How do you stay on track?

Logging my food has become a part of my life over the past three months, and I have a regular gym/yoga schedule. I know it can be slow but now my clothes are getting looser, I feel stronger and I have more control over my eating than ever before. I can't really tell you what works for YOU but you have to be motivated and committed...that can only come from inside you.

Starting out and creating new habits is really the hardest part. Sticking with it is a test of mental endurance more than anything else.

It really depends on your mindset, and different approaches work for different people. But in my case, I've stuck with it this long because I haven't made any giant changes. I eat at a moderate calorie deficit rather than a large one, I haven't eliminated or restricted any foods, and I only do exercises that I enjoy doing. Because my plan hasn't been very unpleasant, I haven't felt the desire to quit.

But I understand that weighing/measuring food and logging everything daily can be a hard habit to get into. There's really no way around that, except to say that it gets easier and faster the more you do it. If your schedule is busy and logging food as you go is too inconvenient, it may help to plan your days ahead of time when you have a spare moment (maybe the previous night before bed or first thing in the morning) or make large meals that you can portion out and eat on throughout the week. It may also help to create a solid schedule. Your plan may be easier to stick to if you carve out specific days and times to exercise or plan meals rather than waiting until you have free time. Having a workout schedule has helped keep me on track. If I've already made time in my day to go to the gym, I have no reason not to go.

My biggest piece of advice is just to make gradual, small changes that you can build on as calorie intake, exercise, and nutrition become more natural to you. Once you start seeing bigger results, it may help motivate you to keep going.

I find that I do better when I pre-log the night before -- or when I first wake up in the morning. That way I can plan healthy, tasty meals and factor in my treat(s) throughout the day. If I try to log as I go, I'm more apt to go for what just tastes good and may not help me meet my goals.

For me, I am in such a habit of logging that I can't imagine not doing it. At this point I would be afraid not to. And afraid to not exercise. I do not ever want to go back to my old ways of eating and being sedentary. I worried so much about my health, about the example I was setting for my children, and about my relationship to God. I just never felt right about it.