MFP Tool or Crutch? Weigh-in

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  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,974 Member
    Counting cals w/MFP and daily weigh ins are very effective tools to use to maintain weightloss.

    Some people claim to be able to maintain their weight w/o daily weigh-in/calorie counting. I am not one of them and have no complaints about it.
  • LyndaBSS
    LyndaBSS Posts: 6,964 Member
    I was shell-shocked when I saw my macros. Personally, I think it would take me a very long time to trust my gut, unless I was eating the same meals all the time and what fun would that be?

    I applaud those of you who have great instinct.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    Have you ever noticed how challenging it can be to trust your own instincts when you reach your goal weight?
    My instincts my whole adult life have been to eat a bit more than I actually need. That doesn't change because I do or don't log my food.

    I tried weaning myself off counting calories and weighing in everyday.
    After three days, I just didn't trust myself that I was actually doing the right thing.
    3 days isn't much of an experiment! Not sure why you did both together either - why not try experimenting with one at a time for a number of weeks?

    I jumped back on the scale only to find that I had lost some weight.
    Never had that problem, I have to make a conscious decision to lose weight.

    Have you tried weaning yourself off counting calories and weighing-in everyday?
    Yes and no - daily weighing is one of my absolute keys to maintain successfully so I can monitor my trend and stop a drift becoming a slide. They are two very different tools IMHO.
    Haven't logged food for years, still log exercise as part of my mindful eating approach. I have a very high and very varied exercise routine which means I eat quite differently day to day, even season to season. I get a lot of dietary freedom on the many days I'm burning 1000+ calories not surprisingly.

    How has that worked for you?
    Very good, been maintaining (with an odd lapse) under my "intervention weight" for ages.
    But that was a return to normal for me. I maintained within a fairly tight range for the 20 years I was overweight too. Calorie counting / weight loss was a specific interlude not the mythical lifestyle change, I didn't need to change my lifestyle I just needed to lose my excess flab and return to maintenance at a lower weight. Calorie counting was a useful educational and accountability tool.

    What games does your mind play?
    The same games whether I'm food logging or not: I'll make up for over-eating this tasty food "sometime", I'm only right at the top of my acceptable range so I'll fix that "sometime".....

  • bennettinfinity
    bennettinfinity Posts: 865 Member
    For me, it's better to KNOW that I'm hitting my calorie goals, than to guess - my guessing ability demonstrably stinks.

    I've gotten away from logging food a couple of times in the years that I've been using the site - each time I gained weight. Call it a tool or call it a crutch, but it's clear that if I want to maintain my weight loss, I'll need to be a logger for life - and I'm OK with that.

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