Journaling

I have been reading everything I can get my hands on about gastric bypass before I have my surgery and most of it does recommend journaling your food, vitamins, exercise and emotions.  I am terriable about keeping them up and am wondering if any of you have kept a journal and if truly does help. 

I don't.  I tried fitday for a little bit but found it a little cumbersome. 

I did this so I don't have to hyperfocus on every calorie that goes in my mouth.  I did that for YEARS and I ended up 385lbs. 

Instead I am focusing my efforts on developing a healthy relationship with food.  While I love my local support group, I think I am going to look for an Overeaters Anonymous meeting to attend.  I think that would help me.

That being said, I know there alot of people who catalog everything and love the feedback it gives them.

I am not anti-journaling and wouldn't rule it out in the future as a tool to track where you are, I just don't see the need for me to do it daily right now!

Michelle

Hi Brenda,

Welcome and congratulations on your decision to have WLS and save your life. 

My personal opinion - since the day I got home from the hospital I have journaled manually and online at www.thedailyplate.com every morsel I put into my mouth.  For me, this keeps me accountable and on track and I think it is a useful habit to get into.

Whatever works best for you.

Good luck!  Keep us posted.

I'm not journaling anymore but I did until I reached goal.  It helped me realize what I could eat and lose (or now maintain) given a certain level of exercise.  Now my food choices are pretty much routine based on 2 years of journaling and knowing what will work.

I kept at it religiously during the first 18 months.  I used fitday.com, but there are plenty of sites out there that you can use.

It really helped me to make sure that I took in enough, but I became obsessed with it (hhmm...imagine that...me obsessed about somehting - haha).  Anyways, I did it half-a**ed.

Now, I'm going back to it to get back on track and to stay there.  And, also, to make sure that I'm taking in enough as it is very easy for me not to.

I was really strict about journaling in the beginning so that I was able to really keep track of my intake and report back to my surgeon.  I would estimate that I started slacking off about 6months out.  I do think that if you run into problems or slow loss (down the road) that journaling helps hold you accountable.  Alot of times we forget what we are doing/eating/drinking.  I suggest buying a pretty journal (Think $20 one at Barnes and Noble) so the idea of doing it and carrying it around with you will be more pleasing.  At least that's what I did.  :)

Thanks for the input ladies!  I am going to head to the bookstore this weekend and get a journal.  I think that if I have it with me I will be more diligent about making it a habit.  From what you all are saying it sounds like it would be beneficial for me to do it just to keep myself on track and more diciplined about what I eat, vitamins and exercise.