Are you going to continue using MFP?

Yes I have used it religiously for the 20 months since I hit my goals. I also know good habits and could probably do it without it.

Three reasons I continue . . .

I often look at my calories at the end of the day and find I am 500-1000 calories UNDER my goal. This tells me not only can I have the snack I'm thinking about eating, but that I SHOULD. I eat very healthy. Sometimes I need more calories.

Yesterday I had the opposite problem. It was an unusual situation, but it is exactly why I gained weight in the first place (I always ate healthy). My husband had surgery yesterday. I got up at 5 and had my normal breakfast. I brought a snack to the hospital (boiled eggs and cashews), which I ate at 10. They offered my coffee with cream and sugar (I had two) and some cookies (100 calories). Now it's 1:00, I haven't even had lunch, I'm starving, and I had 350 calories left for the day. What? I had barely eaten!

When I am on my regular schedule and eat what I usually do yes, I hit my calorie goals easily. If I exercise a lot, I'll even be under. But it takes just small variations from my normal schedule - a piece of cake, some cookies, eating out and having a whole sandwich instead of splitting it with my husband - and I'll be over 500 calories.

Do that often enough and you do what I did - put on a pound a year every year for 20 years.

I also just like it. I learn things every week that surprise me. Plain donuts have twice the calories of glazed? And less than a bagel? Who knew? Quinoa has HOW MANY calories per cup? I have found logging incredibly educational. And I'm a data junkie. I like wearing a fitbit. I teach statistics. Knowledge is power.

I continue to log because my macros are as important as the total calories. I also like being able to work in a "splurge" with no guilt whatsoever because I know it fits. I have tried to relax my logging a little bit, such as omitting small nibbles. But it's HARD after being precise for so long. :glasses:

I'm into maintenance and will continue to use the site, however, I will not log my food every day. I just got tired of it. I can keep a fairly accurate count in my head. There are some days where I can't though, so I log my food about 3 or 4 times a week just to make sure i'm still on the right track. I also weight 2 or 3 times a week to make sure i'm still doing good

I've hit target weight and now plan to use for at least a month, probably two (hell, six months), here's why

- I obviously didn't know what the right amount of food was for me, otherwise I wouldn't have got fat in the first place, I need to learn that, I'm a slow learner :-)

- I do a lot of exercise, which is all calorie counted, so I need to know how much to eat to stay at target weight,

- I love cake, but now only have it when I've burned the calories with exercise first, no exercise, no extra calories, no cake... MFP gets me cake, it should be knighted.

yes, when I reach my goal I will continue to track my food to keep accountable.I will make part of my daily routine such as taking a shower, btushing my teeth etc.Its so easy to lose track of what you are eating. Even I am away from home and I am u nable to logg my food, I end up eating large portions and hoing for that extra cookie because I am not forced to fit that into my calorie goal. So I will still log my food when I reach my goal.Pain in the butt ? yes but it beats having to lose weight again

To me, it would be nothing short of ignorant to stop using it. Keeping up with what you eat & how much you exercise makes YOU be accountable for YOURSELF. Best wishes, congratulations, & keep logging in!!!

I've been maintaining for several months and while I can't say that I'll use the site FOREVER, I plan to use it tomorrow. I like the self accountability, and the easy place to track the choices I make. Plus I really enjoy the interaction I get from the group of friends who have chosen to go along with me. We'll see about forever, but definitely tomorrow!

yes, when I reach my goal I will continue to track my food to keep accountable.I will make part of my daily routine such as taking a shower, brushing my teeth etc.Its so easy to lose track of what you are eating. Even when I am away from home and I am unable to log my food, I end up eating large portions and going for that extra cookie because I am not forced to fit that into my calorie goal. So I will still log my food when I reach my goal.Pain in the butt ? yes but it beats having to lose weight again

If in a few years it syncs with this, I will definitely continue using it!

www.technologyreview.com/news/528721/ge-device-measures-the-calories-on-your-plate/

I'm planning to use it sporadically. Basically, have a goal weight range rather than a specific number and weigh in every day. If I go above the upper limit by even 1 gram, I would diet down to the lower limit number. A perpetual yoyo.

