Over 100 down and it's still a struggle every day (very long)

Armagan123 wrote: »

Congratulations on your fantastic success!
I have one question, you sound as if tracking your food intake is easy, even on your vacations you mention you keep on tracking. To me that is the hardest part, at home I try to do my best to weigh my food, but still on a busy morning or a tired me at dinner easily gives up. How do you manage, just eyeballing or a very strict scale usage?

This could be a post all on its own! I'll try to answer this briefly though.

Tracking my food is easy *now*. It wasn't when I first started, but that is/was the one thing that I have always been good about and I would say that is probably the single most important reason for my success so far.

When I first started, I didn't have a tablet or smart phone, so I had to actually log into my computer to track anything. The work week was fairly easy because I was always near a computer, but on weekends, I had to make a "date" with my computer at least once a day and usually more, to track my food. Then on vacations, I didn't track at all. I finally bought a smart phone and someone gave me a tablet as a birthday present and since getting those, I haven't missed a single day and I track almost everything I eat before I eat it. I don't wait until the end of the day to try and remember everything I ate that day. If I do that, I miss things.

In the beginning I pre-tracked every meal. I wouldn't eat a single thing unless it was already tracked. When going out to a restaurant, I knew where I was going before getting there and I would research online to find the best options for the calories I wanted to spend and then I pre-tracked the meal and ordered exactly that when I got to the restaurant - I didn't even open the menu! I also entered all my favorite restaurant items into the "my foods" section of my tracker so I don't have to look them up every time I go to a restaurant. Now, I know all the restaurants near me and what the menus offer and can choose from the menu when I get there. I still track it before I eat it though! I usually pull out my phone and track between ordering and when the food is served.

At home, I use a food scale and I log before I eat. Without weighing my food I get myself into trouble. If I try to eyeball a portion, It's double or triple what it really should be. My food scale sits on my counter always. My recipes have all been input into MFP over time. They take a little bit of effort to input in the beginning, but once they are there, they are there forever.

When I go to someone's house for a meal or party, I track before or while I am eating. This is the only time I eyeball portions and guestimate. Sometimes I'll ask for the recipe in order to better guestimate what I am eating. I've been tracking so long that all my friends and relatives understand what I am doing when I pull out my phone, but have seen my success and understand why. It also only takes just a few minutes at the very most.

Hope that helps!

kar328 wrote: »

Wow, so great to hear someone just like me. First, congrats on your loss and persistence. You look great.

I'm on day 1179 (3 years, 3ish months) of doing this, my highest weight loss is 111.8 lbs (although up 2-3 at the moment). My goal is 12.2 more from that lowest, which would give me a 50% loss. Everything you said is true, it's long, it's frustrating and if you told me I'd still be at it, at this point in time, I'd have laughed. But - it's so worth it. The physical changes - 3X to S (and even XS scrubs). I recently bought a pair of size 4 jeans. I was 22/24 when I started. I can't stop rubbing the bony parts I suddenly have, collarbones, shoulders, hips, it's weird and good at the same time. My posture has improved, I'm not hunching over with all that fat on my belly. And more importantly, the inner changes, more self-confidence and for probably the first time in my life, I like myself. I can look in the mirror without flinching, I watch myself in gym classes (and get mildly annoyed when the instructor walks by and blocks it). I'm more physical than I ever was in my adult life.

Great post, you said it all - it's a little scary that you're in my head

I think you are a little in my head as well! I have gone from a size 24 to a 10 and I love my collarbones, shoulders and hips as well! Also, like you, the inner changes are even more profound with a whole lot more self-confidence (I even willing presented a 20-minute leadership lecture to a roomful of people 2 weeks ago!). I also, like myself for a change!