SO FRUSTRATED. when will i ever be able to stop dieting?

torrtorrr

I've been dieting for over a year now, started out with weight watchers and got to my goal Then when I came to college I came on here so I had a guide to help me stay thin through school. I'm just so frustrated because I feel like I'm going to have to do this for the rest of my life. I can't eat anything without logging it and its just habit now. I don't think I can eat normally without keeping track. Does anyone else have the same problem?

Anna19911

I honestly think that even when I get to my goal, i'll still have to track.

simplyxaddicted

This is not referred to as a "diet " .. This has to be a lifestyle change or it wont work out in the end...

kmeekhof

That's why it shoud be thought of as a lifestyle change and not a diet. The tools are here for people to use and stay accountable to themselves. Don't be frustrated with feeling like you have to log, it's a good thing! Good luck to you

ashwalden85

Your frustrated because your calling it dieting, once you get use to it, it will be a life change. Once you have been logging your food long enough hopefully it will automatically make you conscious of your portions and what is good and bad for you, but yes I feel like I will never be able to not log my food or I too will go out of control because I will keep telling myself well its just a bite then 5 min later its just a small piece before you know it, its a whole cake! lol Good luck stay focussed!

adjones_21

Losing weight and getting healthy is not a diet, it is a life style change. You may diet to jump start the weight loss, but in order to keep the weight off and stay healthy you have to change your life style. After a while of logging your food you will be able to judge/measure just by sight.

audjrey

it's not a problem for me. it's a tool, much like a set of dumbbells that helps me stay on track with my goals. change how you see it and you'll change your whole perspective on dieting. soon, it'll just become a way of life and not a task that you 'have' to do.

annastacia10

Bump to all the comments! It might seem like a chore at first but it is a lifestyle and will benefit you in the long run. Don't get discouraged....keep at it and you will be better off.

andreadawn78

Some of us arent lucky enough to eat whatever without gaining. So just keep the mental attitude this is how my eating habits are dont think of it like a diet. Just commit to a healthy lifestyle and it will get easier.

kacarter1017

If you feel that the way you are eating is a diet, you aren't going to be successful. This is a way of life, a choice you are making. This way of eating (or something similar) will be how you eat for the rest of your life if you want to stay healthy.

kbanzhaf

Hi,

In all honesty, if you want to keep the weight off, probably never. On another post, many of the respondents are saying they are on the "Use-Common-Sense-And-Don't-Eat-Like-A-Moron" diet. And this leads to the principle of this isn't a DIEt, it's a LIFEstyle change.

Does that mean that at some point you won't be able to have a day here or there where you can just enjoy yourself and not worry about everything you eat? ABSOLUTELY NOT.....and that doesn't mean that you'll fall off the lifestyle change if you do. I truly take a day (sometimes a weekend or whatever) "off," and just enjoy myself. I try to eat somewhat sensibly, and to continue walking....but if I don't, I just know I'll have to start again when that weekend or special time is over.

I've changed my life.....I've transformed my thought processes....I never want to be overweight again.

You CAN change your mindset.....good luck in that transformation.
Kaye

karanmwk

I don't think I'll ever be able to 'Not' track my food too. About 2 1/2 years ago I decided to 'change my lifestyle'. I started exercising regularly and counting calories...it worked - I lost 25 pounds! So for about 9 months I did it pretty faithfully...after that I quit counting calories but continued eating the same healthy things and kept exercising. In time, I gradually began to add high calorie foods back to my diet and didn't exercise quite as much - before I knew it, I'd gained 15 pounds back. I tend to eat for emotional reasons though and that's why I lose control with food. I honestly feel that I will have to monitor my food and exercise forever - right here at MFP.

danielleeeee

I can relate... well, sort of.

I worry that I'll still RELY on "tools" like mfp in order to function and maintain once I reach a healthy weight. If it's truly a lifestyle change then I'd like to LIVE without NEEDING the internet every time I eat. I think the idea is to learn how to eyeball healthy portions of different foods throughout the day... but I fear that I'll be doomed if I cut the cord and stray from the security blanket of mfp!

RachelReady2Run

I agree about the life style thing, for sure. But I can see where logging forever would be frustrating. I know that for me, when I reach my goal, I will probably need/want to stay around and make sure that I maintain.

