We are pleased to announce that as of March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor has been introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!
January 4
Replies
-
Great posts today
Pass day 2 for me. No exercise and over calories. The second day failing to keep control over my emotions11 -
Wow, so much great reading here. I read the first page but I am going to have to catch up with the rest later.
Jan 4
Exercise: 15 minute MommaStrong, 40 minute walk
Tracking: Preplanned the day
Calories: Followed the plan - under
Pass days so far: 1 (Jan 1)
I am back to the low weight in between Christmas and New Years. Thinking I am not going to have an indulgent takeout this Friday, hoping to continue this loss and get back to my pre-Christmas weight by next week.
Please share your perspective & experience with tracking.
My first weight loss experience was at age ~24, losing the weight I'd gained in college with Weight Watchers. I tracked points. After that I maintained for the next 6 years by weighing myself every day and tracking if I went over my 5 pound range. Then I got pregnant and since age 32 I have been trying to lose the "baby weight" but was not willing/able to track calories to do it. Finally at age 39 my kids were old enough that I was ready to really begin trying. I did not track calories at first, but did begin by making a template for a meal, counting up the calories that would be, and I did weigh my proteins. I lost weight that way, without tracking, about 18 pounds or so, before plateauing at age 40. I only started tracking in February 2021 (so I guess almost a year now). I am now 41, to catch up on when all this happened. I've lost another 5 pounds or so by tracking. I'd like to lose another 5 pounds or so and it is definitely getting harder.
Do you track everything? Every day? Or do you skip higher calorie times?
Before UAC (which I started in Sept) I would skip high calorie times. I think it was October that I decided to experiment with having a high calorie day once a week that I can preplan. Because of that, I track on those days. That way I can be a winner. Also, it does really help to track those days in terms of keeping it to reasonable high calories (not going "hog wild") and having the data.
That said, mostly my pass days are because I choose not to track - and in Dec half of the days were pass days.
Do you weigh your food or eyeball it or both?
I weigh higher calorie items (or measure - things like oil I measure). I will eyeball something that's like 4 servings in a package, if I'm going to eat the whole package - figuring that if I eat 4 servings of it it'll even out in the end. Low calorie things (vegetables) I just eyeball.
Do you look at your trends and/or averages?
After starting UAC, conversations here prompted me to take another look at my calorie goals as totals for the week instead of the day. And realize that I had a goal for the day that would result in weight loss, but then I was blowing it every weekend by exceeding it. And that a solution to that would be to reduce my goals for the weekdays so that it would add up to a weight loss calorie rate for the week. I have done that and I have been losing.
What is the best thing about tracking for you?
That it lets me lose weight! The intersection of beginning to track and working from home because of the pandemic is interesting to me. I did pretty soon after beginning to stay home realize that I was going to have to preplan my meals - and I was doing that before I began tracking. Having a full morning of meetings and rushing downstairs late and hungry and opening the fridge without a plan is a recipe for disaster - and one I hadn't had to deal with when I was in an office and packed my lunch. Preplanning my meals the day before keeps me happy and healthy and reduces stress. It also allows me to do stuff like defrost the berries I want with my afternoon snack. And if I am preplanning it's not really that much more work to do it in the MFP app and track calories too - and then I can adjust them as necessary.
What is the thing you are working on at the moment re: tracking?
I had kind of a break in December and I am working on getting back to it refreshed and joyful. It's mostly working.
I have been kind of toying with whether I will have to keep tracking in maintenance - because I didn't last time, and I don't like to think I'll have to do anything for the rest of my life. But it's not really useful to think about things like that. My rate of weight loss for the last year has been less than a pound a month so it's not like maintenance is going to be such a different world than regular life.7 -
Yes x3.
I definitely feel the tracking fatigue some days. I just want to not have to think about what I eat. I think a lot of that is me just wanting an excuse to over eat. I think those little white lies to myself are how I got here in the first place so I need to be careful or they'll build up again9 -
.
~❄️~ 1 / 4 /2022~~ Waving Hi ~~ ☃️ ~~ BLESSings ALLways ~💖~
Exercise for at least 20 minutes .................................... ✅ ... 240+ min.
Stay within my calorie budget for the day ...................... ✅ ... I am
Keep track of everything I ate and drank ....................... ✅ .... I did
STEPS......... 27,890 +.......... 180 walking .........60 cleaning ....
Feeling Much better ... just a sore arm... a lil slower pace
Back to my Routine for January Winter cleanup DeClutter Organizing
Documenting My CONSISTANCY = For personal ACCOUNTABILITY & Celebration
(if there is a P=instead of number its a Pass Day)
1-2-3-4-
.7 -
@Geneveremfp I understand your thoughts on tracking fatigue and your recognizing why you don’t like to do it, there is no easy solution but just being here is the start of a good foundation. Patch the cracks, look for ways to strengthen your resolve and take one day at a time.7
-
@Jana_2020 - your post today was so perfect! I absolutely love your quote: "Don't let perfect be the enemy of good." So very true. Thank you for sharing this.4
-
Tracked - yes
Under cals - yes
Exercise - no
Pass day #46 -
Enjoying the posts, great topic.
