm almost 40 and I don't track and maintain just fine.

I'm actually a little bit surprised that so many people think the act of logging is the actual "lifestyle"...missing the boat IMHO. It's a great way to get on track and learn how to eat right but it's basically like training wheels...someday you should be able to take them off and just ride your bike.

Sabine_Stroehm

I don't log, I used to and will never go back. You should be able to have enough self control to eat freely without having to write down every little thing you eat every single day, that just unnatural. I know a lot of people on here log and that's fine I just don't see how you guys manage to do this or why it's needed 24/7. Really sorry if I offended any trackers by this

Remember that in 20years when you've had a couple kids and a few life experiences. At 19 life is good.

I'm almost 40 and I don't track and maintain just fine.

I'm actually a little bit surprised that so many people think the act of logging is the actual "lifestyle"...missing the boat IMHO. It's a great way to get on track and learn how to eat right but it's basically like training wheels...someday you should be able to take them off and just ride your bike.

I'll chime in. I'm almost 50 (and menopausal). I rarely track. I didn't track to lose. And most of the time I don't track now. I've been maintaining for 12 or 13 years. I do check in from time to time, to make sure I haven't lost sight of anything. And yes, I agree: logging isn't the "lifestyle" I am aiming for. Logging is great for learning, but it's not part of my long term plans.

ukaryote

Certainly you do not have to track every bit of food. I maintained my weight very well an ate anything I wanted during my 20's. Now, not so much. When I get down to a maintenance weight, I will have developed habits and a regular exercise and food schedule that should keep it steady without tracking. Occasional mid-course corrections are necessary as my metabolism and muscle mass change. ( that 4-letter word "age".)

geek23ka

NOPE

mike_ny

Whether you actually track everything or just do it in your mind (even unconsciously), you're still able to put limits on your intake, so whatever works for you is fine. Being a bit off on rough estimates is OK, but being a lot off can add up quickly. The majority here seems to find that counting works much better than not, but you have to find your own path.

However, if you mean eating and drinking as much of whatever you want with no regard whatsoever for nutrition or caloric content, then you're bound to fail.

To me, the whole point of logging food intake is to learn how to estimate more accurately for when you can't and to prepare you to be able to just estimate approximate meals or whole days and not have to log the rest of your life. So, I really believe you should weigh and measure everything for the first month or so to learn portion sizes. I've gotten pretty good at cutting a 1 oz. piece of cheese or estimating weight and volumes of foods I'm quite familiar with.

SideSteel

I don't log, I used to and will never go back. You should be able to have enough self control to eat freely without having to write down every little thing you eat every single day, that just unnatural. I know a lot of people on here log and that's fine I just don't see how you guys manage to do this or why it's needed 24/7. Really sorry if I offended any trackers by this

Remember that in 20years when you've had a couple kids and a few life experiences. At 19 life is good.

I'm almost 40 and I don't track and maintain just fine.

I'm actually a little bit surprised that so many people think the act of logging is the actual "lifestyle"...missing the boat IMHO. It's a great way to get on track and learn how to eat right but it's basically like training wheels...someday you should be able to take them off and just ride your bike.

I agree with this.

I haven't checked this thread in a while so there's a possibility that I'm reposting something I said earlier in the thread, but I think a major consideration is whether or not the act of tracking has a negative impact on the quality of life of the user and if so, how much of an impact and what's the trade-off?

I can see tracking being preferred and perhaps even enjoyable for certain people without causing any issues and in this example they can probably track long term and be perfectly fine with it.

But I don't think that's the norm, and if tracking does cause problems then it shouldn't be the long-term strategy or goal.

F00LofaT00K

I think it depends on the person. You don't lose, gain, or maintain weight because you LOG a certain number of calories, you lose, gain, or maintain weight because you EAT a certain number of calories. I think some people can eat that number comfortably after logging for a while and I think others aren't able to do that successfully. I'm not sure if I will be able to just eyeball things and maintain once I reach my goal. I hope I can, but I'm thinking I may be dependent on MFP for assistance.

bobbie1965

I know what your trying to say.. if you keep moving & eating the same healthy way you will not blow back up...it getting lazy & choosing the wrong foods that will have us gain back... but tracking your food does give it to you straight when you wright down everything you put in your mouth! it keeps you more aware ;-) lol

bobbie1965

I think you can as long as you haven't change you eating habits & choices, work out...but if you feel that change I say get back to basic...I did even restarted my ticker...starting over fresh...even I have stay down for almost a year now im fighting bad cravings & about 4lbs ;-) so im tring to look at it as a new begaining ;-)
good luck!!

RKD63

Yes I never used to log my food. I just ate healthily and exercised, I was active with young children and healthy all round. Now I need to see WHY I am putting on weight (if being Hypothyroid with poor medication is NOT supposed to put weight on ), so I chose to log and it is interesting. Although my point hasn't been proved yet.

RKD63

I don't log, I used to and will never go back. You should be able to have enough self control to eat freely without having to write down every little thing you eat every single day, that just unnatural. I know a lot of people on here log and that's fine I just don't see how you guys manage to do this or why it's needed 24/7. Really sorry if I offended any trackers by this

Remember that in 20years when you've had a couple kids and a few life experiences. At 19 life is good.

I'm almost 40 and I don't track and maintain just fine.

I'm actually a little bit surprised that so many people think the act of logging is the actual "lifestyle"...missing the boat IMHO. It's a great way to get on track and learn how to eat right but it's basically like training wheels...someday you should be able to take them off and just ride your bike.

I couldn't agree more and very well put!