Why do I not complete my days!!!

DreamOn145
DreamOn145 Posts: 460 Member
Does anyone else have this problem? For the longest time I was simply on and off with logging. Now I have reached the point where I am actually good about checking in every morning and logging weight and breakfast. Lunch is a sometimes thing. But as the day wears on I drift away and get busy with things and simply do not come back in and complete my day. I know I REALLY need to do this and its extremely important to get back in the habit!! This week I am FINALLY weaning off several months of prednisone and hoping this will help me to finally start actually losing. It has to be a mental block, isn't everything? Suggestions anyone? I need to overcome this!!

Replies

  • grandmothercharlie
    grandmothercharlie Posts: 1,356 Member
    I like to settle down at night with MFP, so I haven't really had this problem. I log as the day progresses with my smartphone, at work, or with my tablet. I actually often log ahead as I plan what I will eat. This helps me stay at 1200 calories. (I already have logged lunch for today). And pretty well know what I will have for dinner tonight, too, as a result. I never eat anything that I don't know ahead of time what the calories are and if it fits in with my allotment.

    I'm not a grazer, so I can do this pretty easily. I like my three squares a day.

    Do you think that you don't log because you don't want to know? The best way to gain confidence in your ability to do this is to see that you can. Maybe try to plan ahead for a few days. How about over your morning coffee? Plan out your day. Enter it then. You can always add or change items if needed.

    Also, how about a gentle reminder from your phone or clock that reminds you to take 10 minutes at the end of the day to visit us here.

    In planning ahead, I have one trick that makes my logging easier. I log "MEALS." But, when I log my meals, I go a step further. When I eat a meal at a restaurant (which for me is a lot) or at home, when I name it I start with the number of calories, then the name of the restaurant, then a description of what I ate). So, if after breakfast and lunch, I have 600 calories remaining, I know I can go to my meals and easily see which meals are close to 600. Or, if I feel like a little snack, I can find a 500 calorie meal and give myself 100 for the snack. Logging requires me only to go to my MEALS. One click. Even if I alter it, I might log an entire meal, but I can always remove an item and/or add another. You could do this with meals you cook, too. Say you often make meatloaf, spinach, and mashed potatoes. First put the number of calories in the title and then meatloaf, spinach, mashed potatoes. (the only thing you must commit to is knowing what a portion is and sticking with that). Let's face it, we tend to eat the same foods over and over again. After logging, save every MEAL for a while. You can delete later and it only takes a second. You will gain a big list that will in the end, make logging faster.

    Logging meals is quick and easy and makes it even easier once you have a lot of them logged. (I even copy and paste them from MFP into a spreadsheet that I sort from smallest to largest calories, make it into a PDF, and send it to my smartphone, so I can look up meals even easier.)

    Finally, do you make your diary available to your friends at least? Get a couple of MFP friends to send you reminders or to let you know they notice (not criticize) when you don't log. It really helps me with my resistance bands as that is where I have my mental block.
  • mkramarz
    mkramarz Posts: 47 Member
    All great advice! Some of us though are not as regimented or as organized... I'm afraid I fall into that pattern... But if I do forget to log at night I go back the next day and fill in the info - Trying to be honest with myself this time around...
    But it is a DO-ABLE thing - so I commit now to log in at night - and complete each day. Maybe we can watch each other's success with that!