The cost of NOT logging food/exercise (AKA newbies...do what I say not as I did..)
GBrady43068
Posts: 1,256 Member
I joined MFP October 2013 at a weight of 264 pounds.
I was pretty diligent with my logging of food and exercise. Sometimes I got that "You were under" message and other times it was just "Oh well at least you logged...". Sometimes I stayed green in all my macros...but usually I went into the red on at least a couple of them. Some days I did better with my water intake than others.
From that starting point, I dropped down to a low of 210.0 at my last logged weigh-in on 10/04.
Then I stopped logging (and logging ON to MFP).
I became active again on MFP on 03/01 because I knew I'd slacked over the holidays this past year. But I only expected to have picked up 4-5 pounds.
The 03/01 weigh-in was 231.9...a cost of almost 20 pounds (18.3 if you want to be ***** retentive about it)
Oh and I lost 1.7 at my weigh-in yesterday because...you guessed it, I've started to log in and pay attention to what I'm stuffing in my gob...and when I'm spending too much time pasted to the couch. I'm still far from perfect (you can see a LOUSY day in my logging this week...) but I know that I will lose that 18.3 and work back toward my end goal of 150...because I know what worked before will work again (as long as I "work it").
TLDR:
NOT logging= becoming fat
logging=losing/becoming more fit
I was pretty diligent with my logging of food and exercise. Sometimes I got that "You were under" message and other times it was just "Oh well at least you logged...". Sometimes I stayed green in all my macros...but usually I went into the red on at least a couple of them. Some days I did better with my water intake than others.
From that starting point, I dropped down to a low of 210.0 at my last logged weigh-in on 10/04.
Then I stopped logging (and logging ON to MFP).
I became active again on MFP on 03/01 because I knew I'd slacked over the holidays this past year. But I only expected to have picked up 4-5 pounds.
The 03/01 weigh-in was 231.9...a cost of almost 20 pounds (18.3 if you want to be ***** retentive about it)
Oh and I lost 1.7 at my weigh-in yesterday because...you guessed it, I've started to log in and pay attention to what I'm stuffing in my gob...and when I'm spending too much time pasted to the couch. I'm still far from perfect (you can see a LOUSY day in my logging this week...) but I know that I will lose that 18.3 and work back toward my end goal of 150...because I know what worked before will work again (as long as I "work it").
TLDR:
NOT logging= becoming fat
logging=losing/becoming more fit
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Replies
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I know how you feel. I had lost 28 pounds when I was logging religiously on MFP and then I stopped and gained it all back plus ten pounds. I stopped logging, i.e, I stopped caring about how much I was eating.
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The thing is are you expecting to log for the rest of your life? I've lost 150 pounds but the whole point of this has not been to just lose weight but to teach myself to learn potion control and intelligent choices without logging. I've not logged for a while now I'm maintaining. The thing is when logging is to pick foods and a choices that you will be happy with for the rest of your life and not just think of it as diet. Will I ever log again probably at points if I wish to. I still use the recipe builder for new recipes so I can judge a portion. Logging is a tool but as with most tools they're not always going to be available so teaching yourself to do without them is always a good thing.
Good Luck0 -
I lost weight and after a month or two at goal, stopped logging. I pretty much stayed the weight I was, unless I traveled. So 2 week vacation = 5 pounds, nephew's wedding = 5 pounds, etc. Over a period of 12 - 18 months, I gained 15 pounds. I'm now logging again but not going hardcore and I go slightly over pretty much every day. I'm aiming to lose about 1 lb/month which is the rate I gained. And I'm hoping by taking it very slow my maintenance this time will be even more sustainable and I can stop logging most of the time. I will probably log after vacations to get back down since that seems to be an issue.0
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I think you meant:
For me
NOT logging= becoming fat
logging=losing/becoming more fit
Lots of people lose weight without logging food.0 -
When I first joined MFP, I set out with the goal to learn healthy eating habits, this is just a phase to get me on track, and I dont plan to log forever.
Over the past 3 years..when I log, I do great, I show progress, good things happen. When I drop off the site and stop logging, the weight comes back on and then some.
While lots of people can lose weight / maintain without having to log, I've resigned myself to it that Im not one of those people. Odds are, Im just going to be one of the few who have to stay mindful of what Im eating and log to stay on track. But Im okay with that...0 -
Would you say another issue is that you apparently also stopped weighing yourself regularly?
Do you think that if you had been weighing yourself once a week that you would have responded quicker to your weight gain by adjusting your habits or coming back to MFP sooner?
