Maintainers...did you keep a food diary?

Annzatgoal

I'd love to hear from those who have reached or are approaching their goal, to see how many have regularly journaled their food intake. Wondering, too, if you continue to record your meals now that you've reached your goal? I lead a first Place 4 Health group, and trying to help participants see the value of this discipline has been a struggle, but I've read the majority of those who've successfully lost weight incorporated the food diary as one of their main tools.

Thanks!

lin7604

i would love to know too, i am close to being able to maintain and i am not sure if i should keep logging and if so for how long before i try to break myself free from this for a while and see if i can do it on my own? I really don't want to have to log for the rest of my life.

shmunster

I got to my goal weight logging every single day, and have been maintaining for 5 months now, and still log every day

thingeringer

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KyliAnnHobson

I still log every single day and have no intention of stopping. I actually enjoy logging and I like to get my macros just where I want them. I like pre-planning my day and the sense of control I feel. I think it's been the single most helpful tool in the course of my weight loss.

schlange11b

I have been logging more so now that I am at goal. This is for several reasons, actually.
1. I want to make sure that I do not get in the mindset of "I am at goal, I can eat however I want."
2. I feel that one can always make improvements (cutting bf%, building more muscle, etc), and tracking calories and macros is essential to this.
3. Honestly, kinda just got into the habit of it. Drives my wife crazy at times.


edited for grammar

Ely82010

On maintenance since January 2011. Logging everyday (weekends and holidays too), even when I am on vacation. I don't care if the values are estimated and I am off (+/-). Logging keeps me accountable.

CarrieAbbey

I'm at my goal weight too and I log everyday. I usually take Friday and/or Saturday night "off" from logging just so I can give myself a mental break. But the next morning I'm back on doing my thing. For me it keeps me on track so I don't stray.

RaeN81

It all depends. I have maintained with and without a food journal. What is cool about a journal is that you get into "food habits" and eventually you have a pretty good idea of what you can eat to maintain and hence you can have the freedom to go without it. You can look back and see what you ate while you were doing well. That being said, it can be easy for negative habits to come creeping back in and for pounds to come back on, so going back to logging can be beneficial for a while as you get back to your routine. Personally, once I had good habits in place from consistent journalling, I did not need to do it anymore. I have been doing it lately though due to heavy training and because I decided to shed a little more weight.

Tedebearduff

I'd love to hear from those who have reached or are approaching their goal, to see how many have regularly journaled their food intake. Wondering, too, if you continue to record your meals now that you've reached your goal? I lead a first Place 4 Health group, and trying to help participants see the value of this discipline has been a struggle, but I've read the majority of those who've successfully lost weight incorporated the food diary as one of their main tools.

Thanks!

I stopped logging my food about 3 weeks or so ago. It just became a habit and I don't have "cheat days" so I just eat well everyday. I am still losing and am about half way to my goal...

DawnEH612

I surpassed my original GW and am now 4 pounds from my new GW. I don't find logging obtrusive anymore and actually like holding myself accountable and mindful of what I am choosing. For so long I just ate out of emotion, habit, poor coping skills...so I enjoy making conscious choices, of what to put in my body, these days. I plan to continue to log until I have maintained my goal weight for atleast 6 months and then I will reevaluate.... I may do it for a lifetime... It's really not that hard to do...

freew67

I am only about 7-8 lbs away from hitting my main goal. Once I go into maintain, I still plan to keep my log well into the future. For me, its more about just making sure I stay on track and keeping me honest. Since I use the app on my droid, its not like its hard to log each day. My sister said it best, "We will prob be counting calories the rest of our lives."

http://freew67.blogspot.com/

reneelee

If I want to stay the same yes, for the rest of my life. Otherwise the weight will slowoly creep back on!

JeanneTops

I've maintained a healthy BMI for over a year now - the longest I've ever gone in my life. The way I see it is:

1. I've got sixty years of bad habits to overcome. That's not going to happen in three years. I'm going to give it 30 years and then see.

2. The easiest person in the world to lie to and to fool is yourself. There's always an excuse to tell yourself and a reason to close your eyes to what you're really eating. Weighing, measuring and logging are the only ways to stay honest.

3. Logging what I eat plus daily exercise is a lot easier than losing 100 pounds AGAIN.

shmunster

It doesn't bother me thinking about logging well into the future, I'd rather log than be the weight I used to be

CynthiasChoice

I haven't reached my goal yet, but I plan on logging calories forever. I'll be ninety and still counting my calories. I know myself too well to trust that I would be accountable for everything I ate unless I track. I don't want to gradually slip back into bad habits.

Tamishumate

yes for almost two years now!

stang_girl88

I havent reached goal yet this time around. But when I do, I will have to keep logging. Every other time I have lost weight and reached goal I would stop tracking my food after a while and have always gained it back. I have lost a significant amount of weight, I think four times now and well, I am here trying to lose it yet again lol.

Looking4ward

Went on maintenance about 3 weeks ago.

Still logging daily - and still losing inches.

marekdds

Been maintaining since March 2012. I still log almost everyday, to keep me honest. I could always lose, just could never keep if off. I have had a few days here & there that I didn't log, just to see how I would do. Not ready to give it up, if ever. Knowing I have to log it keeps me aware of what I am eating.

emmamiso5

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