Help a newbie with TRACKING!

[kjordan83 65]

Hey y'all! I'm only 7 days post-op, but I'm making myself a food journal to have bound so that I can carry it with me everywhere. I also have MFP, but I love to write things down and see patterns! I'm an OCD list maker!!!!

In my food log, which nutritional facts are the most important to track? Right now, I have listed: CALORES, CARBS, Proteins, FAT, & SUGARS. Are any of those not necessary or somewhat unimportant?

When I come to a stall, I want to be able to look back and see where the intake numbers have changed to help me get out of the stall. I just don't want to waste time counting sugars if its really not a necessity, you know?

[Fixerupper 335]

Do you have a smartphone? The apps will do a lot of the work for you and make it much easier.

[djmelen 22]

My fitness pal app I live by that app so easy and user friendly

[Nuchnuch 120]

My doc wants me to monitor carbs, Protein and fats.

[Paul11011 372]

Hey y'all! I'm only 7 days post-op, but I'm making myself a food journal to have bound so that I can carry it with me everywhere. I also have MFP, but I love to write things down and see patters! I'm an OCD list maker!!!!

In my food log, which nutritional facts are the most important to track? Right now, I have listed: CALORES, CARBS, Proteins, FAT, & SUGARS. Are any of those not necessary or somewhat unimportant?

When I come to a stall, I want to be able to look back and see where the intake numbers have changed to help me get out of the stall. I just don't want to waste time counting sugars if its really not a necessity, you know?

All newbies please pay attention to this girl! She has just outlined a scientifically based approach to learning how to evaluate stalls, loss patterns and combined with regular weigh ins will have a great way to establish measurable goals. OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sugars are already accounted for in carbs, I personally would not track them separately. I use losit.com phone app. and website. If I were to start all over I think I would go to my fitness pal.

Can not wait to see you succeed!

[erp 2,016]

Hey y'all! I'm only 7 days post-op' date=' but I'm making myself a food journal to have bound so that I can carry it with me everywhere. I also have MFP, but I love to write things down and see patters! I'm an OCD list maker!!!!

In my food log, which nutritional facts are the most important to track? Right now, I have listed: CALORES, CARBS, Proteins, FAT, & SUGARS. Are any of those not necessary or somewhat unimportant?

When I come to a stall, I want to be able to look back and see where the intake numbers have changed to help me get out of the stall. I just don't want to waste time counting sugars if its really not a necessity, you know?[/quote']

You have the basics down. I also like to track Fiber and sodium since Constipation and Water retention are sometimes an issue for me. Do understand that in the beginning, stalls are simply your body adjusting and totally normal. There is not much you can do about them but that is why some folks track their measurements in addition to weight. My nutritionist only had me focus on tracking calories and Protein. So you can make this as simple or detailed as you want.

[vsgbutterfly 2]

I have a Fitbit and LOVE it! Other than tracking my activity, I use the food log. You can also input blood pressure/sugar numbers etc. Love the graphs!

[kjordan83 65]

All newbies please pay attention to this girl! She has just outlined a scientifically based approach to learning how to evaluate stalls' date=' loss patterns and combined with regular weigh ins will have a great way to establish measurable goals. OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sugars are already accounted for in carbs, I personally would not track them separately. I use losit.com phone app. and website. If I were to start all over I think I would go to my fitness pal.

Can not wait to see you succeed![/quote']

Awe!!! Thank you so much for that encouragement! I also have the apps on my iPhone, but I like hard copies... I'm one of those journalers, bloggers, etc! I think I'll delete the sugar column because you said they were included in the carbs! Also... I'm aiming for sugar free everything, so hopefully that will take care of most of it!

[kjordan83 65]

Do you have a smartphone? The apps will do a lot of the work for you and make it much easier.

Yes, I do! I plan on using it when this new lifestyle becomes a HABIT! For now, I need the hard, detailed copy that is tailored to me!

[MIJourney 490]

I understand! I kept a food calendar for the 1st 4 weeks then went exclusively to MFP.

I found it easier as I was adding more foods into my meal plan and could see the sodium levels even though I wasn't keeping track of it. Went a bit overboard with chicken broth for a few days there

[Wags 549]

I also track my Water and exercise. Those can both affect my weight loss.

[Fixerupper 335]

Yes' date=' I do! I plan on using it when this new lifestyle becomes a HABIT! For now, I need the hard, detailed copy that is tailored to me![/quote']

Got it. I should have read your original post more closely. Sounds like you're on the road to success.

[johnlatte 1,232]

+1 on the sodium intake. It gets overlooked by a lot of people when tracking. Sodium is a key source of Water retention and causes weightloss to slow way down. Plus it is just too unhealthy. There's a lot of sodium in processed foods such as Soups and deli meats. Both are highly recommended by nutritionists and WLS Drs. So it pays to watch and track the sodium intake. I also agree that tracking sugars are unnecessary if you are tracking carbs. I would also caution you against going all on with sugar free everything. There's WAY to many nasty chemicals in sugar free products and studies have show that sugar free replacements are actually more harmful and more addictive than sugar itself. If you must have a sweet try to use natural sugars such as raw unprocessed cane sugar, agave or stevia.

[clefofcividale 19]

This is awesome. As someone new, thank you for the great information.

[kjordan83 65]

I'm going to get it bound sometime next week and will update with pictures! I'm including enough logs for 6 months, until these food choices are just 2nd nature to me.

I have it set up for 7 days of food logs (including exercise and Fluid intake), then a weekly summary page with reflections, patterns, emotional aspects, scale movement, revelations, and goals for the following week. Then, at the end of the month, there is a Monthly Measurement page to review inches lost over the month, as well as weight loss, and BMI. That sequence goes on for 6 months. In the front of the book are some helpful guidelines... A "cheat sheet" per say, of the guidelines given by my doctor and NUT. I also have a few helpful food portion charts, hunger scale, my depressing before pictures, and some inspirational quotes/pictures, etc.

If anyone is interested after you see the final product, I don't mind uploading the PDF document so you can make your own. No sense in recreating the wheel, right?