That being said, I know that when I went out of town for a wedding and had no way to log in my food, I felt so FREE. I wasn't obsessing about food all weekend. I just tried to eat everything in moderation.

Knowing your portion sizes and being able to estimate (from your experience and training here) should make it easier after you reach your goal... I just wanted to say I understand where your frustration comes from!

nopainnogain_wink

I know how you feel...it seems like when you start you can't stop without feeling guilty. Your not alone!

WolffEarl

I had to smile at your blog title Torr. Assuming that you are eating a healthy, varied "diet", with lots of fresh fruit, veggies, leans proteins etc. the answer to your title question is hopefully: "NEVER". Why would you want to? I agree with the rest of the folks here saying it is best not to think of what you eat as a diet but as a healthy way to give your body what it needs. After all, I assume you are not wondering" When will I ever be able to start eating lousy food again that is not good for my body"?:). Like saying: When will I ever be able to start smoking again, now that my lungs are clean again. None of us ask that, yet somehow we believe that not eating certain "processed foods" (if they should be called foods), is some major sacrifice that we make at the altar of greater health. It would be cool if foods in the big super markets started to carry more appropriate labels such as " I only pretend to be a food but I taste good" or "Empty calorie snack, eat me now" or "I make your arteries clog desert, have me"

bnorris2013

I am glad to have come across this thread as I have been feeling this way lately and felt like I need motivation
I knew when I started this "diet" 6 weeks ago that I was going to change my lifestyle and it felt different then all the other times
I tried to lose weight in the past from 6 week body makeover to weight watchers
I felt like this is going to work this time

But over the last few days I felt like man I just want to go have a pizza and enjoy it without the guilty feeling of eating it - And believe me I have had off days already but they were planned ahead of time so I have enjoyed a tasty McDonald's breakfast (just 2 days ago) but again as I said I planned for it I knew I was going to go over my calories that day as I decided every few weeks I would take a day to make it a free day where I would still yes count my calories but I would not concern myself if I went over my calories - The first time I took a free day I truly felt free of the stress of it and ate exactly what I wanted and how much of it I wanted and the next day I felt great and jumped back on - 2 days ago when I took another free day I still caught myself saying no you dont need that and even though I had McDonalds at my next meal i cut my portions because i felt guilty about the high calorie breakfast I had and ended the day not feeling like I truly had a free day and since then I have totally felt like taking out the entire bag of chips and melting my cheese on it and chomping away - I do feel like a made a mistake Sunday by not truly taking a free day - The first free day I had I waited til the end of the day and then logged my calories this last one I was logging as I went - Anyways so just needed a pick me up and encouragement to stay strong

As I type this message I feel stronger and better now that I am getting this off my chest
It also helped me as I was typing this to realize why I felt so bad after my free day on Sunday and it was because It truly was not a free day as I was still counting and worrying all day long and what I should have done was just enjoyed my free day and worried about the calories at the end of the day and then I would not have felt I guess cheated out of my free day
Luckily my next free day is planned for next week as the kids are out of school and we are taking the kids out for a special day one day next week so I won't have to wait as long for my next free day and this time I will be sure to enjoy my day and not worry

I am determined to make this change in my life not only for myself but for my hubby who is making this change at the same time and for my kids - Both of my daughters are now exercising not that they need it but because we are they want to themselves so this change is going to be good for our entire family - I just need to keep myself motivated and on track :-)

hkmurphy83

I don't think there is anything wrong with tracking. It keeps you accountable and helps to prevent lbs from sneaking back. Once I hit goal and maintainence I may not be as strict about every single little taste of something, but I also know that I will always need to keep myself aware because that is how I've always gained all my weight and then some back. I quit tracking and let myself fall back to old habits.

jfauci

Agree with the others that this is a lifestyly change. For me, logging is not something I dread, but I look forward to. And, it's become part of my daily routine. If I do miss a day, I feel TOTALLY off. Maybe it's my need to always be in control, but it works.

melsinct

I felt the same way and was getting frustrated. I lost the weight and didn't want to track everything for the rest of my life. I have been maintaining for a year now and what keeps me sane is I don't track weekends. Ever. I still make good choices and eat reasonable portion sizes, I just don't enter it into MFP. I make sure I weigh myself once a week to keep myself in check. The key is not to revert to your old overeating ways. If you think you can eat within your calorie goal without tracking, then go for it. Otherwise, you'll need to find the balance that works for you to keep the weight off.