Question for those who rarely slip up ...

Well, part of it for me is not taking days off from logging unless I don't have internet access at all... so even on a trip I'd keep logging, unless I was camping. But I don't know, it's just habit at this point, and if I don't log I feel weird and uncomfortable. Consistency, I guess, is what helps me. In total I've only NOT logged for 3 days since I started in early January.

I ADDED 300 calories to my daily net. I was binging twice a week when I tried to stay on 1,200 - and I was binging on way more than 300 calories.


It worked - it pushed me off a 6 month plateau and I'm at goal now.

Everybody and every body is different, but if you're stuck, you may want to try it.

I wish you every success and accept all friend requests.

I don't deny myself anything, but I do make room for it in my diary. Like for instance I know I'm going to be going out to eat tonight so I'm having a healthy breakfast and lunch and then going on a cleaning spree (no I won't record it as exercise even though I clean like a maniac) and then a bike ride so I have as many calories as I want for supper.

If you have a bad day, just record it and move on. The recording is really important because it makes you accountable for it. Glossing over it only makes you feel guilty. Own up and move on. You can do it

I cook my food in advance and plan my meals 2-3 days ahead of time. I also do 1 cheat meal every 4-5 days to keep me on track for the days with no cheat meals. This was a plan my trainer put together for me.... after steadily losing weight just by cal counting my weight stayed the same for 6 mos. it took this plan to start losing again

Willpower, dedication and determination... determination probably being the most relevent.

I see pictures of myself and I say "yeah. keep going I want it!"

I want it SO BAD that I kick the *kitten* out of myself at the gym and people think I'm completely insane!!! and I love it

I also just purchased a magnet and it's on my fridge:

"Why chose to FAIL when SUCCESS is an option?" ~ Jillian Michaels.

I don't want to fail, I want to succeed... plus vanity is a definately up there... I want to look good!

I've been dieting for 7 months today, and have lost a little over 10 lbs a month. At first, I was pretty obsessive about eating a specific set of foods and never straying. Since then I realized that as long as I stay within my daily caloric intake, and I continue my workout that I still lose consistently. I suppose I've learned the difference between what my mind tells me I want, and what I actually want. I know I'll crave something/anything fried from time to time. If that is the case I'll have one thing... not a whole fried food bonanza. If I want something sweet I'll have a Greek yogurt or a protein bar. If that isn't enough I let myself have an ice cream. If I'm craving salty I'll have a pickle or some black olives, and if that isn't enough I'll get a single serving bag of chips.

In all reality you have to find what is best for you. That is the only way it will work. Until you make up your mind that this is really what you want, you're going to have a hard time finding that will power.

ALSO, it seems like you allow yourself "cheat weekends". That really isn't a good idea. If you do anything, have a "cheat meal". A cheat day is bad and a cheat weekend is a horrible idea. If you allow yourself one meal you can really fit in all those things you've been craving without jumping completely off the bandwagon.

Good luck.

Is your calorie goal or diet too restrictive or is it just the tracking that you are having a problem with?

I don't deny myself anything, but I do make room for it in my diary. Like for instance I know I'm going to be going out to eat tonight so I'm having a healthy breakfast and lunch and then going on a cleaning spree (no I won't record it as exercise even though I clean like a maniac) and then a bike ride so I have as many calories as I want for supper.

If you have a bad day, just record it and move on. The recording is really important because it makes you accountable for it. Glossing over it only makes you feel guilty. Own up and move on. You can do it

This is what I do. If I know I am going to go out, I plan for it by eating smaller meals/exercising more. I log whenever possible - almost to the point of annoying my family/friends (sometimes I think my wife is going to kill me if I ask about the ingredients of her cooking one more time ). If I go over for a day, I log it. And I don't sweat it if I have a big day once in a while, but I also don't let it derail me - there is no "well, I ruined my diet so might as well forget about it". And it definitely takes willpower at times, especially when I am at a party (do I have another beer, or a piece of cake?).

It's simple really. I want it, bad!

I'm in the same boat as you. Logged for 150 days with a few slips here and there, nothing crazy. For me, I need this to be the new way I live my life and I'm guessing those slips and occasional periods of time where your not on point..is a normal part of life. I'm ok with my "slips" and ok knowing that I could have lost more by now because I know I'm changing the way I live, not just dieting.

that's exactly what I do ... when I'm logging and it really works for me to! The problem is when I decide to not log for a few days because I know that I'll be going way over calories/macros - it literally takes me weeks to get back to logging on again and I eat with no regard for what I'm putting in my mouth. That's the issue really.

