To track or not to track?

[Chelle68 27]

I quit tracking. I am almost 9 months out and if I take one bite too much I will throw up. I am still losing. Slower now but average 10 lbs a month. Tracking made me obsessive over food.< /p>

[CBT 450]

The research on WLS patients 5 plus years out with 10 pounds or less regain do three things: track their food, exercise and belong to a community/support group.

I'm 10 months post op and 16 months working with my medical team and tracking.

I think I would honestly consider why I want to stop tracking and evaluate my answer for long term success before I stopped. If I was bored of tracking that wouldn't be a good enough reason for me to risk regain, for example.

[CBT 450]

I guess I also want to say, "because tracking my food does work for me". Lol.

Also, I don't weight my food. I too used to weight and measure everything in every diet i tried since age 10 and I am pretty dang accurate. So glad that's behind me.

[Nicolanz 1,484]

Well, 2 outta 3 ain't bad! I haven't tracked in a week. I feel normal! I don't obsess anymore but I do still weight my Protein ( I pretty much have nutritional values memorized) to make sure I'm getting enough. I think for most, tracking is important!!! But for now, I'm not going to.

[Piplula 709]

I am a creature of habit. I eat the same thing everyday for Breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack..dinner is where I change...so for me...tracking got boring because...well..it was the same thing everyday....so I don't track..I probably should..but I haven't.

[BenisaMartim4 369]

I am 15 months out and I track everything. I do not have a problem of over eating, mine is under eating. My sleeve is still VERY restrictive. Many times I'm lucky to get in 2oz. I was living on a very low calorie consumption but I stopped losing weight. I called my NUT and she said no one over 12 months out should ever drop below 1200 calories. She said continuing with the extremely low caloric intake will damage the BMR, sometimes permanently. I immediately increased my calories through any means necessary (extra shakes, Gatorade, condiments.) I had been in a 6 week stall and within a week of increasing my intake I had lost 5#. I have to track to make sure I eat. Without the accountability I literally would not take a bite all day. food is at the bottom of my priority list. I have to eat every 2-3 hours to be able to get my calories in. I am below my surgical goal, but I am 2# from my end goal of half my body weight gone and normal BMI. I still plan to track long term. I just think it is the best for me.

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[LipstickLady 25,682]

I'm a wee bit obsessive compulsive. I actually pre-track. I put in what I am going to have that day and adjust as I go along.

[NtvTxn 1,262]

I confess, I obsessively track my calories/protein. I've been doing it for three years now, it's habit. I sooooo wish I'd done it prior to surgery, just so I'd know how many calories I was taking in on a daily basis. I don't have a clue, I can't even make an educated guess. Oh well.

[NtvTxn 1,262]

Ian tracking and am now looking at how quickly I can get past 1200 calories. how many calories are u guys eating ? Most of mine are Protein calories.

1300 calories is what I get in, I'm maintaining. It's a fine line, if I drop to 1200, I'll lose and if I'm much over 1325, I will gain. Between 1250 and 1325, I maintain I'm "safe". I don't get bored with tracking and I find it fascinating the calories in some things, and then there are foods that I think will be higher than they actually are. I was using Fitday.com for 2.5 years but started using MFP five or six months ago. I like it a lot better, easier to use and I like it that I can enter recipes.< /p>

[ebonisekim 1,713]

I don't track I'm 5 months out .. I think it to much of a diet but I do avoid alot if carbs like rice ,pasta,bread , potatoes I'm proud of my weightloss 90 pounds so far but Im think the further I get out it might not be a bad ideal to track .. I'm not big on sweets but I love meat

[feedyoureye 3,087]

Tracking is one of the markers of those that lose and KEEP the weight off.

http://www.primeoflifefitness.com/Fitness-over-40-blog/bid/82792/10-Essential-Habits-to-Keep-the-Weight-Off

6. Monitor Your Intake. A study of dietary change in the Women’s Health Initiative (L.F. Tinker, et.al., Journal of American Dietetic Association) found that self-monitoring of dietary intake—keeping a food diary—was a strong predictor of maintaining dietary change over time. Keeping a food diary can be tedious and time consuming, but it’s often quite revealing, and it keeps you honest about your portions and your choices. If you’re trying to keep the weight off, consider logging your intake for at least one week out of every month.

[Chimera 644]

_{I track - use MFP and I also use these little paper journals from my doctors office. As Feedyoureye says above - tracking is important - at support group meetings it comes up often. Tracking one's intake is the single biggest factor in successful weight loss and maintenance according to statistics.}

[Chimera 644]

I'm a wee bit obsessive compulsive. I actually pre-track. I put in what I am going to have that day and adjust as I go along.

I would call that smart! Plan what you eat and eat what you plan - seems like a roadmap to success if you ask me

[NtvTxn 1,262]

As of this morning, my daughter, who has not had surgery and wasn't "really" overweight, not by much....she has lost 20 lbs solely by tracking on MFP. She has been shocked by the calories in many foods. She's done great, I wish I'd been able to do this, and wish I knew about tracking and could have done it....at age 31 and only 172 lbs. She is 5'9" so she didn't look bad at all, but she needed to lose the 'baby weight'. The 'baby' is 4.5 years old. LoL

[Nicolanz 1,484]

As of this morning' date=' my daughter, who has not had surgery and wasn't "really" overweight, not by much....she has lost 20 lbs solely by tracking on MFP. She has been shocked by the calories in many foods. She's done great, I wish I'd been able to do this, and wish I knew about tracking and could have done it....at age 31 and only 172 lbs. She is 5'9" so she didn't look bad at all, but she needed to lose the 'baby weight'. The 'baby' is 4.5 years old. LoL[/quote']

That's awesome! I'm almost 30, my oldest is about to be 5 and I'm 5'9 too! I would freakin die if I got down to 172! Haha! It WILL happen! I'm going on vacation today but when I get back I'm getting back on the tracking wagon!