To Track or Not -- Need Your Thoughts Band Buddies

I semi usually always track on myfitnesspal

Here is my problem I work out and I eat well but if I have a TON of calories left over .. sometimes I eat an extra snack (not always an apple LOL) bottom line I think when I track I become a little obessive and it creates this yo yo feeling inside me with anxiety and disappointment if I don't see the results I want.

I think for the next week I'm going to stick to my three meals - 1 snack - after dinner popiscles (sugar free of course 2 of them for 30 calories) and see how I do. I think if I lose 2 pounds I would be estatic .. but myfitness pal is like if you eat this every day you will weigh this and then of course the next day I eat differently and the number I'm suppose to weigh changes and then by the time I jump on the scale it's all different. I know tracking helps you maybe I need to focus being consistant with my exercise and choosing protein first.. I mean there is a variety of other things I can improve on.

What do you guys think?

Hermosa,

I know exactly what you are saying !!! I do the same thing with my calories. Oh I got some carbs left what can I eat tonight that has some carbs since I'm low on them , or I only had 1000 calories today I can eat up to 1200 and I go eat.

I do the same thing and its a bad habit I'm starting to develop and I need to stop.

I have learned to ignore the weight on fitness. for me to lose 2 pounds a week they want me to eat 2200 calories a day.

That thing IMO just dont work for us that had WLS because we follow a completely different diet.

I just use it to track calories and that is it nothing else.  I would love to know how it worked for you if you do that .

I think that is what I need to do also.  It's been very bad this week and with me starting my TOM I have taken advantage of that to much this week especially carbs !!!

I need to get back into my head that its okay to have less amount of calories per day and I dont have to use all them calories up . I have let that slide to much in the last month or so *sigh*.

I'm going to take a break for 1 week and see how I do.. .I will let everyone know how friendly the scale is to me.

I have been at a stall for sometime now my body is very happy where I'm at right now. I need to a push forward because I'm still approx 50 pounds from my goal

Hell, before surgery I obsessed about what I was going to eat and when, what the next meal was going to be and when, how much of it I was going to eat and when.

and now??????

I obsess about what I am going to eat and when, what the next meal is going to be and how much I am going to eat and when.

LOL

Yeah, I think tracking is good, keeps me honest and honestly keeps me not on target necessarily but in control of my life.  I am rarely hungry now but the idea that I have to get in a certain amount of calories is as obsessive as wondering how many cookies I was going to eat. 

I am not so sure that I am ever going to lose this obsession around food.  I think I am hard wired that way.  It's just a fact of my life. 

I'm not sure our obession just goes away but I think I need to stop tracking for a bit so I can listen more to my body ...

I like tracking, myself.  Otherwise, i find that i tend to over-estimate calorie burn, and under-estimate how much i'm eating.  It helps keep me on track - and yes, i do get a bit obsessive.  :D

I use myplate on livestrong.com religiously.  In the very beginning, I was amazed at how many calories I consumed.  Now I use it to keep me accountable.  I don't think of it as obsessive, just routine.
~ Barbara 

I found the best journal for tracking everything in one place.  It is called 'Diet Minder Personal Food and Fitness Journal".  It's really good for all of us who are obsessive about tracking everything including water and vitamins.  I LOVE it!!!!!!  You can get it at 1-800-888-3392.

Is it green with a spiral binder?  I think that is the one I used to use before I switched to online journaling.  I got mine at Barnes and Noble. :)

I tracked what I ate, counting calories and protien, for the first 3-4 months post op. I did it the old fashioned way, with a paper and pen. It started to feel like a "diet" and I was in a routine in terms of my 3 meals and 1-2 snacks a day so I stopped. I think it's a matter of personal preference, everyone needs to find what works for them.