so gar so good, I think

So I am tracking my food today and as of 3:48 pm I have had 900 calories, 55 grams of protein and 44 ounces of fluid.  I aim for around 1500 calories per day and 75 grams of protein and if my  next meal and snack work out like the things I've eaten this morning, it should come out just about perfect.

But why does it make me feel like I'm eating more just because I'm writing it down?  I mean, so far I've eaten four times today and it averages out to 225 calories per meal, snack.  That is not that high, especially for a meal.  But somehow looking at the numbers written down makes me want to keep them as low as possible and it feels like I'm eating a ton, even though this is what I normally eat and I normally don't feel like I"m eating too much.

I have to stop tracking what I am eating. I think its a good thing. I personally am in no postition to be helping anyone with this. I have become very over board with it. Thinking I have ate way too much when really I didn't. Almost punishing myself.
Good luck!

 That's one reason why tracking stresses me out.. I start feeling like I am eating too much or too many calories, even when it's ok.  Now, I did track what I ate yesterday and I do think it was too much.. 

So far today I'm at 1072 calories, 77 grams of protein and 99 grams of carbs.  The fact that I was tracking made me really think about the cheetos I ate with my ham & cheese sliders.  After I finished them I wanted something else and finally decided on the cheetos.  I guess if I had chosen an apple instead I would have saved about 100 calories.  However, I got my scale out and weighed exactly 1 oz. of cheetos!

I'm planning on hitting around 1600-1700 calories and I plan on exercising today too.

My eating has been horrible today, but I'm going on 4 1/2 hours of sleep and juggling a lot of things, so my schedule is way off. So far I've had 297 calories, 33 grams of protein and 5 cups of fluid. Putting on some laundry then finally going on my elliptical for 5 miles and will have 4 more cups of water. Then I should eat but there's so much else to do.

Jan

 I think you should eat BEFORE the elliptical.  I don't think I could do that much on the elliptical with so little fuel in my body.

I have the same problem with tracking.  I feel like I am eating all day and too much and I am too focused on food and eating.  
I have to track right now because I am trying to gain weight and my doctor wants to know exactly what I am eating and I do, too, so I know what my body needs to maintain and what it needs to gain.  It is a good information tool for me but I have days where I just don't want to deal with it.  It does help me though because when I see that I am not getting in enough calories or protein I know what I need to do to fix it.

I can't speak for you but for me I had this expectation that I shouldn't be able to eat more than a non-op. And I can. And writing down what I eat quantifies and proves that.

I remember when I STRUGGLED to get to 800 calories. These days I am at 800 two bites into lunch

I think why tracking works is BECAUSE of that effect. But for us it's wonky. Because we're not overeating most of the time. And undereating can shoot us in the foot.

You know how sometimes you tell other posters that if the scale is stressin' them to stay off of it, maybe something similar is happening when you track. Now I'm not suggesting not to track, because that is what y'all decided you were going to do for a week. Maybe tho' the answer is not to put numbers with it, at this time? Write down what you eat for three days or however long you determine is feasible) and then at a later point, tally the numbers. Shrugging my shoulders here 'cause I'm not sure what the problem is, but I do know that only you can give "power" to the numbers and let them cause you to overthink the process. So like I said, maybe just writing down what you eat and doing the math later (afer the fact) could be a solution.

In my own experience, tracking is the ONE way I can remain accountable and it has always worked for me when I am focused. With the advent of online apps, it is so easy to just input the data and go. I mean I acknowledge the bottom line total, but it's kind of like how I view the number on the scale. It's only a snapshot of a particular moment in time, and I will not and do not let it validate my journey. Tracking my food and weighing are just tools to assist me on my journey; they are just data/numbers (and essentially fulfill the data girl I am -- yes I'm a IT geek). The real journey is in living and living up to the goals I've set.

You might be right and I will think about that.  I thin****asionally we need to get on the scale even if it stresses us out, though.  Not every day or even every week, but if your clothes are getting too tight, you've probably gained weight and you might need to get on the scale to see how much you've gained and to help you decide what you want to do to try to get those pounds back off.  But you definitely reminded me of one reason I don't want to track every day, and I think this is actually a good reason, not like all the excuses I was coming up with.

 I am not recommending my way to anyone but I simply don't have time to track and count every calorie.  As long as I am losing weight, my clothes are getting too large, my blood sugar levels are okay, and Bp is fine, then I'm fine.  I do limit my portions to 2, 3, and 4 ounce volume and I eat the no sugar, no carbonated beverages, no caffeine, no fried fat foods.  20 years of type 2 diabetes was good training on what to avoid.  I had a liver reduction diet for 4.5 months ( pre surgery) that I got used to and still follow except that I could eat a larger amount then.