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and that is why lots of us in maintenance still log...I've been in maintenance since last summer...still logging everyday...well prelogging for the week on Sundays (except next week as I am down south)
Why stop, it takes 5-10mins max on a sunday evening and it keeps me organized for dinners and reminds me to get my breakfasts ready on sunday and make planning lunch easy....0 -
Would you say another issue is that you apparently also stopped weighing yourself regularly?
Do you think that if you had been weighing yourself once a week that you would have responded quicker to your weight gain by adjusting your habits or coming back to MFP sooner?
Personally, it sort of seems (if you were replying to me! lol) that we're saying the same thing. Because what you are suggesting is exactly what I do...when I do see on the scale that Ive gained weight, I do come back to MFP, which means going back to tracking my weight and food intake.
So, basically, instead of only coming back to track these things once Ive gained weight, just sitting tight with it that in order to maintain Ill just keep on tracking, instead of waiting til Ive gained weight to come back to MFP. Try to cut out that "have to respond" step lol and just maintain.
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I'm ok with the idea. After two years using MFP to log my food and activity, I can estimate pretty well, but I actually like logging. And there are some foods that would knock me totally off guard if I hadn't looked them up to enter them, like a1000-calorie salad or 900-calorie mac & cheese side dish.isulo_kura wrote: »The thing is are you expecting to log for the rest of your life?0 -
isulo_kura wrote: »The thing is are you expecting to log for the rest of your life? I've lost 150 pounds but the whole point of this has not been to just lose weight but to teach myself to learn potion control and intelligent choices without logging. I've not logged for a while now I'm maintaining. The thing is when logging is to pick foods and a choices that you will be happy with for the rest of your life and not just think of it as diet. Will I ever log again probably at points if I wish to. I still use the recipe builder for new recipes so I can judge a portion. Logging is a tool but as with most tools they're not always going to be available so teaching yourself to do without them is always a good thing.
Good Luck
As an emotional eater, yes I do expect to be logging the rest of my life. I feel without it I could easily go on week long binges. I'm okay with this.0 -
It is easy to eat more than I think I am. I will probably always have to log in order to not gain weight. Great job figuring out what works for you! Welcome back!
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isulo_kura wrote: »The thing is are you expecting to log for the rest of your life? I've lost 150 pounds but the whole point of this has not been to just lose weight but to teach myself to learn potion control and intelligent choices without logging. I've not logged for a while now I'm maintaining. The thing is when logging is to pick foods and a choices that you will be happy with for the rest of your life and not just think of it as diet. Will I ever log again probably at points if I wish to. I still use the recipe builder for new recipes so I can judge a portion. Logging is a tool but as with most tools they're not always going to be available so teaching yourself to do without them is always a good thing.
Good Luck
Some of us do, yes. Considering i'm going to embark on bulk/cut cycles as well, this is further incentive for me to just stick to logging regularly as opposed to trying to "relearn" how much food is a deficit and how much is a surplus. I'm sure I'll eventually get to a point where I could "wing" it more easily but.... this just takes all the guess work out of it.0 -
Honestly, at this point, my answer is yes.. I think it's what I, personally, HAVE to have to keep the weight under control.isulo_kura wrote: »The thing is are you expecting to log for the rest of your life? I've lost 150 pounds but the whole point of this has not been to just lose weight but to teach myself to learn potion control and intelligent choices without logging.
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Undoubtedly..weighin is part of "logging" to me..logging that once a week weigh-in.Would you say another issue is that you apparently also stopped weighing yourself regularly?
Do you think that if you had been weighing yourself once a week that you would have responded quicker to your weight gain by adjusting your habits or coming back to MFP sooner?
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isulo_kura wrote: »The thing is are you expecting to log for the rest of your life?
It's easy and a habit now for me, so why not? I've been logging AT MAINTENANCE here on MFP for 4 years now. It takes me about as much time and effort as brushing my teeth - it's not a big deal emotionally or physically to do it. I miss a day here and there but that isn't a big deal, because I'm pretty much pro at this now, but most of the time I'm on it.
I've had no problems maintaining for all this time. But... most (not all) of the people I know here who have stopped logging usually put a significant amount of weight back on after several months of not logging.
You don't have to be here all the time, though. I know some people who just keep track of the scales and/or how their clothes fit, and when they start putting the weight back on, they come back to MFP and log again until they're back on track.
