No time for the app? Or self care?

CICOKairalie
CICOKairalie Posts: 12 Member
in Motivation and Support
Struggling hard with staying consistent in just logging my food and when or if I walk (I don't leave the house much these days but I chase the kids around all day! Thank goodness my fitbit syncs lmao)

I am eating mindfully and making decently healthy choices while limiting the not so good options (for example today.. Pizza. Normally have 4-5 slices. I said 2 and that was it. If I was still hungry I'd slice some veg or something) Things like that, but with 4 young kids running around I find myself having little time left to log things into here...

How do you all keep up with everything?!

It's almost like I'm making 2 meals all the time, and then dishes pile up and I'm NEVER out of the kitchen. I do meal prep, differently than most, but still prep, and I just.. NO TIME FOR THE MOM!

Help? Do I NEED to log it? I try to write it down at least that way when the kiddos go to bed I can sit down for 10 minutes and throw everything in, but often I forget a meal or, a snack somewhere and it messes with the numbers.

I know you aren't supposed to but I DO weigh in every day with an app linked to my phone from my scale so no need to log in or anything. And I like seeing those ups and downs and knowing how I feel about them. (Scalexiety lol) So I am keeping track of something.

I have NOT done measurements simply because I am UBER pregnant right now (Yes doc knows about cutting some cals, and it watching it with me. Also I'm due the 28th. Not much time left to cook this baby thankfully - Almost there!) So once baby comes, maybe a week later or so I'll start taking weekly or bi weekly measurements...

Anyways, thoughts on all this?

Replies

  • 7rainbow
    7rainbow Posts: 161 Member
    Hey there!
    I'm not a busy mom, but I have been on fitness pal for a while and am a busy uni student. My advice is try to log if you can. The world won't end if you don't, but I find you don't really realize how much you are eating until you log it, especially if you are just starting off. It's hard to keep on top of it, I get it, but here is my advice:
    1) Do what you can ahead of time. If I know what I'm eating for breakfast or dinner or so forth, I put it in my diary right when I wake up. It saves me time later, and I can get an idea of how many calories I have for the other meals.
    2) Late is better than never. Even if it is the end of the day, I'm getting ready for bed, and I know I didn't log mg calories, I go back in and put them in when I'm brushing my teeth or something. I may be over, but at least I get a sense of how I'm doing and what I should be changing.
    3) Use those extra moments. When you are sitting down at the dinner table isn't probably the easiest time to take out your phone and plug the calories in. I try to just do it when I have the chance. If I'm waiting for the water to boil for dinner, or I'm using the washroom, or if I'm just scrolling through my phone for a moment, I put what I have eaten and am expecting to eat in.
    Hope this helps!
  • 88olds
    88olds Posts: 4,463 Member
    I tracked for years just making crude lists on paper. Just something to identify what it was and a number. Using the computer makes me think I’m at work.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,967 Member
    I've been thinking about your post, and wondering if this thread might be helpful:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10787818/minimum-basic-and-preferred-habits

    On the one hand, its from the Maintaining Weight part of the forum, so the people posting might be at a different stage with more detailed strategies at that point.

    On the other hand, I think the general concept (of different categories of habits) could be useful. It's really common around here to see people starting out trying to be perfect in all ways (the "preferred habits"), and feeling like they've failed if the details slip a bit here and there as life gets complicated.

    Even at the start, it may be useful to think about what the minimum habits are, that can help make progress (however slowly) or at least hold the line on regain. We *can't* always keep up with *everything*, over long time periods, with lots of other stuff going on in life. Keeping on with just pulling on that thread a little bit, though - that might be possible.

    Best wishes!
  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
    When I stop logging, I'm in a danger zone.

    As much as I hate the thought of having to track every f$&king thing I put in my mouth for the rest of my life, the truth is:
    1. I lie to myself when I don't log and those lies turn into pounds.
    2. Logging is actually a source of security and comfort.Ugh. I struggle this idea, but every time I backslide (see #1 above), when I start logging again, there in this incredible relief that I am being honest with ME.
    3. Being honest with ME is the root of self-love and self-care. Lying to myself about how much I eat takes me back to emotional eating behaviors that I've had since childhood, and the related body hatred that has persisted through adulthood.
  • girlwithcurls2
    girlwithcurls2 Posts: 2,257 Member
    rosebarnalice wrote: »
    When I stop logging, I'm in a danger zone.

    As much as I hate the thought of having to track every f$&king thing I put in my mouth for the rest of my life, the truth is:
    1. I lie to myself when I don't log and those lies turn into pounds.
    2. Logging is actually a source of security and comfort.Ugh. I struggle this idea, but every time I backslide (see #1 above), when I start logging again, there in this incredible relief that I am being honest with ME.
    3. Being honest with ME is the root of self-love and self-care. Lying to myself about how much I eat takes me back to emotional eating behaviors that I've had since childhood, and the related body hatred that has persisted through adulthood.

    ^This.
    So much truth here. Once I got into "just doing it" (logging), it really didn't take that much time. Also, I eat a lot of the same foods, especially when I need a snack, so they're right there and handy to log.

    What @rosebarnalice said is why I think I'll be a logger into maintenance and beyond :). I'm a terrible liar, unless it has to do with what I ate for the day...

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