If you don't log it because you are going over it doesn't change how many calories you are putting into your body. If you fear being judged, make your diary private. Every journey to health and wellness is unique, and we all have our emotional baggage when it comes to food. You will learn a lot by logging you heavy eating days.

I don't fear being judged at all on here by anyone except myself! What starts off as can't log (don't have smart phone) because I'm away for the weekend manifests into a won't log because I suppose I tell myself that if I don't log then I can do what I like and actually what I like is to stuff my face with whatever I so choose no matter how ****ty it makes me feel. Clearly I have issues. I guess what I need to do is make myself log on everyday when I have access to the computer which is er pretty much every day unless I'm away.

Get a small notebook and keep it in your purse, log everything when you're away, then plug it in when you get back to a computer.

This is all a process, I do the same thing, it's like there is a certain mood for me where 1 piece if candy starts me getting up and going to the kitchen to look for more junk. Other days 1 piece of candy doesn't lead to a gorge fest. That's when I'm glad I tracked it all, I can look back on my days where I gorged to see patterns.

I go through periods of strict eating and then I might slip up a bit but I never ban foods that I like, even if unhealthy. If they're not banned, I actually desire them less. And when I get a bit more strict about macros, I'm not tempted to eat unhealthy food because it's a waste of calories. I ate clean for a while and felt so much more energised so I feel like going back to that soon. I used to binge a bit but it's not something I'm inclined to do anymore.

Logging everything. Adding in so much high nutrient, lower calorie density food that the junk sort of gets phased out on its own.

Well I made it to my goal weight without messing up once. No treat days, no treats at all. Just willpower and determination.

But guess what? It isn't linear. Weight loss isn't a smooth line. Sometimes you plateau for a while, sometimes it comes off in bunches. Sometimes it seems like what you are doing doesn't work and it gets a bit frustrating, but you slog ahead anyway, because in the end you know it is worthwhile. Sometimes it doesn't seem like you are doing anything and the weight comes flying off in bunches. It doesn't make any sense buit that is what happens.

What you can't do, what you shouldn't do, is beat yourself up if you do treat yourself, if you do "fall off the wagon" for a day, a week, a month. The only thing beating yourself up about that is going to do is leave yourself tired, sore, black and blue.

I have a news flash for everyone here: We're humans and we screw up occassionally and we make mistakes. I do. You do. We all do. It's not letting them defeat us, it's how we handle them, it's overcoming them and bettering ourselves that makes us better people. So when you screw up (and you will, because we all do), shrug it off, say a big loud WTF, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and get back in the game. Make sure you acknowledge your succeses and victories. It's okay to say "damn it, I did good". It isn't egotistical to be proud of your acccomplishments, even if it seems small to you. Don't wait until you get to your final goal to be proud of what you have done. The journey is important too. Be proud of even starting it. Because you should be.

that's exactly what I do ... when I'm logging and it really works for me to! The problem is when I decide to not log for a few days because I know that I'll be going way over calories/macros - it literally takes me weeks to get back to logging on again and I eat with no regard for what I'm putting in my mouth. That's the issue really.

If you don't log it because you are going over it doesn't change how many calories you are putting into your body. If you fear being judged, make your diary private. Every journey to health and wellness is unique, and we all have our emotional baggage when it comes to food. You will learn a lot by logging you heavy eating days.

I don't fear being judged at all on here by anyone except myself! What starts off as can't log (don't have smart phone) because I'm away for the weekend manifests into a won't log because I suppose I tell myself that if I don't log then I can do what I like and actually what I like is to stuff my face with whatever I so choose no matter how ****ty it makes me feel. Clearly I have issues. I guess what I need to do is make myself log on everyday when I have access to the computer which is er pretty much every day unless I'm away.

I know it is too late for your last vacation but I would suggest that going forward if you are in a situation where logging is not possible for a few days, just jot everything down in a notebook and log it when you return home. That might help keep your mind on eating healthy and even if you are going over what you expect for yourself you will have the record of it to look back on and learn from. We all will fail(fall) at some point in our journeys, the important thing is to get back up, dust off and take the next right step. You being here and asking for help is a step in the right direction. I would just say that I hope you choose to keep moving forward to a healthier you. You are worth being healthy! I have come to learn that food itself is not bad, it is our abuse of food that is the culprit. If there is something my body is really craving I walk more and eat less calories so I can enjoy it either before or after having it. Then I log it and move on. Good Luck!