Whenever I track, I lose weight, and every time I stop I gain. I get sick of tracking, and just want to eat, so I'll let it go, but I have a weight limit that I never let myself pass, so as soon as I get there, it's back to tracking. This has gone on for years, and I stay within a 15 pond range.
Yes x 3.5 -
3 Yesses - exercise was a 3 mile jog on the treadmill. The ice, snow, and slush appears to be gone now so this morning I'm going to venture out to a nearby trail for a run!
**Do I track everything? - Yes and no. On the rare occasions we eat out, get take-out, go on vacations, I don't track. That also goes for holidays/get-togethers. Also, if I happen to relapse and have myself a binge (very rare for me these days) I don't track it. Other than that, since starting UAC in September I've been tracking everything. Well "almost" everything. I will admit I don't tend to track things like a pickle--dill or sweet, and occasionally I will get lazy and not bother tracking a green olive or two even though I give myself a "YES" for tracking that day. I have a feeling UACers that make it to the Winner's Circle track every last item including a pickle or a green olive? So if that is the case I wouldn't feel right being in the Winner's Circle, but that's okay.
**Do I weigh my food or eyeball it or both? - Some things I measure, a few things I weigh, at dinner I eyeball and guesstimate a lot, especially "mixed dishes" such as stir-fries that have protein, vegs, and often a sauce all in the same pan.
**I don't look at trends/and or averages.
**The best thing about tracking is that it keeps me in control. When I am devoted to tracking, I tend to stay on the straight and narrow. It keeps me from overeating, it keeps me from bingeing. The almost consistent tracking I've done since starting UAC in September has helped me to lose the 5 vanity pounds I've been wanting to lose. 5 -
Mrs_Hoffer wrote: »Jan 4:
✅✅✅ exercise today was walking at work (inside the building, where it was warm!)
Pass Days Used: 0/3
UPDATE:
✅ X ✅
Pass Days Used: 1/3
I had to come back and say that I forgot to log an after work peanut butter snack that I had yesterday that I FORGOT to put into my food diary..... which I promptly remembered once I went to bed! When I put it into my food diary (right then, so I wouldn't forget) of course it put me OVER!! Ugh.4 -
Winner_in_Life wrote: »Great posts today
Pass day 2 for me. No exercise and over calories. The second day failing to keep control over my emotions
@Winner_in_Life I'm sorry that you're struggling so. I'm sending {{{HUGS}}} your way.
4 -
Tuesday
Exercise yes strength class at gym
Tracking and calories yes
I do need to get better at tracking-I end up eye balling a lot because hubby is so against it. Precovid I lost 20 lb-put 5 back on due to being home more snd hubby doing all cooking6 -
Did I exercise for at least 20 minutes? YES
Did I stay within my calorie budget for the day? Yes
Did I keep track of everything I ate and drank? Yes
5 -
04/01/2022
Exercise – yes
Tracked – yes
Calories – yes
1/3 pass days
Such a great opener, and so many good replies! But I don't have time - I'm posting this on Wednesday evening cos I forgot on tuesday.5 -
Did I exercise for at least 20 minutes? No. My job is very physical, I ran through the grocery store and I cleaned my house, I know these fit into the definition for a "yes" for this challenge but when I started UAC I wanted the 20 min. to be dedicated to pure exercise. For myself I find planned exercise affects my mental and wellbeing much more than exercise you get through life activities.
Did I stay within my calorie budget for the day? Yes
Did I keep track of everything I ate and drank? Yes
1 pass day used (Jan. 04)5 -
THANK YOU everyone for your enthusiasm & your posts today! I am mulling over some of the ideas you shared!
We are quite simply an amazing group - generously sharing & respecting the infinite number of ways to be successful ❣️
✅✅✅
🌸Maddie6 -
Wed 1/5/22
Exercise: 75 min Wii Tennis
Calories Budget 1200: under
Tracking: Complete
Pass days 3/3
2 -
Yes, yes and yes
2 -
@biketheworld ty, and it is part of a post I was preparing for Content Creator for January so I will share it soon. It's a meme that I screen shot a long time ago. Looking back it, I realized I have been working on all of the points on my journey with the exception of that one. So that is my mantra for this month and I will be working on that. I have a tendency that as soon as my resolve weakens and I eat something that puts me over, then it's free reign for whatever I want for the rest of the day. Time to change that.4
-
Exercise-bike
Tracked yes
Calories yes
0/3 pass days3 -
Did I exercise for at least 20 minutes? yes, 1hr14min walking
Did I stay within my calorie budget for the day? yes, under
Did I keep track of everything I ate and drank? yes
@MadisonMolly2017 I'm backlogging as I reflect on my January (I'm new and joining the Feb UAC) and I love this opener. Thank you for sharing!
I'm excited to participate in the Feb group and read all this great inspiration "live"! 1 -
makattack220 wrote: »Did I exercise for at least 20 minutes? yes, 1hr14min walking
Did I stay within my calorie budget for the day? yes, under
Did I keep track of everything I ate and drank? yes
@MadisonMolly2017 I'm backlogging as I reflect on my January (I'm new and joining the Feb UAC) and I love this opener. Thank you for sharing! I'm excited to participate in the Feb group and read all this great inspiration "live"!
Thank you @makattack220 - very kind of you!
I look forward to getting to know you!
🌸Maddie1
