Struggling to do this everyday. Tips anyone?

Make it as easy as possible.... Make a meal plan for during the week, prep all your food and save time on cooking and thinking about food

melanieknight wrote: »

tried on and off to do this. Only worked when I was unemployed. Now back in a busy job, I don't seem to find time. How do you all manage?

What's taking the time?

You have a fully though out plan and realistic expectations. The plan needs to organise you but also fit in with your lifestyle. That means being realistic and patient.

Use the app on your phone or just write down what you eat throughout the day on paper and log it when you get home. Or you can pre-log your food for the day and stick with your choices. I find that I do well if I plan my meals and log them before eating. Then I can see how it looks and make changes as needed. Good luck! You can do this!

I don't really find that the actual food logging takes much time at all now that I'm practiced at it. I spend about 10 minutes each evening pre-logging the next day, less if I already have the meals I'm planning to have saved. I meal-prep lunches for the week on Sunday but I haven't always done so.

At the end of the day, if it's important to you you'll make time. If it isn't a priority right now that's okay too.

The longer you do it the easier it gets...managing your diet is a commitment. If its a priority in your life, you will do it.

Have to agree with most of the comments. Planning is the key and it can be time consuming in the beginning. You will soon get to know portion sizes. Build up a few meals that you don't have to think about. Batch cook and freeze and on busier days you will already have a meal prepared. Oh and PLANNING! Good luck.

I love this web site it's helped me to loose over 55 lbs. I started with baby steps. I lost most by just substituting one bad eating habit at a time; example, full fat ice cream to weight watchers; reg. cheese to parmesan, spaghetti squash instead of pasta. Plus I realized I was a carb addict. I made a simple kind of rule "If God made it I can probably eat it, if Man made it & put in a box etc. probably not". I don't diet. I eat healthier now. I don't go to the gym, but my job keeps me moving so I used the "exercise' section & gauged how many calories I use a day. Little changes do add up in changing bad habits to good. I'm 64 I gained my weight during menopause so slowly before I knew it I was almost 200 lbs. It took me a year to loose it but This web site was the information I needed, seeing where the calories came from, which foods were loaded & which were better choices worked for me. Best of all at the end of the food log day when you get that little "If every day was like today you'd weigh --- in 5 weeks" that encouraged me to keep going. I now weigh 144 and look like a rev person. Better yet I'm healthier, & I don't crave the bad stuff, I'm not addicted to the wrong crabs any more. Figure out what are your "trigger" foods that set you off & substitute it with something better for you.

Nobody is finding time, you have to MAKE time. If you're serious about getting in shape, then you will MAKE time to eat better, exercise, and log into MFP if that helps. It's not easy, but you have to stick with it and be dedicated in order to see results. Sounds cliche, but it's true. Good luck!

I make sure all the exercise I do is part of my day. For example I cycle to work and back (800 calories burnt) and I pop down the allotment whenever I can (200 calories). The exercise I do has a purpose. I am convinced the way to lose weight is to control your calorie intake. MFP has helped me by monitoring everything I eat.

Getting started again is the hardest part. Once you find your routine again things will get easier.

reske wrote: »

Never bring any food into the house that you can't resist. If my husband wants desert I buy what I don't care for. He eats cheesecake I don't care for it, he eats chips I eat pistachios.

I do this too.

you have to have a plan. adults are not that different than children in this respect. Structure and routine makes it easier for us. Getting into the habit of having multiple go to meals and snacks is essential. Mfp's food diary makes it easy to keep with the habit for me.

I have a handful of breakfasts that I've got down to a science (granola, greek yogurt, cereal, milk, protein, eggs, etc) that I know exactly any combination to end up at 300 calories or less. I don't log this immediately, and I don' always use a scale when I'm in a rush, but if I don't use the scale I stick to things like eggs or protein power (reliable and repeatable to measure). I've got the same system for lunch, but with small sandwiches, fruit, or leftover dinners portioned out to also be about 300 calories.

That gives me almost exactly 600 or less by lunch pretty much every single day without any real logging, counting, or thinking and leaves plenty of room for a big dinner or the occasional snack when they end up in the lunch room. Now I only really have to count the one meal at home.

Plan your meals ahead of time. That way you can a) not have to think about it b) know that you are on track and c) not have to log every meal when you eat the meal.