Weighing and logging.....forever??

I don't weigh everything anymore (some things still), but I will probably always log in some manner. I see and hear about too many people who eventually gained their weight back, and so many talked about no longer paying attention. That might make me a little sad sometimes, but the idea of being close to 300 pounds again, makes me sadder.

I'll probably log and weigh everything for another year or more. I may do some trial runs next year to see, for instance, over the course of a few weeks if I can maintain without logging and measuring/weighing, but for now it's a necessity. I need to work on reducing my exercise to a long-term manageable amount (I won't be able to keep up 6 days a week forever, I'm 47) that I can handle past 50, then adjust my calories accordingly. Once that happens in the next year or so I hope to be so used to knowing what to eat, when to eat it, and what I need to "pay for" with extra exercise, that I won't need to log. I don't want to end up having to come back and diet again a year down the road because I gained 50 lbs. I'm getting too old for that lol.

jemhh wrote: »

You folks who don't weigh and/or log--do you track in any way (in your head, counting protein grams, etc.) or do you just go by fullness cues or something else?

I eat many of the same general types of foods every day. Not the exact same foods (outside of breakfast), but in the ballpark. As such, my log would look very similar day to day. Sure, the particular foods and actual amounts may vary - especially since I rarely weigh anything - but the counts (Cals, macros, micros) will be very similar day-in, day-out.

In my case, it really has become, "eat a little less of what I've been eating and/or move a little more," if my weight starts to creep up; eat a little more, if my weight goes down too much.

This isn't to say that some days aren't very different from others - but not so much as to throw things completely out of whack.

juliebowman4 wrote: »

It makes me sad.....let's see if I can accurately describe my thoughts:

It is my hope that I will be able to achieve a healthy style of living, one that includes self-control and moderation. (By eyeball)
My family doesn't weigh and log their meals....I'd like to be able to sit at the family dinner table, and eyeball a scoop of potatoes and pass the bowl .....rather than having pre-portioned my food.
I hope I will have educated myself along this journey that by the time I reach maintenance, I'll be able to use the wisdom I've gathered and simply apply it.....without having to obsessively weigh and measure and log every gram
And finally, I hope to not live in fear. Fear of fat, fear of calories, fear of the number on the scale.

I, personally don't think that's an unreasonable thing to want in the future. I think we all want that. I'm also sure there are some of us (I might even be one, so I'm not judging anyone) that will never be able to do that. However, it's a goal of mine as well. I do think I am working toward that now with maintenance though. I'm allowing myself days of eating what I want to see what happens. Having said that, I do weigh and monitor it, if I go over or up to the max on my calories that day, I try the next few days to adjust both my exercise and my caloric intake to smooth it out. Then I watch my weight over the next couple of weeks.

The thing is, if I can be successful with that for the next year or so, I won't be so scared about stopping the logging because the scale will help me keep on track. I'll not only know what kinds of foods and condiments (salt/etc.) cause me to gain water weight, I will know (and do already) how to counter that by increasing water intake and reducing sodium over the period of the next few days. Once I'm sure the water weight is flushed I'll be able to monitor my weight and see if I have been overindulging. I don't think I will have to log food forever, but I do think, because of my own appetites, that I will have to monitor by sight and by weight (body scale, not weighing food) for likely the rest of my life. I just don't want it to get out of control enough to have to come back and log again. So once you hit maintenance it's time to teach yourself how to cope with the added calories long term. That's my goal at least, but it doesn't make me sad that I'm not there yet. It's the journey that matters and it's also the journey that will teach me how to be successful long term.

juliebowman4 wrote: »

ugofatcat wrote: »

juliebowman4 wrote: »

Once you reach maintenance, how many still weigh and log everything?
I'm hopeful that my end result will be a much better ability to eyeball portion sizes and calories as well as having a strong desire and personal accountability to keep moving forward, not backwards.

Besides.....the thought of weighing/measuring and logging my food forever, makes me a little sad.

Why does it make you sad? The thought of being overweight, sedentary, and having lots of health problems makes me even sadder.

I do not know how got by for so long without my food scale. I honestly wish I could bring it everywhere with me and weigh my food where ever I go, but I think I might get funny looks in public.

I will never stop weighing or tracking, I will do this for the rest of my life. However I do frequently go over my calorie allotment, but if I put it in my mouth it goes in MFP.

It makes me sad.....let's see if I can accurately describe my thoughts:

It is my hope that I will be able to achieve a healthy style of living, one that includes self-control and moderation. (By eyeball)
My family doesn't weigh and log their meals....I'd like to be able to sit at the family dinner table, and eyeball a scoop of potatoes and pass the bowl .....rather than having pre-portioned my food.
I hope I will have educated myself along this journey that by the time I reach maintenance, I'll be able to use the wisdom I've gathered and simply apply it.....without having to obsessively weigh and measure and log every gram
And finally, I hope to not live in fear. Fear of fat, fear of calories, fear of the number on the scale.

