Will you ever stop logging/tracking?

amsparky
amsparky Posts: 825 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey all,

I'm curious. Do you guys ever think you will get to a point where you don't have to log EVERYTHING? If so, how will you know you are at that point?

I'm getting to the point where I am just fine tuning things and realized that it doesn't really matter how many calories I burn. I know I'm working hard - why keep track. With the food, I eat a lot of the same things over and over, so as long as I watch portion control, I should be ok. But giving myself that "freedom" seems daunting.

I'm just curious what your thoughts are. Have a healthy day!!
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Replies

  • craftykat12
    craftykat12 Posts: 50 Member
    I think will always have to keep up with mine, If I quit I'm afraid I will not keep the weight off, and it's not that hard to keep up with.
  • jamaicanlady
    jamaicanlady Posts: 878 Member
    I've thought about this too. I actually stopped tracking my "calories burned" already because I'm doing New Rules and I don't think it's that important for strength training. In terms of eating, I still log because I'm no where near my goal of 25% body fat. I think I will stop logging once I get there and I feel comfortable with my body. I think I've kinda figured out what I can and cannot eat and how much without going over calories.
  • kathyms13
    kathyms13 Posts: 497 Member
    never, im totally obsessed by my calls now and this is my way of keeping them on track.
  • mstawnya
    mstawnya Posts: 450 Member
    When I stop tracking, I slowly creep back into old habits. Eventually, I hope to stop tracking during the week when there are less temptations.
  • thistimeismytime
    thistimeismytime Posts: 711 Member
    You know, I really really HOPE to be able to stop someday. Not in the next year or two, but I would hope not to be counting calories when I'm 70 or 80 years old. I'd like to just learn how to eat appropriately and maintain the weight I'm comfortable with. It's not something that I'm really close to accomplishing though, so who knows?
  • kathyms13
    kathyms13 Posts: 497 Member
    You know, I really really HOPE to be able to stop someday. Not in the next year or two, but I would hope not to be counting calories when I'm 70 or 80 years old. I'd like to just learn how to eat appropriately and maintain the weight I'm comfortable with. It's not something that I'm really close to accomplishing though, so who knows?

    im 65 this year cant see me stopping at 70 if i do its the dementia cos ive forgotten what ive had lol
  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
    Absolutely, I'd be disappointed in myself if I couldn't,

    I want an idea of what is good for me and then be able to follow that and let my body deal with the subtle variances based on a good framework.

    Nutrition should be instinctive, I am grateful for MFP for giving me a clue about my intake but I sure as hell don't want to be tied to it. :)
  • GauchoMark
    GauchoMark Posts: 1,804 Member
    My plan is to maintain for a good period of time by tracking food, then after I have proven to myself that I am at the right calories, I will just go to watching my weight and %fat. If those go up for a couple of weeks I know I need to tighten up some. I don't see the point of collecting all of this data daily forever when all you are trying to do is maintain. I know my weight will fluctuate a little over time, but as long as I don't let it get out of control again, it is always manageable to lose (or gain) 5 lbs.
  • carriempls
    carriempls Posts: 326 Member
    I lost 50 pounds in 2009 and plateaued so I decided to maintain for a while. I was happy with my progress (even though I wasn’t to a healthy weight yet) and decided to give “losing” a break.

    I stopped logging and managed to maintain just fine. If my clothes would start to get tight I’d go back to weighing myself and tracking my calories if I needed to lose a few pounds again.

    This time around, I expect it to be the same way. I will track as long as I need to lose and for the first month or so of maintenance so I can understand my optimal maintenance calories. Then I’ll go to winging it.

    I will probably always check in on calories when I need it, but after a while you really do have a sense of what you’re eating and can figure it out in your head.
  • amsparky
    amsparky Posts: 825 Member
    Interesting to see the different responses. I would like to not have to be so crazy and anal about calories, but it's terrifying. LOL
  • Krys_140
    Krys_140 Posts: 648 Member
    The last time I stopped tracking entirely, I gained 20 pounds back from the 40 I'd lost, and I lost all motivation to get back to the great habits that helped me lose the original 40.

    So, I think that what I'll do is quick-add cals, or at least make daily notes about what I ate, and track my weight on a weekly basis. If I start to creep up for a few weeks at a time, I'll log everything to "right the ship" and get back to proper maintenance.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    I stopped logging and managed to maintain just fine. If my clothes would start to get tight I’d go back to weighing myself and tracking my calories if I needed to lose a few pounds again.

    This.

