When you fall off the wagon?

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Replies

  • kenazfehu
    kenazfehu Posts: 1,188 Member
    It's kind of hard to log when I "fall off the wagon" because that means I don't weigh, measure, or count.
  • toya316
    toya316 Posts: 137 Member
    I have not logged many times due to guilt. But it made me feel worse. I try to log as accurate as possible daily. Reading this thread and the comments has helped me. We all struggle with this journey. Start logging everything.


    True... I only use to log Sunday ~ Thursday because of the guilt of drinking on the weekends :drinker: ... Now, I log, and that guilty feeling has put my drinking to a hault this weekend (first weekend of a full log)..:bigsmile: I think knowing that people are watching me helps me to stay on point...
  • ddamore
    ddamore Posts: 36 Member
    I stop logging when I fall off the wagon. I feel why bother, it will just take too much time to type in all of the stuff i've eatten. LOL i know that's awful. I was doing so well on here for awhile but i got sick a few months ago and now I just can't remotivate.
  • TonyStark30
    TonyStark30 Posts: 497 Member
    When I'm angry i don't log it. otherwise, I actually enjoy logging the binge days, its like eating it all again lol
  • TigvaDraga
    TigvaDraga Posts: 12 Member
    I have had this app for a year, and like you, I would not log in when I had a crap day. I also told myself that I didn't need to log the weekends, because those would be my cheat days. Well, I was only hurting myself! I did lose weight, but it took me 1 year to lose 10 pounds, I was like, ok, this is not working...I need to step it UP. My really good friend told me that she started using this sight and that she had online friends, and that it really helped to motivate her and keep her on track with where she wants to eventually be, she has lost 25 or 30 pounds in a few months from watching her food intake and working out on a regular basis. I thought it silly to be friends with people I do not know, but I gave it a shot anyhow. Well, it has been 30 days, and I have logged in EVERY day, I log in EVERYTHING, even when I have crap days, and I have had more than a few, pad thai, chinese, BEER! BUT, I still lost 5 pounds in 30 days! Logging the added calories that I KNOW I over did it on actually has helped me more, because I am more aware of what I need to work on the next day and more motivated to run and exercise a little bit harder. Hope this helps you! Keep logging in ;)
  • parmoute
    parmoute Posts: 99 Member
    This thread couldn't be any better timed. I had an awesome day yesterday nutritionally and I've been really happy with myself lately, but today is going to be a mess. I have insomnia and it's been screwy lately, which means the rest of my body has been too. Today I'm so over-tired that I'm moving around like Ricochet Rabbit, I can't focus on anything and I have a midterm at 6:00pm. I've given myself permission to eat whatever I need to in order to get through the day, but part having so much pseudo-energy is that I also have a serious case of the munchies. I'm not hungry, I just need to be doing stuff. I had just decided to call today a wash -- if I let myself, I'll eat so much without thinking about it that I won't even know what to log -- but then I read this thread. Even to blow off today, I have no problem getting "back on the wagon" tomorrow without much guilt, but you've all reminded me that I can do it, even on a crazy day like today. I might still head straight for the salty food, but I can slow down and log it all and work on balancing everything out over the rest of the week. Thanks for the inspiration!!!
  • TigvaDraga
    TigvaDraga Posts: 12 Member
    YES! Couldn't have said it better ;)
  • SomeoneSomeplace
    SomeoneSomeplace Posts: 1,094 Member
    I've had weeks where I was 4000 calories over my net, I log everything I eat.

    It keeps you accountable.
  • I will let myself have a bad day. Heck, sometimes I am having an awful day and will consciously stress eat. I always log it, and I try to never feel bad about it. Yeah, you made a mistake, but it is almost always recoverable. I have had weeks where I overate by a 1000(!) calories in one day, and I was still able to balance it out by exercising more and being very careful the rest of the week. The only person you are lying to is yourself. There is no shame in making a mistake, but not being honest about it robs you of the opportunity to make up for it.
  • I'm glad to see that I am not the only one who skips logging when they have a bad food day. Mine turned into a month and yesterday I started back full force. After reading this I am determined to log everything no matter what because everyone is right...I am only cheating myself by not logging, even the bad days. Thanks for starting this thread! :smile:
  • Hey Sparkle! I posted a similar topic under this thread called "Sabotaging Myself" cause lord knows I fall off the wagon atleast one day a week and then punish myself for it by eating more crap! A lot of wonderful people responded so feel free to check it out or friend me. But long story short, this is the conclusion I've come to. It seems every Sunday I fall off the wagon but then come Monday, I pick myself back up. I may have lost 3 pounds and then gain 1-2 back and I used to see this as defeat. I don't allow myself to see it that way now. Now, I tell myself, yeah, you gained some (if not most all) of the weight back, but I still weigh less than I started out at, whether it's 2 pounds or 20! I am still lighter, I am still making progress even if it's very slow. That keeps me feeling a little more encouraged so I pick back up again from where I fell off. Like I said, I fall off damn near once a week, if not twice. Don't give up though! PICK BACK UP. So what if you had a bad day? That's still better than when you (or me, at least) were being bad 7 days a week and doing nothing about it! I've only lost 5 pounds but it's been a lot of work, a lot of back-and-forth to get those 5 off. Don't give up! No matter what you've lost or what you've gained back, you've put WAY too much hard work in to give up now! :)))