That's how I did it when I took a break from weight loss. I would maintain without counting for 2-3 months but at some point my weight would creep up and I would need a month or so to bring it back to the lowest limit.

This! MFP (a different account) got me past a plateau last year, but I stopped using it for 6 months after reaching goal weight. Gradually regained 3kg and a few bad habits. A couple of weeks of logging has more or less fixed that.

Essentially, I plan to use it as a reality check when needed. Not every day for the rest of my life.

I stopped logging when I reached my goal. I think what ill do when I reach it again it just continue to weigh every week.Then if I am gaining ill go back on a log again.

Logging on MFP is part of my day as much as cleaning my teeth, regardless of my goals. This site has been a Godsend

I always gain the weight back if I don't keep logging. I think it's the "habits" that lead to success with weight loss/fitness and this is part of successful maintenance. And I find it enjoyable!

To me, it would be nothing short of ignorant to stop using it. Keeping up with what you eat & how much you exercise makes YOU be accountable for YOURSELF. Best wishes, congratulations, & keep logging in!!!

Realize that you can do all of the above without actually logging a diary. Millions and millions of healthy and fit people do it every day.

I will add what I always add to these posts...keeping a food diary is like having training wheels on your bike...eventually, you should be able to just ride...it's kind of the point IMO.

I will continue to use it yes...for a few reasons. I have been in maitenance for almost 3 months and have found it useful.

Yes you can maintain without it...or some can....

Yes it can be seen as a "training wheels" by some but that being said the analogy above...well you can debate that.

What about those who log to keep track of macros? or need to gain at first and get to that weight....but require this site to ensure they don't lose.

I would say it's more liike a tool....let's say a hammer...would you try to drive a nail home without one? maybe use a rock which would work but it's not as useful as a hammer.

Or even a security blanket of some sort...we as humans all like to feel safe and by logging lots of us get that warm hug of "yes you are doing what you need to do to not gain your weight back"

And there is nothing wrong with that at all IMHO

Having been at this going on two years, I know pretty much by feel what my macros are...I might not be bang on, but really there's little need to be. I think people overly obsess about stuff like that. I know how to eat right and get proper nutrition...that is, IMO, far more important than getting exactly XXX grams of protein or whatever. That said, this kind of stuff is more important to an athlete or body builder, etc...it isn't overly important for the average Joe. Being that I'm just into nutrition and fitness and not an elite level athlete, I really don't bother with hitting my macros bang on...I'm pretty well balanced and close enough for my purposes.

I think for the vast majority, logging for all of eternity for the rest of your life is probably really not going to happen...I mean, I plan on being around another 35 - 40 years...sorry...not going to happen here...and it's not going to happen for most people. Keeping a diary is a tool...one that should be used to train you how to eat properly both in terms of quality and quantity...when you truly make those kind of lifestyle changes...where you actually change your diet (noun) and how you eat, etc there is little need to log...and one can always come back if they find themselves a little off track.

When I tell people I don't log, many make the mistake of thinking I'm not keeping a tally...I am...in my head. I'm very mindful of what I put into my mouth both in terms of quality and quantity. I've also learned to listen to my body and understand true hunger vs boredom, etc. Again, I've been at this a couple of years...that's a lot of time for me to learn lots of things.

I did log for awhile when I went into maintenance...I logged for about 3 months or so. At that point I decided that I really needed to be able to do things on my own...it gets tedious, and like I said, the vast majority are not going to log a diary for all of eternity...that's just not realistic in the least. Best to learn how to ride without the training wheels IMO.

I don't always log on the weekends or if I'm traveling because sometimes I don't have the technology available. Mostly I just try to stay active and eat reasonably in my mind I'm always ticking off my protein, dairy, F&V's and whole grains for the day and water is never really an issue because I've always got a cup going. I'd like to say I don't need to log in to MFP every day but if I didn't log in I wouldn't know what my MFP buddies are up to.

You'll find what's right for you but none of us ever knows everything so if you think maintenance is the end of the journey you're going to be sadly mistaken, it just keeps going and going as long as you stay on the road.