    I lost almost 60 lbs in 2002/03 and maintained just fine for a couple of years using this method. The reason I put it back on again was a pregnancy in which I abandoned all my good habits learned and put on 70 lbs. Only 35 of which came back off after. But I digress... I would just eat normally and weigh daily. If the weight started creeping up (you will find you have a threshold weight) I'd just start tracking for a week or two and it would come back off.
  • stfuriada
    stfuriada Posts: 445 Member
    Not really. I find the whole thing fascinating, so I will continue to log out of curiosity.
  • LaurieEReid
    LaurieEReid Posts: 273
    No. I find it too easy to fall back in to bad habits and 'this doesn't really count' eating. I have no will power.
  • bunnylvr
    bunnylvr Posts: 78
    No, I've become to obsessive compulsive about it. I tried it for like a week and it didn't work. I told myself that I wasn't going to keep track and not log, but I end up keep track in my head or not eating enough because I'm worried I've already had too many calories for the day.
  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
    I don't intend to stop, no. I've regained weight every time I've lost it. Logging, among other things, may be the difference between going back down that well worn path and changing direction for good.
  • nermal6873
    nermal6873 Posts: 344 Member
    I'd like to eventually stop tracking, but I plan on weighing in weekly probably forever. That way, I'll know if I need to start tracking again. I've been on maintenance a few months now and am still too scared not to log.
  • Jenlwb
    Jenlwb Posts: 682 Member
    I tried for a while last year (although i still logged exercise), and found my sweet intake increasing, and portions growing. But really the reason i started logging again was to track protein for my lifting- as a pescatarian I need to make sure i keep up the protein numbers.

    I do find I obsess more about food when i'm tracking, which in turn makes me eat more... would be nice to stop tracking, but i find i still can't judge things myself, some days i feel i've eaten loads but i'm under, and some days the opposite.

    Plus I'm a control freak so i enjoy this!
  • almostatgoalweight
    almostatgoalweight Posts: 234 Member
    I don't track my intake, so it's not an issue for me. I can generally tell how much I'm eating from the level of hunger, a general feeling of what I'm eating, and my weight. I weigh daily so that makes things easier. When I reach goal weight I plan to weigh myself daily for at least the first year.
  • davidr730
    davidr730 Posts: 126 Member
    I don't plan on stopping. It's an easy way to keep myself honest.
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    Nope, going to log until I drop. I know what happens if I don't. It's not that hard or tedious.
  • Bob314159
    Bob314159 Posts: 1,178 Member
    I'll be logging for another year for sure, I would suspect I will need to log forever. I would weigh myself every day regardless, to ensure I was aware of fat creep.

    I find its too easy to forget little things, I take 10 almonds and then on impulse take another 10. When I log, I remember that extra 10 and see the impact.
  • Lee716
    Lee716 Posts: 150 Member
    The last time I stopped tracking entirely, I gained 20 pounds back from the 40 I'd lost, and I lost all motivation to get back to the great habits that helped me lose the original 40.

    So, I think that what I'll do is quick-add cals, or at least make daily notes about what I ate, and track my weight on a weekly basis. If I start to creep up for a few weeks at a time, I'll log everything to "right the ship" and get back to proper maintenance.

    This is the perfect solution for myself as well. I like knowing where I stand calories wise and it prevents me from overindulgence. Ignorance does not equal bliss when it concerns my weight.
  • cmurray234
    cmurray234 Posts: 112 Member
    If I don't log, I eat too much. I consider the 10 minutes per day or so of work worth it to keep the weight off. I look at it as part of my chores like doing the dishes or vacuuming.
  • krisiepoo
    krisiepoo Posts: 710 Member
    I lost 60+ pounds a couple years ago, I was about 15 pounds from my goal weight and stopped tracking. Now I'm about 55+ pounds from my goal weight. I will never stop because I don't want to be a yo-yoer the rest of my life.

    It's for good this time. I've set myself up to win :)
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
    When I started last August I tracked for 3 months. Lost about 2 lbs a week during that time. I stopped tracking for 6 months, lost on average 2lbs a week during that time. I recently started tracking again because I'm nearing my goal weight loss for the year - I want to stay on target. I'll probably stop tracking again at some point. If I put on weight I'll restart the tracking to get back on course.

    I think once you have a solid understanding calories, portion sizes and which foods are dense with calories it's possible to manage without constantly tracking. For me it was a good excercise to not track for awhile, it tested my ability to manage my intake without the assistance of a tool.
  • beansprouts
    beansprouts Posts: 410 Member
    I plan to continue to log until I drop.
  • Illona88
    Illona88 Posts: 903 Member
    I am going to stop logging once I got into the habit of eating like this and I roughly know how much of what I need to eat in a day.
    I don't think it would be very good for my sanity if I kept logging everything I eat every day.
  • Renae_Nae
    Renae_Nae Posts: 935 Member
    I plan on tracking maintance for about a month after I'm "done." After that I'll continue to weigh-in every week and when I see the scale move then it's back to tracking, plan and simple. I want to learn how much and what to eat. I want my body to be able to "feel" whether I need to eat or not.
  • Kiwen34
    Kiwen34 Posts: 2
    At this point, I don't think it would be a good idea for me to stop tracking my food and calories. When I didn't track, I slowly krept up from 325 pounds to 450. I am back under 400, now that I am tracking and making myself be accountable for all my intake and seeing what I am eating in print, makes me upset with myself and I push my self more to keep on track. Tracking my food intake just helps. But I also use this method for my finances.

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