    PS: I dont log on the days I fall off the wagon cause lord, sometimes I'm eating or drinking more than I can count. You don't need the log to tell you that. Don't feel bad about that. If seeing you ate 5,000 calories one day is just going to make you feel worse and go further off the deep end, than it's better not to log it! Whatever helps you is what you should do!
  • newcs
    newcs Posts: 717 Member
    I log everything even if it's bad. I like being able to look back and see how much better I've gotten over the months and also try to figure out why I slipped when I did (because I still do). I also think there's no point to not logging it just because it's not ideal...doesn't make it not true if you don't log it. The only exception is that I've decided to stop tracking weekends but that's because I'm at maintenance and I can't accurately track weekends so I've decided to skip it for now.
  • I log everything no matter how good or bad I do....there is something to be said for holding yourself accountable.
  • Angie_1991
    Angie_1991 Posts: 447 Member
    This weekend I fell off...ugh. I don't know why I do it because I feel like such crap afterwards. It isn't worth it.......
  • tjphelps73
    tjphelps73 Posts: 171 Member
    What wagon? Throw the wagon in the garbage and move forward. MFP is just a tool for you to assist in your life choices. You do not answer to it or need to follow it. You use it to your benefit. If you eat 3000 calories, log them, if you eat 1200 calories, log them. MFP allows you to go back and review previous days, months, etc. and this will allow you to see your weakness and confront them. It also allows you to see your accomplishments which I assure you, if only small, will be worth it!! Good Luck!
  • rm830
    rm830 Posts: 531 Member
    I try to log everything. I keep my diary closed because I dont really need to read a lecture about eating a cupcake and drinking two beers for my dinner. I know I messed up - but I'm gonna log it anyway.

    ^^This
  • logging daily despite setbacks (i have them CONSTANTLY) is the first step (for me anyway) of building a daily consciousness and intent to be a disciplined person. even if i have a bad day food wise, i feel like im doing good for myself by logging it. im building one habit that will help me get control over the rest of my diet/exercise/life.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    Sometimes I know I haven't eaten very well, or I haven't been to the gym. So I don't log in to MFP. I'll wait until I feel better about what I ate or my gym day. Do you all do this? I have been logging in sporadically the last few weeks, and I know I've gained a pound or two. When you have a "bad" day, do you 'fess up and face the music by putting it in your MFP diary? Or do you log in only on "good" days?

    I suspect that I *should* log everything no matter what.

    You do what you have to do to get back on track. That differs from person to person, and what is beneficial for one person might be detrimental to another.

    If logging the "bad" days helps you be more accountable for making today better, then you up and do it, document your mistake, and learn from it.

    If you're the sort (like me) who will just wallow in self-pity by logging it and possibly suffer a relapse or run the risk of giving up, skip the day and forget about it, think about the behavior that cause it and resolve not to repeat that behavior, and move on.

    If you find yourself doing this on too many occasions, it's time to be honest with yourself about how badly you want this and whether your current approach is working. You may need to look for different motivations (up your exercise program by committing to a charity athletic event, for example, so your training is not only benefiting your body, it's also benefiting a cause greater than yourself).
  • I'm on day 14 right now. I have been logging everything, but something I've been trying to do is, in the section of notes at the bottom, log how I am feeling. I'm hoping to discover some patterns. One thing I've learned is that in between activities I tend to try and grab a little something of whatever is available. For whatever reason I associate 'transition time' or 'break time' with 'snack time'. I've found that 'cheating' or 'falling off the wagon' or just making bad choices has given me some insight to my habits and therefore is helping me break them.
  • SparkleHorse224
    SparkleHorse224 Posts: 98 Member
    So far, nobody has lectured me about anything and thank the lord for that - it wouldn't last with me.

    It's good to know others' are thinking about this topic, too, and knowing how you all deal with it - it's interesting reading your posts. Some people are logging everything every day, some are like me and feel sheepish about logging high-calorie days. Some of you have, I think fallen off the wagon and need MFP's AAA to come pick you up and give you a tow back to Fitland lol. (And I've done that, people, I have.)

    Anyway, send me a note and friend me (what do they call it here? Adding? Buddies?) and we can keep nudging each other.
  • raeleek
    raeleek Posts: 414 Member
    I log everything. Keep yourself accountable.

    With that said, life happens. You will have good days and bad days. You fall off the wagon? Get the f*@k back up and get your *kitten* on the wagon!

