[boiaby]

I've recently stopped writing down everything I eat in my food journal, which I've done religiously since the beginning. I found that I pretty much ate exactly the same things day in and day out so it got pretty old writing down the same menu practically every day. So, I was wondering who else logs all their food (if they ever did, of course)? And if you're in maintenance now, do you still do it and do you plan to continue indefinitely? Also, do you recommend continuing, even in maintenance? It seems kind of strange not to write down everything, especially after doing it for almost 2 years now and I'm wondering if I need to just keep doing it. If anything, just to keep some consistency in my new lifestyle.

Beverly

[Ilene]

Oh I know the other gals will have some great suggestions here!

Here is what I do: YES I still 90% of the time journal and use Fitday... Even after all these years I need to. At times more than others tho. I just feel better about doing it specially when I get off-track, like lately.

Maybe you could try stopping and do it only when and if you gain a little weight to get back into the swing of things...

[Meg]

Beverly — I still keep track of what I’m eating about 98% of the time. I started with Fitday back in June, 2001, and still use it every day (unless I’m out of town or something). It’s just habit to me to either plan my meals out in advance or add it up after each meal. My computer’s right by my kitchen , so it’s easy.

I’m like you and tend to eat the same things all the time: oatmeal, protein powder, chicken, salmon, apples, veggies and salad, egg whites etc. Although occasionally I’ll burn out on one of my faves (like tuna!) and it’ll drop out of the rotation for a while!

I don’t have any recommendation about continuing it or not except do what works best for you. I do it because it’s habit, like I said, and I like the structure. And I know myself — even if I ate all the right foods, it would be very easy for me to eat too much of them. I seriously think I could easily eat twice as much in a day, even if it’s the same food as I eat now. So I still weigh and measure and write it down, just like when I was losing.

One bonus is that I can look back and see what works and what doesn’t — like: I averaged 1800 calories last week and it was a lot of carbs and I gained two pounds — or I raised protein to 50% and added a little good fat and was a lot less hungry — that kind of stuff.

But for some people (and maybe for you), not writing it down may be a way to keep from thinking about food all the time; to make eating a more natural and intuitive part of your life. How about trying it your way for a while and seeing how you do? If your weight is stable and you feel like you’re in control, then there’s your answer.

[Mel]

I still log on fitday most of the time. I don't use it for planning as much as for seeing where I am at the end of the day- can I add a tsb of peanut butter or am I already over my limits? What were my ratios and do I need to adjust? What really was in that cookie that I deluded myself wouldn't hurt?

I find that although it can keep me obsessed about food, it forces me to pay attention to what I eat.

I haven't been logging at all this week, and actually find I'm slightly less food obsessed, so I may begin to break away a little more. After doing this for almost 3 years, I certainly know all those numbers by heart at this point

Mel

[SeekInnerThinChick]

I tried Fitday and still use it from time to time, but I like my diary best. (Posting in the diary as well as Fitday is just double work for me, the only real data-oriented reason to do it is for the instant nutrient analysis. The diary has become a habit, it's easy for me to carry around, and it's discreet, just a small business appointment diary, so I don't feel weird using it in a restaurant, for example. I also write in my exercise, how I'm feeling, TOM, measurements, sometimes even the weather or a phone number. It's rapidly becoming a catch-all of my physical and emotional state in total. I'll keep doing it as long as it's useful.

[Tig]

I've been journaling daily since October 2001. I started on paper because I had joined weight watchers at work. I had a very brief ww online membership then I developed a spreadsheet for myself and I've used that with a few modifications to include exercise since March 2002. I write details every day about my exercise on a private online forum. The intensity, how I felt, the sounds I heard, the animals - especially dogs - and people I met on my walks or runs.

No one but me sees my food spreadsheet. But it is a way for me to remain accountable and not get sloppy. I won't quit.

[Noodles913]

I log my food on another thread on this forum.

[StarPrincess]

I log in another section of this forum, too. Fitday takes too long for me, but it's a great tool. Like Meg, I use my log to help explain any changes I notice.