Track calories or just let restriction do it's job?

[christieouchley 55]

I have 2 friends who have been sleeved in the past 7 months. I was sleeved on April 29th and have lost 40 lb. One of my friends tracks calories, gets in all her protien and has lost 116 in 7 months. Her surgery weight was 398. My other friend doesn't worry about anything she just lets the restriciton do its job and never overstuffs herself. Im not sure of her surgery weight but her BMI was about the sams as mine on surger day (39), she has lost 78 lb since March 14. At a crossroads on what to do for myself because of my 40lb almost half have been lost the first 2 1/2 weeks, the rest Im eeking out at about 1lb a week?

[DonRodolfo 1,416]

I have 2 friends who have been sleeved in the past 7 months. I was sleeved on April 29th and have lost 40 lb. One of my friends tracks calories, gets in all her protien and has lost 116 in 7 months. Her surgery weight was 398. My other friend doesn't worry about anything she just lets the restriciton do its job and never overstuffs herself. Im not sure of her surgery weight but her BMI was about the sams as mine on surger day (39), she has lost 78 lb since March 14. At a crossroads on what to do for myself because of my 40lb almost half have been lost the first 2 1/2 weeks, the rest Im eeking out at about 1lb a week?

I don't trust myself enough to not track. Just yesterday was proof - i had been telling people I'm not getting 1000 calories a day but I'm meeting my Protein quota. i did a spot check and found that most days i'm NOT getting enough Protein. I've now made an adjustment that should help.

[Jen35 283]

It really depends on the person. I'm at 9 weeks and so far I haven't been tracking (except at the beginning when I was trying to make sure I was getting enough calories). I tend to obsess over food and I'm afraid tracking will make me obsess about everything I eat. So far I'm losing well (47 pounds since May 15), but in the future I will probably need to start tracking. Probably as I can eat more or if my weight loss slows down a lot.

[TwinsMama 483]

I second Don. In the beginning I didn't track (couldn't eat so didn't feel the need to). Now I've found since I can't eat most foods (even the safe ones like yogurt) any longer, I need to track to know what is and isn't working. I'm barely at this point losing a pound a week.

I know it is because I'm stil having problems keeping food down. However, without tracking, I wouldn't know my stats to tell my Dr. at my visits.

[Nuchnuch 120]

I find tracking not only helps me to be able to adjust where I need to get my nutrients in, but also something I can supply my nutritionist with when I have my sit downs with her.

[Writergirl 230]

Track track track! If nothing else, please read my post on the success forum... Down over 140...tools for success. It's active now. As a very slow loser, it has saved me.

[Mrs.RRn 2,111]

My doctor told me not to track calories, but do track Protein. I guess everyone's different. I only count protein and Water intake.

[Holly5.3 423]

I track Protein and watch calories. When my loss stopped for 2 months I realized I was allowing zero protein empty calories to fill me a lot if the time. It doesn't take much food of any type to fill me so I need to pay attention and be more mindful. Old habits die hard and eating whatever and whenever is what got me to almost 300 pounds! Also, dehydration will slow weight loss too so keep sipping sipping sipping!

[clk 3,519]

I've done both. I started tracking in the beginning to be sure I was eating enough. Later, I stopped. Now, I track pretty regularly as I'm in loss. When I'm in maintenance, I track occasionally and rely upon the scale and my clothes for accountability.

Some people never track and have success.

But do yourself a favor and search out the regain threads. A common theme? Failure to be accountable about your actual food intake. We can slip into denial and easily consume too many calories and experience a regain.

That restriction? Works great at controlling your diet for about six to nine months. I got a full year where I couldn't eat more than a single scrambled egg. But now? I can eat 1,800 calories AND NOT EVEN REALIZE IT if I'm not careful.

You're looking for a reason that you've experienced slower loss, but this isn't it. Even tracking you won't be able to control your rate of loss - that's decided entirely by your body.

But for long term maintenance it's an incredibly useful tool to stay on top of things. Go read the vet forum. Very few people lose, stay at goal and never once experience any regain. And of those you'll see very few that never track.

~Cheri

[dgoerlitz 96]

I track all the time. Why? Because Cookies and chips and fat and sugar-laden foods all fit! I can only eat about a cup of anything...but if it is a cup of ice cream with hot fudge and whipped cream, that is VERY different than a cup of greek yogurt, right? I need the accountability to myself. Also, since I use My Fitness Pal for tracking, I am able to monitor my Protein, Water, and exercise at the same time, so it is a win win in my case.

[Poolguard 55]

I track anything that is not a consistent staple for me. I have a lot of regular items that I know know what they have - how many calories/protein/carbs/sugars so anything new I track to learn. It helps me learn what I can have and how much. The things that I regularly eat, I know fall within my goals, so on days when I just eat the norm - I don't log.

[swimmom 124]

Without tracking, I find it is too easy to slip back into old habits - even with restriction. A nibble here and a taste there add up - even though restriction does not kick in. You can graze on a double cheese burger for 2 hours and eventually get it down. chips are a slider food and you can eat the whole bag before restriction kicks in. You get the point. It is totally possible to eat around the restriction issue. Tracking helps keep us accountable. I am trying to be a serial tracker on MFP. I am thinking about rewarding myself when I have tracked for "x" consecutive days!

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

] lets the restriciton do its job [/b]

christleouchley

3 months..........

you've lost 40 lbs - woooo hoooo

you are doing terrific!!!!!

never, ever, ever, ever compare your weight loss to someone elses

the common thread between all of us - is that we're all different

all our bodies are different (even if you are a "busy" body LOL)

we all need/should be conscious of what we eat - calories, Protein, carbs et al

that one friend of yours stops before she if full - but what about the calories she took in???

she/we need to be aware of how much we're taking in

exaggeration - maybe she ate 4 slices of cherry pie and knew to stop-- but boy did she eat alot of calories!!!

tracking or not?????????

tracking does make yourself more aware of what you are eating daily

protein, carbs, sugars - Water intake

hanging head low - i don't track as often as i should

so this is a case of - do as i say, not as i do!!!!

as Don commented regarding his Protein (post #2)

he thought he was getting it all in, but after checking later, he realized he wasn't always successful

(but he got back on the horse like i knew he would )

don't be concerned with your friends' weight, how long it took them to lose

this is all about YOU!!!!!

You are doing great!!!!

keep up the good work

kathy

[Chellennunley 62]

I'm preop, but I plan on tracking. I feel it's my way of being accountable. My most successful diet attempts, I tracked faithfully. I would start gaining back when I stopped.

[Bufflehead 6,358]

I think you are doing great with your weight loss! That aside, I think tracking your food intake is very important. My RD looks at my food logs carefully and gives me great suggestions (and she even asked for some of my recipes!) Plus studies show that people who track their food lose about twice as much as people who don't, and that tracking food is the best predictor of how well someone will do with their weight loss. Here's a link to one article (there are others out there):

http://www.webmd.com...lps-lose-weight