Bored of keeping the food diary

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smoothsue
smoothsue Posts: 12
in Motivation and Support
:sad: Help! I need sound options and motivation. I am bored of keeping the food diary. 1. I don't want to be honest any more. I want to eat out of eating healthy. 2, Keeping the diary takes time and my anxiety level hits the roof when I writing or inputting my food intake.
I need help.

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  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
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    I've found if you stick with it, it becomes habit. I love having the food diary as a tool to figure out what foods I should avoid, what I need to be better at eating in moderation, which are high in sodium, etc.

    To minimize anxiety and have it take less time, try planning out your days AHEAD of time - print it out and use it as a guide each day. You'll KNOW you're on track because you've already logged it and can make sure you log something that is close to your goal. When I'm on top of my game, I'll log each day ahead of time in the morning or the night before and then log on once or twice to add any changes (added mayo, didn't eat all my snack, added some coffee, etc.)

    Honesty is hard, but it's the only way to make this a long-term lifestyle change rather than a temporary "yo-yo" change.
  • francescorkill
    francescorkill Posts: 36
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    I know there are those days you just want to sneak or cheat and stray away from doing the food diary. I had tried it multiple times and failed. MFP has given me a tool to not only keep me accountable but also have a support system as well. I found that making sure I record my food after each meal it takes less time and it goes way quicker. Also, like accountant_boi said, definitely plan it out. Every Friday or Saturday I plan out the next week's meals. This helps me budget for what I need to get, what I will be eating and knowing what to substitute if I am just having one of those cravings. It also puts into perspective for me what types of workouts I should be doing that week.
  • BrattyLori
    BrattyLori Posts: 101 Member
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    Hi Sue! I hope you keep with it! I think it helps tremendously! Good luck to you lady!
  • AGG115
    AGG115 Posts: 62
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    I've found I have to log it as I start to eat each item, otherwise I can't remember what on ate. The android app seriously helps.
  • Rondaks
    Rondaks Posts: 22
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    I hate it too! A lot. But I think it is a great way to keep ourselves accountable for the food we eat. I know it sucks, but I think that it is really important. Granted, I have only started doing it since about Thanksgiving. So maybe I'll change my opinion in a few months. LOL But try and stick with it. Maybe try and do it just once a day. You don't necessarily have to log on every time you put something in your mouth.

    I can't think of a good way to make a food diary fun, but if not fun, think of it as your little chart of accountability and consider its importance. If you find it important, you will do it. If you find it a waste of time, it'll just be put off. I really do think it is an important tool.

    Good luck!
  • servingthealiens
    servingthealiens Posts: 144 Member
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    This won't work unless you keep the diary.

    Ask yourself this: are you bored of being overweight? Bored of disliking what you see in the mirror? Do you feel anxiety when you have to shop for clothes in a larger size than you'd like?

    Which makes you more bored or anxious? Keeping the food diary, or remaining overweight?
  • mandyreadsbooks88
    mandyreadsbooks88 Posts: 66
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    :sad: Help! I need sound options and motivation. I am bored of keeping the food diary. 1. I don't want to be honest any more. I want to eat out of eating healthy. 2, Keeping the diary takes time and my anxiety level hits the roof when I writing or inputting my food intake.
    I need help.
    If you have a hard time being honest here where you don't know anyone, or the only people who know you are those who want the best for you, than you probably have an even harder time being honest with your real life. The only person judging you by what you eat on here is you, and if anyone else is than you should be hitting the delete button. We are all here for the challenge. Part of that challenge is removing the rose colored glasses on what we put in our mouths and output by exercise. As for being bored...I totally feel you. You can see my food diary and how bad I have been doing at this but now I am on and not giving up. I wandered off and I realized it won't work any other way. No more fad diets, dreaming of lipo, or pouting that my clothes don't fit right. Carry a notepad on you during the day and do your best to be honest, I know its hard.
  • PJilly
    PJilly Posts: 21,742 Member
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    :sad: Help! I need sound options and motivation. I am bored of keeping the food diary. 1. I don't want to be honest any more. I want to eat out of eating healthy. 2, Keeping the diary takes time and my anxiety level hits the roof when I writing or inputting my food intake.
    I need help.
    I'm sorry to hear that tracking your food makes you anxious. I find that logging my food before I eat it gives me a sense of control and actually lessens some of the anxiety I can have about my food. It's a tool, so if you can find a way to make it work for you instead of against you, I think you'll start feeling better about things. Most important, I think, is not to be dishonest with your food diary (and yourself) when you're tracking. That doesn't accomplish anything. I think you'd be better off taking a break from tracking than doing that. What if you log all your meals for the day before you eat them. You can always tweak things later if you don't eat exactly what you planned, but try sticking to the plan as closely as possible. Do that for a number of days, and then take a day off from tracking. I think psychologically, knowing you were going to get a day off in a few days, might help motivate you to stick to it for a few days. Also, I think it will make you feel stronger and more in control if you don't resort to being dishonest about your tracking. I hope that gives you some useful ideas, and I wish you much luck getting your head back in the game! :flowerforyou:
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    This is why I have two days off. On the weekends I don't go to the gym and I don't worry so much about what I eat. I don't go crazy, but if I want pizza, I eat pizza. I don't worry about going over my calorie goal. It gives me some freedom and helps make this possible for me. After all, I'm going to eat pizza when I get to my goal weight, why shouldn't I be able to eat it now and then while I'm trying to lose weight? This is a lifestyle thing, not a quick way to lose weight. It's worth it to me to be able to eat the foods I want, even if it means the weight comes off a little slower.