Tell me if am understanding what you are saying: You want to be able to naturally determine correct portion sizes, without having to think about it all the time? Do you find it exhausting to always be thinking about food all the time?

I am not sure where you live, but in America, we are surrounded by messages to eat eat eat all the time. Portion sizes could serve 2-3 people 50 years ago are the norm. A "small" is a 12 ounce cup, when 8 ounces is considered a serving. A small ice cream is at least 2 scoops! For me, weighing and logging is the only way to fight back against out bigger is better lifestyle.

Have you heard of the book "Slim by Design" and "Mindless Eating"? They have tips on how you can modify your environment and habits to help you eat less without even realizing it.

If I am at a family event, I don't weigh, but I do try and track in my head to log later. For example, if I take a small handful of chips, I estimate 1 ounce. I will count the cookies I put on my plate to log later. Before I start eating I think to myself, "I think this is about 5 ounces, this looks like 1 cup of veggies" and then log later. How do you feel about doing that?

I have maintained my weight loss so far without continuous logging. I dip in and out as I really can't be bothered with it all the time. What I do though is log in to the tool everyday and keep up with exercising
Now when am ready to finish what I have started I will start logging again religiously to lose some vanity weight
But I won't be logging forever

I will do sloppy logging like I usually do when I take maintenance breaks. Some things I will weigh, some things I won't, some days I'll log, some days I won't. What I will keep doing religiously is weigh myself and every time I notice a trend up I will tighten up my logging for a while or have a fast day. It has worked for me for maintenance breaks and was pretty sustainable, so I know it will work comfortably long term.

I also have a nice database of precalculated recipes sorted by the general calorie count (200-300, 300-400, 400-500...etc) in private boards on pinterest. (this is a nice tool for anyone using chrome to get a quick estimate of the calories for any recipe on any website). On days I don't log I utilize some of these recipes to be in the ballpark of my desired calorie goal. In addition to that I have "go-to"s, like I know my oatmeal is never over 350 calories no matter what I put in it of the variations I tried so far, I know most of my apples are around 85-90 calories and that none of the packaged candy or chips I usually eat is over 250 calories. So I can basically run a rough estimate in my head to see if I can fit something or not.

After being able to maintain my weight for more than a year, I really thought I would stop logging this year to see how I did. But then I had major abdominal surgery the first of this year that forced me to be less active and I was worried about gaining weight plus the surgeon told me to up my protein while I was healing. I was good and hooray! no weight gain!

Then I thought in July I would stop logging in August just to see how I did. And promptly after making that decision came up with a herniated disc that required surgery. Back to sedentary for awhile.... Not a good time to stop logging.

So I will be logging for life it appears since deciding to not log apparently triggers the Logging Gods into messing with me.

I actually don't mind doing it, it doesn't take much time and it's really handy for menu planning and I have to weigh my husband's food anyway (for medical reasons). I just thought it would be interesting to see how I do without logging.

I have MFP bookmarked on my laptop, and the app on my phone. I find it requires very little effort to log foods, and the fact that I eat the same favorites makes it easy to find them in my database. Over time, i find that I'm better at estimating portion sizes; for example, with peanut butter (a lunch favorite) I measured out 2 tablespoons for a serving, then after a while put the tablespoon on the table next to the jar and eyeballed a portion, then I didn't need the spoon any more. I can measure out a one ounce serving of almonds by the feel in my hand, and it's accurate to within a nut or two.

I like weighing and logging because it keeps me accountable to myself. I find it's not a burden at all. How long will I do it? Until I know I've completely internalized the process, or until I die, whichever comes first.

I will be going into maintenance mode very soon and plan on logging as I do now, I think it's the only way I'm going to be accountable and keep this weight off for a lifetime, it's become a habit anyway so I don't know if it's going to be too big of a deal to continue logging, plus that "streak" quota that MFP provides I find very satisfying and motivating, I'm logged in now going for over 260 days in a row, I'm very excited to see what happens when it goes to 365 lol. (Yeah I know I'm weird lol) having said all this, it's one prerogative and whatever works for you is what will work best, so if you don't have to log and keep yourself maintained I think it's great.

I'm not logging and haven't for about a month. I've actually lost a few lbs. I still weigh myself every other day. I have found I fluctuate 2/3lbs in a week which is fine by me. I don't deprive myself of anything but have found that I make better choices now I'm more aware of calorie content and I physically can't binge eat anymore. It's takes less food to make me feel full now. I think I lost those lbs because my activity level went up with a new job. I couldn't imagine logging forever either!!

suziecue20 wrote: »

This is the only time I've ever maintained my weight loss. Every other time I've lost it and re-gained it because my portion sizes just crept up. Now I weigh and log every day and it works for me.

I'll probably continue to weigh everything except for during vacation weeks too.

My eyes are not accurate gauges at all. Except for measuring butter. I can nail down 5 grams of butter like a pro. I hardly ever eat it, though.