I need a plan that doesn't involve logging

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srecupid
srecupid Posts: 660 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I've lost about 75 pounds in the last 10 months or so. I have always had somewhat of an obsessive personality but, i have kinda gotten carried away lately. For sanity sake i need to stop logging eventually. I also don't want to gain it all back either though so I need a plan. I think I can live with weighing daily and charting it on something like libra. I may even buy a wifi scale to do that automatically. I am also thinking of donating all my clothes that are too big which will keep me from getting fat again because i'm way too broke to buy new ones if i gain weight again. Any other suggestions/advice?

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  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
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    Weigh in regularly so you know if the trend is moving upwards over a few weeks then its time to adjust your calorie intake.

    Keep as active as possible.

    Keep an eye on snacking, nothing wrong with it per se, but its easy to consume alot more than we think if we aren't being mindful of them.

    I try to not eat after 7pm, basically that would be when I would want to snack for no reason other than boredom. I had to re-train myself not to eat then and its now become a habit not to.
  • wheeee123
    wheeee123 Posts: 19 Member
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    Try googling 'habits of skinny people' to get some good advice. There are people who tend to stay thin without logging. They do things like having really regular food routines (a few go-to breakfasts and lunches like another poster mentioned), they order a la carte at restaurants (think just a sandwich if you're doing fast food, not a meal), and they're active every day.
  • Nikion901
    Nikion901 Posts: 2,467 Member
    edited June 2016
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    Here is a thought for you ... continue logging for just another week or two ... and for every meal snap a photo with your smart phone or a camera ... these, of course, would be meals that fit into your daily calorie goal and nutritional needs. Also, make note of how much the different meals fill out the plates you use so you will have a visual cue in mind. Then, when you decide to no longer log, try it for a couple of weeks of using your photos and memory to guide you into the proper amount of food at any given meal. Check in with your scale in 2 weeks and see where you stand.
    PS ... (edited to add) ... this might fit in with your obsessive personality, and because people generally tend to eat the same foods. Just look at your grocery receipts and make a note of what and how much of the different food stuffs you buy on a regular basis and you get what I mean.
  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
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    Standard Diet? Have meals that you know the approximate calorie count.

    Or replace one meal a day with popcorn? I know a lady who lost 45lb just having popcorn for supper instead of supper.

    Or if there is some item you eat every day that's not nutritious, cut that out till you lose some weight?

    Or add an extra 30 minutes of exercise to each day and leave your diet as is?

    Or weigh each day and eat less any day you are up in weight? Though maybe that is obsessive too.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    It can be done. People used to keep a normal weight without logging, and even without knowing about calories. I actually researched what wheee suggests, early in my weight loss process: I have a fairly consistent menu of ordinary food, eat proper meals in modest portions. I don't drink my calories. I weigh every day and maintain my weight within range. I move every day.

    (I do actually log what I eat, but only on "paper", only what and not how much, and just as a consequence of meal planning. I log my weight in my FREE fitbit account, and it synchs with Trendweight, also free. I regained weight despite having promised myself I wouldn't. Good intentions are futile, you need good habits - something that you'll want to stick to because you like it, not just to keep your weight in check.)
  • srecupid
    srecupid Posts: 660 Member
    edited June 2016
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    kommodevaran wrote: »
    It can be done. People used to keep a normal weight without logging, and even without knowing about calories. I actually researched what wheee suggests, early in my weight loss process: I have a fairly consistent menu of ordinary food, eat proper meals in modest portions. I don't drink my calories. I weigh every day and maintain my weight within range. I move every day.

    (I do actually log what I eat, but only on "paper", only what and not how much, and just as a consequence of meal planning. I log my weight in my FREE fitbit account, and it synchs with Trendweight, also free. I regained weight despite having promised myself I wouldn't. Good intentions are futile, you need good habits - something that you'll want to stick to because you like it, not just to keep your weight in check.)

    Maybe I'll log but, just get a spare cheap android phone like http://www.bestbuy.com/site/virgin-mobile-lg-tribute-2-with-8gb-memory-no-contract-cell-phone-blue/4353300.p?id=1219736062453&skuId=4353300&productCategoryId= and leave it permanently in the kitchen and remove the app from my phone that i actually carry around with me. Or maybe I'll just carry around a notepad and if i feel like putting it into myfitnesspal i'll do it through the desktop app. I just wish there was a way to turn off every tab but, the diary tab.
  • Kimo159
    Kimo159 Posts: 508 Member
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    Maybe try a logging break? I do them from time to time, I keep a close eye on the scale while I'm doing it though. I eat pretty much the same stuff most of the time though so not logging isn't a huge deal to me as I already know what my usual portions of things are. I also continued to weigh things. For example, I usually eat oatmeal with protein powder for a preworkout, when I didn't log I still weighed the oats because I knew if I eyeballed them I'd easily put double what I should. When you feel up to it again (or your weight has increased) you can start logging again.

    I was getting obsessive for a while so I know how you feel. I found logging breaks to be very helpful in getting me back to a healthy state with maintenance.
  • srecupid
    srecupid Posts: 660 Member
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    Kimo159 wrote: »
    Maybe try a logging break? I do them from time to time, I keep a close eye on the scale while I'm doing it though. I eat pretty much the same stuff most of the time though so not logging isn't a huge deal to me as I already know what my usual portions of things are. I also continued to weigh things. For example, I usually eat oatmeal with protein powder for a preworkout, when I didn't log I still weighed the oats because I knew if I eyeballed them I'd easily put double what I should. When you feel up to it again (or your weight has increased) you can start logging again.