    And as for logging the food, once it becomes a habit everything becomes easier.
  • trisha329
    trisha329 Posts: 266 Member
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    Sue, I just read your profile page -- I think you should too. THERE'S your motivation!!
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
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    The diary is a tool- it doesn't need to be permanent, but you need to stick with it until your brain and stomach are accustomed to how much you should eat in a day- that means through your goal weight and for a while on maintenance.

    I agree with the person who suggested that you plan your meals out in advance. It gives a sense of control and allows you to feel anticipation for the food you will eat.

    Bottom line- you need to control calories to lose weight, you can't eat out all the time and keep losing weight. If it's what you want, you have to make the sacrifice to get it.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,124 Member
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    Yes. To all of the above. I don't like it either. I'd rather clean toilets.

    Food Diary
    1. It keeps you from eating mindlessly
    2. It helps you get adequate nutrition i.e. protein, carbs, fats, and your choices in nutrients
    3. It teaches you portion control. After a few months, you can ease off a little once you learn this.
    4. If you stop you will gain weight. Maybe not in a month, but you will over time stop eating correctly.


    You became over weight by not paying attention to your portions, your nutrients, and by not eating mindfully. This is the only way that works.

    The food tools here are the best on the Internet. I've looked.

    Good luck.
  • smoothsue
    smoothsue Posts: 12
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    :blushing: Boy! I feel safe,now. Your advices, your encouragement, your plans , everything everyone has told me has helped me eat my dinner in the correct portions. Soon this day will be over and would have done good for today. Thank you all for your help. There is no way I WANT TO GO BACK TO A SIZE 26 AGAIN OR BEEN UNABLE TO MOVE. GOD BLESS YOU ALL. HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,124 Member
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    It is tedious and time consuming. Once you learn the system, it is faster and easier. You may want to pick a few favorite dishes and eat them frequently, or at least use the same items in varying combinations. Speeds things up.

    As for eating out. (is that what you meant?) There are websites for all the chain restaurants with nutrition info you can use if you don't find foods in the database here. You can't stop living your life, just make better choices, ask for to-go boxes when you get your food and pack up half of it before you eat it - especially if you don't think you know the calories, or if the portions are large.

    Try not to obsess over the diary too much or you can get overwhelmed. Do the best you can, at the very least write everything down in a notepad in your purse. You can always enter it all at the end of the day.

    ______________________________________________
  • roxanea
    roxanea Posts: 59
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    What I have found helpful in logging what I eat is keeping a small journal handy in my kitchen and I write down what I am going to eat as get done fixing it then log here at the end of the day shortly after finishing dinner. I find that by having the journal in the kitchen I don't seem to get as anxious about logging my food and I do not usually have the time durning the day to come back to my computer and log what I have just eaten. Hope this might help.
  • firmbug
    firmbug Posts: 57 Member
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    :blushing: Boy! I feel safe,now. Your advices, your encouragement, your plans , everything everyone has told me has helped me eat my dinner in the correct portions. Soon this day will be over and would have done good for today. Thank you all for your help. There is no way I WANT TO GO BACK TO A SIZE 26 AGAIN OR BEEN UNABLE TO MOVE. GOD BLESS YOU ALL. HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR.



    Well there ya go sweetie!! We are here to support you and help you achieve your goals! Good luck on your journey and hang in there!! You can do this! :happy:

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