New to calorie counting

DaniH826
DaniH826 Posts: 1,335 Member
in Introduce Yourself
A month into quitting smoking it's now time to focus on food intake and make some serious adjustments.

Hopefully in another month I can start adding regular exercise to my payload, but first I have to get my head around food journaling and learning to gauge portions and whatnot. I don't want to go back to smoking, ever, and using it as a substitute for food was a huge part of it, so I have to get that under control so I don't eat myself stupid again.

I'm still kinda terrified of keeping a food journal but I'm starting to get used to it a little bit (this being day 2) and am finding it helpful. Beats shoving things mindlessly in my face based on whatever whim and then wondering why the scale would reflect those whims in all kinds of interesting ways. :glasses:

Just here for some support cause it's always better to share the road with the people who are on it also and know what it's like.

Thanks for reading this, and howdy. :smile:

P.S. I'm a 45-year-old wife and mom.

Replies

  • janisdianis
    janisdianis Posts: 49 Member
    I still need to quit the habit myself :/ But I am hoping that once I start losing I will not worry so much about the weight gain that is possible! I am on day 2 also, however, I have tracked on WW before and I really like this better! I too, would replace food with cigarettes!

    I know I am jumping around, but.... I haven't really dove into exercising yet either! :)

    Would be great to become your fitness pal!! Welcome!

    I am a 39 year old divorcee and the proud mother of 2 children :) 15 & 4 (lol, yes....crazy I know!)
  • DaniH826
    DaniH826 Posts: 1,335 Member
    Thank you! The fitness pal thing sounds good, how does it work? I'm a total noob here LOL.
  • mfoy94
    mfoy94 Posts: 228 Member
    First off, CONGRATS ON QUITTING SMOKING! A very effective way (for me at least) is PRE LOGGING EVERYTHING.. I will sit down the night before and think about what I want to eat tomorrow and log it all (or leave dinner blank sometimes if I am unsure). That way I can "budget" my food during the day and not be worried about going over because I already made sure I wouldnt!

    Good luck! You can add me for support anyone!
  • tjl2329
    tjl2329 Posts: 169 Member
    I gave up smokings years ago. other day a co worker was smoking. really weird but i thought what if i started again. then i realized i was just being stupid. but now i am trying to lose weight by giving up my food ad diction. not that serious. good ll
    Luck.
  • mell6355
    mell6355 Posts: 171 Member
    <<<ex smoker 13 months strong!!! Mom and overweight! The best part of logging is really seeing what food is 'made' of. I have eaten things my entire life and never looked at what it did or didnt do for my body. I see food different now....it's been solid logging since September! I did get a scale to help me with ounces of meat, and cheese. I would recommend the same to everyone. Keep in mind that once you kick smoking, bad food and start getting moving there is a whole new world to see. I have done things that I didn't think I could do and can't wait to do more! Seeing my transformation and others seeing me morph is pretty awesome! GOOD LUCK TO YOU,,!!!!
  • AngB83
    AngB83 Posts: 6 Member
    The phone app is wonderful for keeping track on the go (soccer practice). I love being able to pull up restaurant food and make a healthy choice!!
  • AnabolicKyle
    AnabolicKyle Posts: 489 Member
    PRE LOGGING EVERYTHING.

    also kind of do this, very effective
  • DaniH826
    DaniH826 Posts: 1,335 Member
    <<<ex smoker 13 months strong!!! Mom and overweight! The best part of logging is really seeing what food is 'made' of. I have eaten things my entire life and never looked at what it did or didnt do for my body. I see food different now....it's been solid logging since September! I did get a scale to help me with ounces of meat, and cheese. I would recommend the same to everyone. Keep in mind that once you kick smoking, bad food and start getting moving there is a whole new world to see. I have done things that I didn't think I could do and can't wait to do more! Seeing my transformation and others seeing me morph is pretty awesome! GOOD LUCK TO YOU,,!!!!

    Thank you! What this boils down to I think is taking control and eating on purpose, with my mind and not my feelings. Numbers don't lie. I can either keep getting mad at myself for gaining weight and eating too much of the wrong things, or I can look at what I'm really eating, see it for what it is, get educated, and make purposeful adjustments i.e. better choices that provide better results. I know what to do. I just have to do it, and stick with it.

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