Really do not want to track

You either do it or you don't. Those are your options.

Boy do I ever know how you feel! I never managed to keep food diaries before I joined MFP. But if you have a device around, tablet or laptop or whatever, and can add things in online as you go, I actually find it kind of fun on the website. The embarrassment....well, I know that, too, but I found the logging was what KEPT me from doing a lot of embarrassing things. I'd see after lunch how many calories I had left for the day so I could plan accordingly.

Maybe commit to trying it for a week. see how it goes. and see if it doesn't make a difference in how you eat and maybe in your weight. I think it's maybe the most important thing we can do.

Yeah I used to hate it. I have tried and failed Weight Watchers several times for that reason. You just have to make yourself do it until it becomes a habit. By then you will probably realize what a valuable tool it really is. If you keep your diary closed there is no need to be embarrassed, no one but you will see what you eat but you won;t be able to hide it from yourself anymore...and that my friend is why it is so important.

It's the only way I've ever lost weight. After a long time, maybe when I hit my goal, I will have calorie rainman skills and will be able to look at a dish and know how many calories are there and if I'm good.....but for now, I track

Track, but keep your food diary private when you do your settings. This is what I did to limit embarrassment .

Um, it might encourage you to eat properly if you're aware your food choices are embarrassing.
I don't get the whining on here. I understand lots of people need support and some encouragement, but declaring you just don't want to do something seems pointless. Are we supposed to convince you otherwise?
If you can't do something as simplistic as jot down your calories, I think you're not ready or willing to lose the weight.

It's not the funnest thing to do, but if you really want to see what and how much you eat...and get that under control...you're going to have to make that decision. How important is it to you?? And if it's not that important...don't do it. And don't complain when you do not see the results you are searching for. It's all about what's important to YOU! Now...go track.

I set mine to public from the start. yup it's pretty embarrassing what I eat some days, but it is going to help me make better choices. It's not going to work if you lie to yourself!

I just signed up. I don't want to write down everything I eat out of embarrassment and laziness. Help and motivation appreciated , new so please add me! Thanks

Nobody will see your diary until one day you go and open it. The default setting for diaries is private.

The tool's completely for your own help. So you know how much you are eating, get to know better why you have not lost weight in the past.

use it and you'll be really glad you did.

It doesn't matter whether you track it or not, you ate it. You can either Ostrich or own up - it makes no difference to any single person on the face of this earth but you.

I don't want to either. I wish I was one of those people who can intuit how much to eat, listen to every last tiny bodily signal, or just effortlessly maintain my weight.

Wishing did not make it so.

Thus, here I am.

Yeah, i get the "i don't want to", but in my experience tracking is THE most important thing. No matter what system I've used, when i track it works, when i "play ostrich" (and hide my head in the sand) and pretend it doesn't matter... well, weight loss doesn't just magically happen... So, to make it more palatable, promise yourself you'll track for one week. Try to make a game out of reaching your goals (although i certainly had my problems this week!) and know that tracking is probably the best thing you can do for yourself.

If you don't want to track your food, why are you here? Tracking is what it's all about. And it's for YOU, not others on here. Tracking teaches you how to eat. By learning the nutritional values of foods, and knowing your limits, you train yourself how to eat and along the way lose weight. I've been at this for more than two years now. While I can size up the calories and carbs in a meal just based on experience, I still track my food and have no plans to stop. Try it. It works. Or don't try it. Up to you.

this.

You can set it so that you're the only one to see your diary. It holds you slightly less accountable, but I know that the embarrassment of looking at it myself was enough for me in the beginning.

Some really good answers here and the usual "tough love" or is it just tough? crowd. Tracking is a pain, especially at first until it becomes a habit -- then you'll feel guilty if you DON'T track. Until then think of it as the work you need to do to change your health and your life for the better. You'd be willing to do a lot of work, I'd bet, if someone promised it would guarantee you'd win the lottery. Well, gaining good health, a more youthful feeling and appearance and probably living a longer and healthier life with the energy to enjoy every day is like winning a lottery. Maybe better. The food tracking works because it educates you and only you how to control your weight. You will start to notice patterns, learn to budget your calories, improve nutrition, even learn what kind of exercise you can do and enjoy and how to build it into your lifestyle. Because it is such a powerful learning tool it's worth the effort. And the huge success rate on MFP shows that this method, unlike most of the fairy dust and snake oil methods out there, works. Stick with it kiddo. You'll be happy you did.