A bit discouraged...MFP Forever?

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vryanz
vryanz Posts: 49
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey everyone,
So I took a break from MFP, seeing how I was near my goal weight, I decided to see if I could handle not logging. I had the usual 'I'm not logging' eating-not really watching what I ate. That went on for a bit, I did a re-eval, tried to eat healthy again, but I keep falling back into bad habits. After gaining back a couple pounds, I'm back on MFP. I'm pretty good when I am on MFP, I can loose, I eat much healthier, and can stay within by cal goals.
So, call me undisciplined, (I'm usually not, but obviously I am with eating), or just plain dumb and not able to handle myself... I kind of feel like MFP has given me a different mind-set and now I can't manage without it.
Any advice, comments, like feelings?
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Replies

  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
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    I plan on logging during maintenance for a very, very long time.

    I had years and year to build my bad habits, so I suspect it will take me years and years to perfect my new good habits (i.e. moderation).

    Logging only takes about 5 minutes a day, so the idea of logging for a long time doesn't stress me out. It's not a huge sacrifice to make sure that I'm managing my goal weight appropriately. And it seems silly to work so hard to achieve something only to potentially throw it away due to carelessness (like not logging or watching what you're eating).
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    All the research done on weight loss shows it is much easier to lose weight than to keep it off.

    People who keep it off (a) exercise (b) lost it slowly by eating healthy (c) are flexible about what they eat (no hard and fast rules, but watching calories and eating healthy) and (d) continue to monitor. The most effective way to monitor is to log.

    I think I"m going to need to log for a long time - maybe forever.

    However, if you want to monitor and not log religiously, I would do it randomly. Start with logging everything every 3 days. If you're looking good, great, and keep doing that for a while. If you're eating too much, readjust and keep at it. Maybe log the next day afterwards. Watch your weight and see if you're maintaining.

    As you get more and more in the habit of always monitoring, you can make those random checks further and further apart.

    I would write those logging dates on my calendar ahead of time or have them pop up at the end of the day randomly so I couldn't adjust my eating just the days I log. You'd only be lying to yourself, but lying to yourself is easy to do.
  • vryanz
    vryanz Posts: 49
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    I plan on logging during maintenance for a very, very long time.

    I had years and year to build my bad habits, so I suspect it will take me years and years to perfect my new good habits (i.e. moderation).

    Logging only takes about 5 minutes a day, so the idea of logging for a long time doesn't stress me out. It's not a huge sacrifice to make sure that I'm managing my goal weight appropriately. And it seems silly to work so hard to achieve something only to potentially throw it away due to carelessness (like not logging or watching what you're eating).

    True, that is a very good perspective.
  • mjterp
    mjterp Posts: 655 Member
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    This is lifestyle choice for me, not diet. My goal is maintenance of a healthy weight, NOT getting to some goal weight...MAINTENANCE of that weight. (learned that from my dad who has dropped a ton of weight several times and says "losing it isn't hard. it's keeping it off." He is doing weight watchers again...

    I am a forever MFP member. I log daily. I will log daily forever. Just like having to balance my checkbook and see if I have enough money to be able to make a purchase...I have to log my calories forever and check to see if I have enough "budgeted" for those extras!

    Yup...I'm around forever.
  • JonathonMars
    JonathonMars Posts: 358 Member
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    Umm, I had a lot of success logging. And then I stopped--as annoying as it may be, yeah, I think it's one of those things you kind of have to do forever.
  • JenniTheVeggie
    JenniTheVeggie Posts: 2,474 Member
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    I plan on logging for a long long long long time (okay maybe forever). Why? Because of all the times I have tried to shed the nasty unwanted weight I have failed. It wasn't until I found MFP that I became successful at this lifestyle change. MFP is part of my lifestyle now.

    It isn't hard or it doesn't take a lot of time to log so why not?
  • rosesigil
    rosesigil Posts: 105 Member
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    I think MFP or something like it, will, like healthy eating, be a life time committment: the need to keep on track of what we eat, I mean. I'm thinking that it'll never be like it was with food and eating. I can indeed eat "anything" I want, but not "everything," mindlessly like before. My choice. I don't feel bad about it, but it's true that taking it one day at a time is a good way to go. I will always love food, and that's Ok--but I want to stay healthy so that I can experience it---even if less and small amounts at a time---for a long time. :flowerforyou:
  • pkw58
    pkw58 Posts: 2,038 Member
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    I promised my self I would stick with my plan for one year. I have been on maitenance for over 5 months now, and I can assure you I will be here next year when I re- up my promise to my self on New Year's eve. I look at it like my brushing my teeth - it keeps me healthy and feeling good!
  • etoiles_argentees
    etoiles_argentees Posts: 2,827 Member
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    no, sorry......won't log here forever. Food is pleasure in my life, I don't care to think of it as a mathematical equation.
  • Heather_Rider
    Heather_Rider Posts: 1,159 Member
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    Hey everyone,
    So I took a break from MFP, seeing how I was near my goal weight, I decided to see if I could handle not logging. I had the usual 'I'm not logging' eating-not really watching what I ate. That went on for a bit, I did a re-eval, tried to eat healthy again, but I keep falling back into bad habits. After gaining back a couple pounds, I'm back on MFP. I'm pretty good when I am on MFP, I can loose, I eat much healthier, and can stay within by cal goals.
    So, call me undisciplined, (I'm usually not, but obviously I am with eating), or just plain dumb and not able to handle myself... I kind of feel like MFP has given me a different mind-set and now I can't manage without it.
    Any advice, comments, like feelings?