    There is no failure in falling, there is only failure in refusing to get back up! Deep huh? :wink: :drinker: :drinker:
  • auntiebabs
    auntiebabs Posts: 1,754 Member
    Sometimes I know I haven't eaten very well, or I haven't been to the gym. So I don't log in to MFP. I'll wait until I feel better about what I ate or my gym day. Do you all do this? I have been logging in sporadically the last few weeks, and I know I've gained a pound or two. When you have a "bad" day, do you 'fess up and face the music by putting it in your MFP diary? Or do you log in only on "good" days?

    I suspect that I *should* log everything no matter what.

    I keep my journal *private*... but I log EVERYTHING
    (I can lie in my journal, I can lie to myself, I CANNOT lie to my body it knows every single thing I consume)

    Logging honestly helps me see patterns and once I see patterns it's easier to find coping strategies.

    I know we all say we are never going to stress eat again, but I kind of think so some extent it's a fact of life.
    I kind of thought I knew what my stress triggers were, but I had a few surprises once I saw things written down.

    It comes down to finding strategies to deal with stress.

    And some time that means allowing myself to indulge, but making it up some place else.

    1) Be good when it's easy to be good.

    2) Look for things that feel like treat, but also have nutritional value.

    3) Recognize that sometimes "eating around a craving" is counter productive...
    (Looking for the *healthy choice* you end up consuming as many or more calories, but don't get the satisfaction)

    4) Don't feel guilty when you eat a treat...
    (It's your choice and your body will deal with the consequences regardless no need to stress yourself on top of that.)
  • Connie48
    Connie48 Posts: 190 Member
    I'm glad to see that I am not the only one who skips logging when they have a bad food day. Mine turned into a month and yesterday I started back full force. After reading this I am determined to log everything no matter what because everyone is right...I am only cheating myself by not logging, even the bad days. Thanks for starting this thread! :smile:

    This is me....I haven't logged in a long time but am starting back today. I keep my diary private (and always will) When I do log, I get results (lose wt) but when I quit logging I gain it back. I just get tired of logging tho...I'm on a computer all day at work and when I'm at home don't want to get on the computer again. Can do logging from work I guess...
  • Superbritt2drescu
    Superbritt2drescu Posts: 273 Member
    I figure this is working on creating good habits with nutrition and exercise. Its not about 1lb or losing a race. This is journey to a better me will have ups and downs. And I do log it when I gain a lb. or two. I'm not perfect, but I want to be better. I just kick my own butt back into gear.
  • hrtease2
    hrtease2 Posts: 10 Member
    I log everything .. there has been more then one time ive went way over but somtimes not as bad as i had originallly thought..:):drinker:
  • Saaaam42
    Saaaam42 Posts: 154 Member
    Sometimes I know I haven't eaten very well, or I haven't been to the gym. So I don't log in to MFP. I'll wait until I feel better about what I ate or my gym day. Do you all do this? I have been logging in sporadically the last few weeks, and I know I've gained a pound or two. When you have a "bad" day, do you 'fess up and face the music by putting it in your MFP diary? Or do you log in only on "good" days?

    I suspect that I *should* log everything no matter what.
    Log everything!!!!!!! Don't let your friends see the "___________________ has not logged in for 3 days" lol!
  • Saaaam42
    Saaaam42 Posts: 154 Member
    I'm glad to see that I am not the only one who skips logging when they have a bad food day. Mine turned into a month and yesterday I started back full force. After reading this I am determined to log everything no matter what because everyone is right...I am only cheating myself by not logging, even the bad days. Thanks for starting this thread! :smile:

    This is me....I haven't logged in a long time but am starting back today. I keep my diary private (and always will) When I do log, I get results (lose wt) but when I quit logging I gain it back. I just get tired of logging tho...I'm on a computer all day at work and when I'm at home don't want to get on the computer again. Can do logging from work I guess...
    Get the smartphone app!!
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    Generally, I log everything, good or bad. It's what keeps me on track, I think. Knowing that I have to log it makes me think twice about eating it. when I look at other people around me, whether on MFP or doing something like Weight Watchers, it seems that not logging/recording food goes hand in hand with going completely off track. That's why I'm determined to log, even if it's a bad day.

    That said, I've not logged 100% over Christmas because it was causing me more stress trying to work out the calories in what someone else had made, or in leftovers... I decided to take a week off logging, but I'm looking forward to getting right back to it. I know that not logging has contributed to me eating more than I would have otherwise.
  • LittleMissRainey
    LittleMissRainey Posts: 440 Member
    When I fall off the wagon, I just keep going. I shouldn't, but I do. I usually log everything, even if I'm over.
    I'm going to be down on myself anyway, so why worry?

    I'm not going to get mad at myself for an extra mouthful or whatever, if I'm gonna hate myself I'm damn well gonna give myself a good reason!