    I was getting obsessive for a while so I know how you feel. I found logging breaks to be very helpful in getting me back to a healthy state with maintenance.

    yeah it's those damn streaks that keep me going. i'm a like 250 now. would be a shame to stop
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
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    Once upon a time in a land far away, I was thin and never logged food. Then I put on weight and had no choice but to log and now that I have lost the weight, I still need to log. I am not that same high strung high energy person that never needed to know or understand why and what food I ate. A mindless life back then was nice, but life is different I am older, need to do things right now.

    Log for commitment to your new life, or don't.. Your choice and only you can decide what is/will be the absotleuty best method to maintain your weight, what and how you eat in the future. You can always try taking a break for a couple of months and see if you come right back to logging and especially if you "accidentally" put on weight gain.

    It will be quite a while before I let go of the MFP logging noose. I do trust my self with food but because fitness is HUGE now in my life, I have to log, because for me to continue to exercise, lift weights, build muscle, loose fat, etc... I need to know my calories in order to meet my goals..
  • aylajane
    aylajane Posts: 979 Member
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    srecupid wrote: »
    Kimo159 wrote: »
    Maybe try a logging break? I do them from time to time, I keep a close eye on the scale while I'm doing it though. I eat pretty much the same stuff most of the time though so not logging isn't a huge deal to me as I already know what my usual portions of things are. I also continued to weigh things. For example, I usually eat oatmeal with protein powder for a preworkout, when I didn't log I still weighed the oats because I knew if I eyeballed them I'd easily put double what I should. When you feel up to it again (or your weight has increased) you can start logging again.

    I was getting obsessive for a while so I know how you feel. I found logging breaks to be very helpful in getting me back to a healthy state with maintenance.

    yeah it's those damn streaks that keep me going. i'm a like 250 now. would be a shame to stop

    The streak is for logging in, not logging food. So if you come here and read the forums, your streak continues. You only have to hit any page once.

    Why not ease into it? I.e. log one week a month, just to reassure yourself that your new "normal" calories are staying in line, measuring to be sure your proportions are not "growing". Then just try to be mindful the rest of the month. Keep an eye on weight - if starts to trend up, log every other week until you get it under control. Make up your own rules!
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
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    WiFi scales are great and the graphs are awesome. I had to quit logging because it was driving everyone around me crazy. I did retrain myself on how to eat proper foods and portions so the not logging hasn't been a problem. I only have trouble when I slack off on my running. Thats where the scale is important.
  • chocolate_owl
    chocolate_owl Posts: 1,695 Member
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    At this point, I have a good sense of my "base" consumption - a standard breakfast and two home-cooked, macro-balanced meals. I'm pretty dead on for 250 cals at breakfast and two ~500 calorie meals, starting me at 1250 for the day. I fill the rest of my calories with snacks (fruit, veggies, nuts) and treats (chocolate, ice cream, wine), and I know I can have nuts OR wine and stay at my cutting calories (1400) or nuts, chocolate, and wine and hit maintenance (1800).

    I also know what a base meal looks like, and I know if I make a pasta with cream sauce it will be 300-400 calories more than a stir-fry and rice. In that case, I have to scale back somewhere else. If I'm eating something outside my standard go-tos, I make exchanges: if I eat 200 calories of candy, I don't get ice cream later. If I eat fajitas at a restaurant, I won't have any snacks during the day, and I might skip breakfast if I think I'll be eating a few chips. I still read labels to make sure I'm not drastically underestimating calories.

    I don't always log, but I do keep a running tally in my head, and I weigh every day. If the scale starts to shift upwards, I start logging diligently again.

    I still make good choices: apples instead of chips at Subway, walking instead of driving if feasible, etc. Maintenance means more calories, but it's easy to blow those out if you consistently opt for the higher-calorie food or decrease your exercise.
  • ballyshea
    ballyshea Posts: 187 Member
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    srecupid wrote: »
    I am also thinking of donating all my clothes that are too big which will keep me from getting fat again because i'm way too broke to buy new ones if i gain weight again. Any other suggestions/advice?

    Do it. I've gradually been giving my big clothes to a charity shop. It makes room in the wardrobe, helps others, makes you feel proud of your achievement and makes you think twice before overeating.

    I started losing weight last October. By January my work trousers were hanging off me so I bought a new lot in the next size down. I had to do that again in May. I buy the same style of trousers in 4 colours for work so some of them had hardly been worn. It's a nice 'problem' to have though.

    Tops are also too big, but I don't mind those hanging. At least they won't fall off like the trousers might.
  • solieco1
    solieco1 Posts: 1,559 Member
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    Log twice a week just to keep track of any trends.
  • FionaPlum
    FionaPlum Posts: 37 Member
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    If you did the 5 2 diet or 'fast diet' you wouldn't need to log. You'd eat normally for five days and 500/600 calories on two non consecutive days. It's supposed to be healthier than a low calorie diet, less fuss and gets better, quicker results and you wouldn't need to log obsessively (which in itself can lead people into eating disorder territory mindset). I've been researching it for a good while now and hope to switch over to this at some point in the future.

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