    This is ABSOLUTLY why i dont believe in cutting out foods, and firmly believe in portion control!!! I am eating EXACTLY the same things I ate before i started dieting.. and im also doing things like "eyeballing" my daughters plate, and then measuring and weighing the foods onto another plate, to see how many calories it REALLY is, to see how im doing, because i DONT want to be here forever! Ive been here just over 4 months, and i hope after 1 year, that will be it for me!!

    This is also why i have a cheat day EVERY SINGLE SATURDAY and why i STILL LOSE!!! Because I refuse to stop living!! If i want to (and i do!) drink beer all day saturday and hang out with friends and family and have 20 hot dogs and stand by the snack table and munch for four hours.. I WILL!!! =D By golly everyone should be able to live like a fat-*kitten* once in awhile!! LOL!
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    I don't look at it as an all or nothing kind of thing. I regularly take breaks from logging. I'm on a 2 week break now. I don't log at all on weekends or holidays.

    Long term, I'd rather have periods of my life where I don't think too hard about calories, then reign it in a little and log again if my pants start to get tight, than be super strict all. the. time. I think that's healthier for me emotionally.

    Also, I've learned to ignore the scale as long as my clothes are still fitting fine. I weight 6-8 pounds more than I did a year ago, but I'm smaller now.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
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    This time around, take note of what you're eating and what it costs you. Try to tally it in your head as you go some days and see if it lines up when you log it in. You should enjoy your food and it shouldn't be all about the numbers - just be conscious of overeating massively a few days in a row.
  • dorothytd
    dorothytd Posts: 1,138 Member
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    I like being around here on maintenance - I have more control, and my weight has been very consistent. Rather than be discouraged, I'm thrilled to have a community of support! Taking a few minutes to track is worth it and my fit-minded friends are more supportive of my healthy life than most of my real, live friends.
  • vryanz
    vryanz Posts: 49
    Options
    All the research done on weight loss shows it is much easier to lose weight than to keep it off.

    People who keep it off (a) exercise (b) lost it slowly by eating healthy (c) are flexible about what they eat (no hard and fast rules, but watching calories and eating healthy) and (d) continue to monitor. The most effective way to monitor is to log.

    I think I"m going to need to log for a long time - maybe forever.

    However, if you want to monitor and not log religiously, I would do it randomly. Start with logging everything every 3 days. If you're looking good, great, and keep doing that for a while. If you're eating too much, readjust and keep at it. Maybe log the next day afterwards. Watch your weight and see if you're maintaining.

    As you get more and more in the habit of always monitoring, you can make those random checks further and further apart.

    I would write those logging dates on my calendar ahead of time or have them pop up at the end of the day randomly so I couldn't adjust my eating just the days I log. You'd only be lying to yourself, but lying to yourself is easy to do.

    Thanks, that is a great idea!
  • cappri
    cappri Posts: 1,089 Member
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    At this point I can't imagine not logging my food. I get a bit panicky on the rare occasion when I eat something before I track it. This is for life for me.
  • postrockandcats
    postrockandcats Posts: 1,145 Member
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    I know I'm going to have to log for a long time. And, you know? That's okay. I'm here because I had no idea what I was doing with eating, so I'm looking at this as learning what I never have before. There's no way I could have logged pre smart phone, though. I know this. Bless you, phone developers.

    I've gotten to the point where I can make good maintenance choices (slighly too high for a calorie deficit, but just fine for when I'm not loosing any longer), which is a good thing. I'll still long for a long time, though.
  • vryanz
    vryanz Posts: 49
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    Thanks everyone. I really appreciate the different perspectives. Some of you log all the time, some take breaks, some use it just for losing, some will be on it forever. I'm glad to hear that it is not just me, and that I do just need to find what works for me. I am a little type A, but a laid back type A. I'm thinking logging with breaks will be best for me, since I am much healthier when I log, but I get burned out after awhile. I'll just take it day by day, but now I have a plan. Thanks guys! :)
  • nillapup
    nillapup Posts: 204 Member
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    I have the same issue.. every time I lose a few pounds I stop logging and I inevitably gain it all back :o/
  • FarmFoodDiet
    FarmFoodDiet Posts: 10 Member
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    I love using MFP, but the problem with this approach is it focuses on calories rather than what kinds of foods you are eating. When you're eating the right types of food, it is very hard to go over your calorie limit. When you're eating the wrong kinds of food, it's very easy to overeat and gain weight. For long-term success, you have to cut the processed food out of your diet or severely limit it. You have to stop eating stuff with sugar added to it. Stuff that is made from refined grains. Even if you succeed in the short term by just using portion control with these foods, eventually the weight will creep back on because they spike your blood sugar and insulin, leading to hunger and fat storage. Focus on eating natural food - meat, eggs, nuts, vegetables, fruit, beans - with very limited amounts of sugar or grain.
  • icimani
    icimani Posts: 1,454 Member
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    I figure I'll be logging what I eat forever. I don't now whether that will be on MFP or not, but it's a lifestyle change, not a 'diet'. At some point I can see myself maybe just logging on the weekends since that's my most 'dangerous' time.

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