Who else finds it hard to be HONEST?

MooMooooo

I have struggled with this since I first added the app to my iphone.

Adding everything I eat, I mean.

I even quit for a while because I was so angry with myself.

It is so hard to face up to the truth. The truth is I eat too much and I eat the wrong things.

The more honest I am the more I'm going to get out of it.

But I've been lying to myself for so long.

It's painful.

anabell31

I'm in the same boat. I haven't been logging the past few days because I've grabbed so many snacks and sodas from vending machines and have been skipping proper meals...

TiltingAtWindmills

I totally understand what you mean. It's hard to count everything and tempting to skip an entry (especially when you know that item will put you over your goal). But stick with it! I first started MFP just to test what I'd been reading that logging everything you eat tends to lead to more successful weight loss. It took me a couple weeks to train myself to count EVERYTHING, but I learned and am sticking with it. Plus, even on a day when I don't meet my goal, I can look back at my first weeks and see that I'm doing better. That helps.

muddyventures

I am being honest and leave my diary open, but I really hate posting when I've eaten out. It is making me think about everything I eat because I did make a commitment to post, so for me it is working. Sometimes I think about just entering the calorie amount rather than the actual name of what I ate.

honeybearhoneybear

I can totally relate it seems once you write it down it becomes more of a reality so if I had a bad day I used to refuse to write it down. I am trying to change that mentality because it is so easy to say well I didn't track my food yesterday what difference does today make, it's a vicious cycle. Now I am trying to write it down even when I have a bad day, because once I hit "complete entry" button and MFP informs me if I keep eating like that what my weight will be at in five weeks it helps me get back on track.

MrDude_1

I never had a problem with it.

However at first, I did eat less BECAUSE I would have to write it in....

hapoo100

You said the truth, "the more honest I am the more I will get out of it."

be honest with yourself.

it is painful, but through the pain you will look how you want and you will be healthier.

its painful because you are human. You can do this.

MooMooooo

I think the problem is more widespread but not everyone 'hates' themselves for it.

For some people it has the opposite effect - it makes them feel better.

There is another thread here that I found so interesting - people who are adding food to the database with ridiculously low calorie counts.

It's a version of the 'lying' that I was doing.

But still lying and maybe even worse than me because it's hurting the weightloss of other people.

ChristieStearns

In the past this has always been a problem for me. For some reason I've been able to let go of that now knowing no one is making me do this, this is for me, I want the awareness of what is going in and I want to strive to improve.
If you feel like trying to stay in the calorie goal is too hard right now - don't try to. Just focus on tracking. Put every single thing in the app and ignore what the numbers are. This may be a good place to start and then you can work on small goals and swapping out choices. It may help you to keep your food diary private on MFP too, so that you don't fear judgement from anyone else. You need to know it's ok to be honest with yourself! Don't give up. I know you can do this! Have you ever read the book Intuitive Eating? It helped me so much!!

Emporor_Augustus

Been there, been doing that. It hurt me soooo bad when I joined up today and had to input that I'd eaten a bunch of Chinese food... now I skipped lunch so my calorie goal didn't go over, but that's not healthy either.

The fact of the matter is that you're right, lying isn't going to do anything but hurt yourself. No one HAS to look at your log sheet but you, and even if you don't log it on here, definitely write it in a secret notebook or something. Even bad food, tracked, is supposed to be more helpful in losing weight than not tracking it.

Be strong, you'll always have friends here... fellow liars

dad040859

It's kind of a double-edged sword; being honest is the only way this thing will work. At the same time, your friends will keep after you (in a gentle, kind way) to do more. (HELLO MARK)

Keeping some things out of our diary only makes us feel better when we look at the day's total. But I've found that being TOTALLY honest actually encourages me to be better tomorrow!

cannonsky

I had the problem the first time I tried using a food diary. I find a more successful now because I plan my meals in advance (sometimes days). By doing this I don't have to think about what I'm going to eat when I'm starving and I can plan a variety of foods. So if I'm craving yogurt, but I'm out of calories, I can plan to eat it the next day. I also don't count calories on Sunday to give myself a break from how frustrating it can be.

Just don't give up!