What is more important for you? Daily calories or perhaps meals you ate?

I would also add to Ann's post that is isnt a polarised Estimate everything vs Precise on everything scenario

I did sort of a hybrid method - careful weighing and logging of high calorie items eg cheese.
items like bananas or oranges - just logged each one as 1 medium (the ones I ate didnt vary in size by much) and let law of averages even it out

I do agree with the adjust (loosen or tighten logging) as you go - same general method but be flexible in your approach

I’ve been on and off ‘diets’ for the last 20yrs - with mixed success in the short term. I’ve recently been told I have very high levels of bad fats in my blood (triglycerides) and it’s prompted a change in my thinking. My eating is now less focused around calories and more around reducing foods that are unhelpful (processed, saturated fats, sugar, alcohol, red meat) and increasing foods thought to be helpful (fibre, healthy fats, complex carbs, plants, oily fish). Plus exercise. I’ve been tracking using MFP and trying to keep under a certain number of calories a day but not being too obsessive about it.

Anyway, i’m typing this is to say that it’s been an eye opener in several ways:

• I can’t believe what a weight has been lifted from me in terms of being able to eat foods I’d previously seen as ‘bad’ - bread is an example - or too high in calories (olive oil)
• I can see my relationship with food has been unhealthy - I’d restrict myself, be hungry and then binge
• I panic when I see my lunch is over 300 calories (eg homemade spiced lentil and vegetable soup) and have to remind myself that I’m ‘allowed’ more calories these days and the point is to get in a decent amount of fibre and healthy fuel rather than simply focusing on calories
• I feel guilt when I have a sandwich or some diets, and I shouldn’t.
• I’m not hungry! I’m eating sensible amounts of decent food and I’m not restricting eg fruit because it’s too high in calories. So my overall calories intake is probably lower than it was when I was ‘trying’ to lose weight through diet.
• Im losing weight at a rate of 1lb a week and also centimetres around my waist which is important for my health

I guess my point is that counting calories matters but it’s very easy for some of us to get caught up in the counting and choosing foods because they are lower in calories rather than thinking about what your body needs. So, maybe, as others have said, a combination of metrics is better than just one?

cinalicikler wrote: »

AnnPT77 wrote: »

The important thing is to start, then keep going, even if you adjust your tactics along the way.

I think this is my biggest issue. I just cannot start it in a sustainable way. Any suggestions for healthy and deterministic begging for this this?

You don't have to do anything big. You can do a series of really small, manageable things. Over time, they add up. That time is going to pass anyway.

1. You can pass the time trying for revolutionary change that seems aimed at losing weight fast (usually a bad idea).

2. You can pass the time by making some moderate-sized challenges that are just within the range of manageable. For some people, that could be logging what they eat now, if they're calorie counting, then reviewing their food log for the relatively easiest calorie reductions. From that moderate change (logging or something else), you notice what the next manageable change would be, then do that . . . then just keep going in the same way.

3. You can pass the time making really tiny changes, finding ones that are workable for you, discarding the ones that are too stressful or difficult, and just keep going.

IMO, most people would get the best balance of speed and goal-accomplishment from #2, but some of the things you've posted make me think you might be a candidate for #3, at least to start. When you want to climb a mountain, start with a gradual-slope foothill, not the peak.

It sounds like right now you're worrying over what to do, but not really doing much of anything because of feeling like it will be too hard or unpleasant.

Maybe I'm wrong. But if I'm right, #3 would give you some very slow progress in a better direction. You could keep worrying about the harder options alongside, if you feel that's useful in some way.

Some examples of possible very small things you could do that might be manageable (but only you can say which one - or something different you think of - would be manageable):

* Take a 20 minute walk 3 days a week, do your best not to eat more as a consequence (not logging).
* Eat more veggies and fruits.
* Cut down on drinking soda, pop, fruit juice, sweet tea, alcohol or sweet coffee drinks, if you drink those. Substitute something zero or very low calorie for some of them. Keep reducing over time.
* If you eat fast food meals somewhat often, take a few minutes at home, look at the chain's website, look at how many calories your current normal order has, and find an alternative thing you can order that is lower in calories but still satisfying to you. Order that next time you go. You might have to test a few alternatives to find the one you like best, but that's fine.
* Find a place in your routine eating habits where you could reduce amount or frequency of butter, oil, high-fat dressings, high fat condiments (like mayo or tartar sauce). This includes options like ordering grilled or broiled/baked dishes in restaurants vs. fried, or things without a giant heap of cheese instead of with.
* Substitute fruit for candy or baked goods some of the time.
* If you eat burgers or sandwiches often, only eat half the bun. (In some places, including fast food places, you can order sandwiches without the bun or as a lettuce wrap.)
* If you snack at night, swap your snacks to a more nutritious or lower calorie thing that you like, or decide to knit or something to keep your hands/mind busy instead of snacking.
* Eat more slowly, put your fork down after every few bites, and think about whether you feel satisfied (not necessarily FULL full). If you do, stop eating. This will only be likely to work if you eat very slowly.
* Move more in daily life: That "park farther from the building, take the stairs" kind of thing**, routinely.

Etc. Or other things that make sense to you, small things. I'm betting you know which foods are more nutritious and lower calorie without a lot of research. Use that knowledge.

Don't do some restrictive named diet, don't do calorie logging (since that seems not to work for you psychologically), don't do some brutal exercise program, don't try for a long laundry list of changes all at once. One change. Do it for a few weeks.

Give each new thing a fair try. Give yourself grace and forgiveness if there are slips, but keep going if you can. If you hate it after a couple of weeks, drop it, try something else. If the change is manageable (not necessarily super easy, just something you can keep doing), then keep doing it until it's a habit, totally routine.

Then pick another thing. Don't expect fast progress from an approach like this. Just keep making small changes. Eventually, you'll see results, if you keep going, if you keep stacking up the small changes. It could take a long time.

If you need it to be fast and super easy both . . . I think you can't have that, unfortunately.

So, I'd say start with easy and slow. Maybe once you get some things going, you'll feel more confident and empowered to make bigger changes. That would be good, but small changes will work, just very slowly.

** Ideas from many MFPers about increasing daily life movement are in this thread:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10610953/neat-improvement-strategies-to-improve-weight-loss/p1
Some of those won't work in your life, but it's likely some would.