I tried it for a week, not logging anything I ate. I think I did okay, I still weighed and measured my foods, I just didn't log everything into fitday. I'm pretty sure I stayed at least under maintenance, but this is what's driving me up the wall - I don't know that for a fact. I've counted calories for so long that it's actually making me nuts not knowing how much I'm eating every day. That and I'm up a little on the scale.
Sooooooo... I tried it to see if I could 'survive' without counting and I don't think I'm ready yet, mentally OR physically. I think, with not logging, I ended up eating more toward a maintenance calorie level and I'm not ready to do that yet until I hit close to goal. But then some days it seemed like I wasn't eating enough to even meet 1200 calories. However, I'm not positive about that. So it just goes to show ya, you don't realize how many calories you're eating unless you keep track. I THINK I was staying under maintenance, but how do I know that for sure? It's possible I was eating over.
Whatever the case, I need my fitday back. It's making me nuts not sitting down to my computer to log my food. Is that pathetic or what?
Just thought I'd mention it, since a couple of you said you'd like to know how the "no logging" goes for me.
Tee hee and I am exactly the opposite. If I had to write down all this stuff and keep all those calculations it would drive me NUTS and I would never stick with it!!
I'm with Misti, writing and logging makes me but we're all different. People like Meg who has just celebrated 4 years at goal still logs everything in Fitday.
You gotta do what works, it doesn't make you a bad person or a bad dieter or reflects your ability to control yourself if you have to keep logging forever.
Tee hee and I am exactly the opposite. If I had to write down all this stuff and keep all those calculations it would drive me NUTS and I would never stick with it!!
It's too easy to eat more than you should if you don't keep track. Thus resulting in very slow (or none at all) weight loss. For some of us, anyway.
I was sort of 'testing' myself. Just to see if I could do it. It's not that I don't think I can, I just don't like NOT knowing how many calories I'm eating. I've done this for 2 years now and logging my food is second-nature to me, it's just a normal part of my everyday routine.
It's funny, when I first started this, the idea of logging everything I ate seemed such a tedious task. But I've proven to myself that now I can't live without it.
I agree LLV. I will do it most likely forever, simply because I feel I have more "control".
Some loggers actually make their logging a huge ordeal-logging everything from protein/carbs/calories/fat grams and the whole nine yards, and if I did all of that-I would probably not stick with it, either. I think that keeping track of your daily intake can be as simple, or as complex, as you want it to be.
I simply jot down in a little notebook (always in my purse with a separate page for each day) the food eaten, the calories next to it, and add them up. I also "check" off my water intake which is really quick to keep my on track. it takes me maybe 1 MINUTE after every meal or snack. I find that for those who don't do it or do other methods, it is really no different than calculating WW points, or being on a plan where you count food exchanges or eat certain food groups at certain meals-you are keeping track of what you eat one way or another, no matter what plan you are on, really.
Rather than calculating every little thing-if I have nutrition "goals" in my head for each day (such as choosing whole grains instead of white, eating a couple servings of skim dairy/soymilk each day for calcium, and eating 5+ fruits and veggies each day) then I find that all of the other little things that others calculate (calcium~protein~daily fiber~etc.) tend to "take care of themselves". I don't have to write down everything-I can just glance at my intake for the day and see that I have only had 3 fruits/veggies, so at my next meal or snack I need to take care of that.
Once you have calorie counted for a long period of time-you don't have to look everything up, either. That simplifies things a lot. I know fully well that a small apple has about 80 calories and 5 fiber grams-so if I eat an apple, there is nothing to look up. I just jot it down. A small peach is about 40 calories, a small nectarine about 70, a cup of strawberries about 45, a small banana about 100. It isn't like it was when I first started and had to look everything up all of the time. For those who have tried calorie counting and couldn't deal with the calculations and quit after a couple weeks/months-it really does get simpler over time.
I don't drink regular soda, but I have been calorie counting for so long that I know if I ever choose to treat myself, that a Coke has 140 calories, a Pepsi has 150, and a Mountain Dew has 170. (for 12 oz. cans) There is nothing for me to look up-it would only take me about 10 seconds to jot down that soda and the calories-or 1 second to decide that the Coke would be the lowest calorie soda choice.
For me, it isn't a big deal or sacrifice at all to keep track of my intake.
Once you have calorie counted for a long period of time-you don't have to look everything up, either.
Oh, I totally agree with that! I'm so used to weighing and measuring and calculating that I can pour a glass of milk and hit it right on 8 ounces every time, lol.
I know what a tablespoon looks like. I know what 4 ounces of meat looks like. And, like you, I know how many calories are in certain foods just from memory.
Quote:
Originally Posted by aphil
For me, it isn't a big deal or sacrifice at all to keep track of my intake.
Well you know, I realized something in this week (7 days) that I didn't log anything (the longest 7 days of my life, lol!) - I didn't lose this 80 pounds to turn around and put it right back on. I'm done dieting, I'm done fooling around with unhealthy food and feeling bad about myself. This has to be a permanent thing. And what I realized is the fact that I'll have to count calories and watch what I eat for the rest of my life because I'm NOT going back to where I was before.
A very small price to pay, counting calories is. But gaining back all of the weight? That would be the ultimate price. And I'm just not willing to go there again. That 'fat person' is gone. For good, as far as I'm concerned. And she can stay where she's at, thankyouverymuch.
I simply jot down in a little notebook (always in my purse with a separate page for each day) the food eaten, the calories next to it, and add them up. I also "check" off my water intake which is really quick to keep my on track.
I try and keep track of my water as well.
By the way, are you a natural redhead? Pretty color, if so. I'm a redhead as well. My hair is an auburn/chestnut color. Very long, down my back. I get compliments on my hair everywhere I go, I have all my life. I have strange women come up to me in grocery stores asking me if my hair is natural. And I say, "Yep, I was born with it," and often times they'll say, "Damn! I was going to ask you what color you use!"
I think I'll be one of those who have to log my food intake for ever. I'm a type 'A' anyway and tend to want to be in control of things. I won't be changing my spots any time soon, so I have just accepted the fact that I need to feel in control of the food instead of vice/versa. It's become a routine now and I think I'd feel a bit lost without my Nutridiary. I also like how it helps me get the right ratio of carbs/protein/fat, which would be more difficult if I had to guesstimate. Keeing a food diary also is important to keep me focused on what I'm eating - it's very easy for me to 'forget' that I've changed my lifestyle, so keeping a diary is a constant reminder and incentive.
I look at it as a necessary evil - like diabetics who must check their insulin all the time. Heaven forbid I should be in that position one day (diabetes runs in my family) but by losing weight I'll have a better chance at avoiding diabetes and other health problems. My total cholesterol has already dropped from 225 to 193 and my blood pressure has also gone down to normal levels - so my efforts are already paying off. If keeping a food diary for the foreseeable future is the price I'll have to pay, so be it.
It's become a routine now and I think I'd feel a bit lost without my Nutridiary.
Same here. I felt so...... empty. Like my 'purpose' was gone or something. I don't mean I have no purpose without my fitday, but I just felt like something that had become such a huge part of my everyday life was missing.
Felt sooooo good to sit down this morning and log my breakfast, lol.
Another thing I missed was checking out my nutrients at the end of the day. I liked seeing how much Vitamin A I was getting, calcium, Vitamin C, protein, etc etc etc. Drove me nuts not to know. Once everything was logged for the day, I'd check to see how much calcium I've had from food so I know whether or not to take one of my Viactiv chews.
Well, back to counting calories for me
but we're all different. People like Meg who has just celebrated 4 years at goal still logs everything in Fitday.
