Selective loggin'

newcs
newcs Posts: 717 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Anyone log only on certain days? I consider myself to be at maintenance weight-wise (though I'm working on body composition now) and feel like I'm rarely able to log weekends accurately. I don't know what to log for exercise because none of it is intentional exercise but I am very active (unlike Mon-Fri where I'm very sedentary but then hit the gym for 45min-1hr each day). I'm also much more likely to eat food prepared by someone else (friends, restaurants, etc) and have to kind of guess at the calories. I'm toying with the idea of logging Monday - Friday and just making sensible choices on weekends. Anyone done this? I plan to log at least part-time for quite a while to make sure I'm keeping a good handle on things.

Replies

  • LisaKC
    LisaKC Posts: 328 Member
    I used to log everything, but since returning to MFP this year, I can't get into it. I am always mindful of what I eat, but have decided not to log at all on weekends. I try during the week, and I do log exercise. For me, I think I need to learn to eat well all the time, and can't see myself logging food into eternity.
  • quietHiker
    quietHiker Posts: 1,442 Member
    I sort of do this now...Maintenance mode is what you make of it :) I think the way you are going to go about it is a very good plan, because weight loss is a life choice, not just some diet :) and by knowing that you're making healthy choices on the weekends, it is showing that it's clicked in your brain that you've made a healthy lifestyle change :)
  • 5pmsomewherenow
    5pmsomewherenow Posts: 163 Member
    I'm also in maintenance mode -- I figure that logging of food or exercise doesn't make it "true" or "good for you." It's just a virtual note somewhere of what you are doing on a particular day. The physical act of logging is also not going to stave off weight gain, especially if we're not truthfully or accurately accounting for the calories IN or OUT. It's more about the actual stuff we eat, and the way we move our bodies, regardless of logging.

    I think each person needs to try different things and work out what's best for the lifestyle she is leading. Ultimately we all have to hold only one person accountable. I still weigh in each week, and log every day. I like the habit of logging, and the phone app makes it easy. I do agree that the M-F logging is a little easier as the daytime is more repetitive, and the dinners to a certain extent too.

    I've seen quite a few people, in the weight-loss mode, mentioning on message boards that "I only MFP during the week, and take weekends off." Not too many have a negative side to that, or mention that they were doing this, and it was a mistake. ??? Hmmmm?
  • newcs
    newcs Posts: 717 Member
    I appreciate the input! I think I'll take the weekends off from logging for a bit and see how it goes. I already knew I'd be taking some time off from logging during the holidays (too much travel and food made by people other than me to get even close to accurate). We'll see how it goes! I've always eaten fairly healthy, but portion size/control was a HUGE issue for me...mostly because I didn't know what a normal portion was. Now I mostly know what I expect to be a normal portion size so hopefully I will be able to make good choices.

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