I'd rather not yo-yo up and down the same 15 pounds over and over. I've only lost weight once, and it was here on MFP. Now I just want to maintain, so I'm willing to track indefinitely to do that. Good luck, everyone!0 -
I've been at it for about 50 days now. Logging everything religiously. Lost 5 pounds, but have also been exercising. Most days I am "in the red" on everything. Sometimes I'm not sure if its the Mfp or the exercise that has worked so far, but I know I'm not trying hard enough to keep my calories under. I still just eat whatever I want then I'm like "oh well I'm over again" it's like the logging is just nothing more than showing me everyday Yup ate too much again. I feel that I could've lost a bit more by now. Years ago I did it with the ol pen and paper and worked out twice a week and lost 30 lbs in 30 months. So I guess it works. (Sorry I'm not very helpful. Newish here and never really talked about it. Please don't bash!)0
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I did the exact same thing - NO LOGGING over December and January and gained 10 pounds. Now, I can't seem to get rid of them! It was a learning curve for me. Personally, I will have to log for the rest of my life because I have an addictive personality. Either be addicted to food or be addicted to logging. Can't have it both ways. If I don't log, I don't seem to care what goes into my mouth.0
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Camarose79 wrote: »I've been at it for about 50 days now. Logging everything religiously. Lost 5 pounds, but have also been exercising. Most days I am "in the red" on everything. Sometimes I'm not sure if its the Mfp or the exercise that has worked so far, but I know I'm not trying hard enough to keep my calories under. I still just eat whatever I want then I'm like "oh well I'm over again" it's like the logging is just nothing more than showing me everyday Yup ate too much again. I feel that I could've lost a bit more by now. Years ago I did it with the ol pen and paper and worked out twice a week and lost 30 lbs in 30 months. So I guess it works. (Sorry I'm not very helpful. Newish here and never really talked about it. Please don't bash!)
What helped me with my first bit of logging/losing was if I could pick one macro to make sure I hit, I would make it fat. Smaller amounts of fat are usually a bigger "hit" calorically. Yes, it's great if I can hit ALL my macros...but...realistically, I usually am red somewhere and I don't have medical reasons for not exceeding in, say, my sodium, so I don't worry about that a whole lot. (Although I am looking for lower-sodium seasoning mixes/sauces/etc. here an there to try and bring that number down a bit too..) Overall, my focus was on being in the green on calories over the course of the week. One "bad" day isn't killer...three bad days usually is.0 -
GBrady43068 wrote: »I joined MFP October 2013 at a weight of 264 pounds.
I was pretty diligent with my logging of food and exercise. Sometimes I got that "You were under" message and other times it was just "Oh well at least you logged...". Sometimes I stayed green in all my macros...but usually I went into the red on at least a couple of them. Some days I did better with my water intake than others.
From that starting point, I dropped down to a low of 210.0 at my last logged weigh-in on 10/04. Then I stopped logging (and logging ON to MFP)....
...NOT logging= becoming fat
logging=losing/becoming more fit
Exactly -- I'm in maintenance but still log & will likely never stop being aware of the calories I am consuming. I know what will happen if I start down that slippery slope!
Congrats on your loss & logging.
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Congrats on getting back on track! You know what works for you to lose and you will be able to do it again! Thanks for sharing your experience.0
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The thing is that our bodies are probably primed to put on weight, so if you aren't maintaining focus then you will probably join the 95% who regain. That doesn't necessarily mean you need to log forever, but it certainly helps with focus. Keeping track of weight over time may be enough for some people. The real red flag is when you stop paying attention and don't WANT to weigh or log.0
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When I stopped logging last fall for a few months I somehow gained almost 10lbs even though I'd been exercising almost daily. It seems like I did fine the first few weeks off MFP but then slacked afterward.0
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UPDATE: Still logging/paying attention, still losing....11.3 pounds until I'm back to where I was before I left0
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Wow..that is an amazing drop. You are an inspiration...GBrady43068 wrote: »I joined MFP October 2013 at a weight of 264 pounds.
Exactly -- I'm in maintenance but still log & will likely never stop being aware of the calories I am consuming. I know what will happen if I start down that slippery slope!
Congrats on your loss & logging.0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I think you meant:
For me
NOT logging= becoming fat
logging=losing/becoming more fit
Lots of people lose weight without logging food.
Actually I'll amend it to "For many..."
Some probably don't need it...those that know that they need to stop after 1 slice of pizza/pie/etc and that mentally keep themselves within the target calorie zone...but I tend to think most of us here didn't have that or we wouldn't have NEEDED to lose the weight.
Some of us have probably since developed it since coming on MFP and diligently tracking/learning portion sizes/etc.
Some of us (*raising hand*) are still poor at it and need the logging to stay straight.0 -
For me the logging helps me be more circumspect in my eating after I've gone over, and that helps balance things out...
I encourage diet breaks all the time on these boards. They are a great pressure reliever & mood enhancer. But you've got to take them under these terms:
First, weigh every day...
Second, log every day...
And Third, move every day...
Otherwise yes, most of us are back on a fast moving train to fat city!0
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