Not Tracking your food is a big mistake!

[erica_ozzy73 241]

So I don't always track what I eat in fact I rarely do. In the beginning ( nearly 14 weeks ago) I was so in tune with what I was having. Gradually that has worn off. The weight was coming off slowly so tracking didn't seem to matter. Then started the bit n pieces of "slider" foods. I had read about this in others stories and would think "oh never would I let myself be like that".... how wrong I was.

The potato chips and small biscuits seem to go down with no issues. I wasn't sick and it didn't fill me up so what was the problem. Peanut paste then started to become a favourite snack straight off the spoon. It's ok it's protein!!.. Icecream was another easy food to go down and it seemed to help my sweet cravings as I was only having a little so what did it matter?..

A bit here and there soon became more and more!!..

Today i decided to track what I had eaten as best I could.. to own what I was doing.. the damage I was doing.

You see like most of us here that decided to get this procedure I have a food addiction. Something that is NOT fixed by having a sleeve. They take some of your stomach not the part of your brain that controls this. I have really no clue how to fix it but maybe the best I can do is to some how control it. That's hard!!..

Nope I didn't have counselling before my sleeve to help me. I honestly thought I could do it alone.

I feel now I am more consumed with "food" then I ever was. What a shit position to be in.

So today I was so over my Carb intake it was terrible. My Protein intake low... and my fats should of been more. If I was counting calories I'd say at 1400 Cals was too much for me.

But from now and into tomorrow and beyond I shall be accountable for what I put into my mouth. Yeah I'll stuff up a little but mostly I shall be on track.

Food addiction is a hard one as we need it to survive and can't get away from it..

[PatientEleventyBillion 851]

If you understand what small portions and good healthy diet is, you don't need to track. Of course, most of us are in this situation because of our difficulty/refusal doing so, but it's not as if it can't be acquired. I've used MyFitnessPal for food tracking and find it a pain in the arse, only using it to appease my dietitian whos approval I needed to get to this point of surgery. I don't plan on using tracking apps, just keeping an extremely close eye on everything I buy and it's nutritional values + serving size. That and everything I eat will be extremely small in size anyways. For me self-restraint and nutrition tracking > tracking apps.

[erica_ozzy73 241]

If you understand what small portions and good healthy diet is, you don't need to track. Of course, most of us are in this situation because of our difficulty/refusal doing so, but it's not as if it can't be acquired. I've used MyFitnessPal for food tracking and find it a pain in the arse, only using it to appease my dietitian whos approval I needed to get to this point of surgery. I don't plan on using tracking apps, just keeping an extremely close eye on everything I buy and it's nutritional values + serving size. That and everything I eat will be extremely small in size anyways. For me self-restraint and nutrition tracking > tracking apps.

I find it bloody annoying too the whole tracking thing. I guess I'm hoping it will keep me some what accountable for my stuff ups that I feel I'm having more of lately.
The constant going to the cupboard and wanting what everyone else in the house is having

[Middus 491]

I can't use trackers anyway. I eat mainly West-African food with unverified calorie estimations. I have to do it the old fashioned way: portion control

[PatientEleventyBillion 851]

7 minutes ago, erica_ozzy73 said:

I find it bloody annoying too the whole tracking thing. I guess I'm hoping it will keep me some what accountable for my stuff ups that I feel I'm having more of lately.
The constant going to the cupboard and wanting what everyone else in the house is having

Yeah, we are all different and if I hadn't gone through what I have, I would say for sure I'd need a tracking app.

[PatientEleventyBillion 851]

5 minutes ago, Middus said:

I can't use trackers anyway. I eat mainly West-African food with unverified calorie estimations. I have to do it the old fashioned way: portion control

Indeed, I'm turning back to being old fashioned.

[Andrea F 48]

To each their own. I love the information tracking gives me. It allows me to dial in my macros and bust up my stalls... it it makes sure my calories and portions are on point. When I get frustrated about slow loss or stalls. I know where to look.

[erica_ozzy73 241]

To each their own. I love the information tracking gives me. It allows me to dial in my macros and bust up my stalls... it it makes sure my calories and portions are on point. When I get frustrated about slow loss or stalls. I know where to look.

Exactly!!

[Keeks2120 7]

I find it really hard to track through using apps, because my portion sizes are sooo much smaller than the average portion size that the app pulls up.

[orionburn 1,024]

12 minutes ago, Keeks2120 said:

I find it really hard to track through using apps, because my portion sizes are sooo much smaller than the average portion size that the app pulls up.

Most foods on an app like Myfitnesspal will give you options on serving size - ounces, grams, cups, etc. I've entered a lot of staple recipes into my food journal. For instance tuna salad. I list out all my ingredients and I can dictate what a serving size is. That way if I put something in and say it serves 8 people then it's saying each portion size is 1/2 a cup (or whatever). It takes some time but it's worth it.

[Jen-2+1 131]

I have to track. I think it is easy to say that after surgery you won't be able to eat ___, but in actuality you don't know what you will be able to eat without being in that situation. I didn't think that after surgery I would be able to eat much, but if I didn't track I would certainly be over eating. I never had the "three bites and done" feeling that so many people have. Everyone has to do what works for them. It takes me a minute or two to track my foods so no big deal.

[kayshabear 44]

Yes, I use the fitbit app to track all my food and the portions are customizable and you are able to add foods that are not already listed on there, or create new entries where you put in the info for meals you make at home and portion sizes. For me its the only way I stay on track and ensure I continue to lose and break stalls as well like others said. It has been working great for me and it REALLY keeps me accountable to physically be able to SEE what I'm doing and not just guess. To each their own, but I definitely recommend it to keep you on track especially in the beginning or if you find yourself getting off track! I have lost 60 pounds in 3 months and feel a lot of it is due to staying accountable, so do what works for you best!

[triplethreat 257]

I track what I eat but a good kitchen scale has been a lifesaver! It also serves to remind me that there's no way I can eat 8 oz at a time. Most meals are 4 oz, which reassures me that my sleeve works.

[erica_ozzy73 241]

I have to track. I think it is easy to say that after surgery you won't be able to eat ___, but in actuality you don't know what you will be able to eat without being in that situation. I didn't think that after surgery I would be able to eat much, but if I didn't track I would certainly be over eating. I never had the "three bites and done" feeling that so many people have. Everyone has to do what works for them. It takes me a minute or two to track my foods so no big deal.

I'm with you with the " 3 bites and I'm so full" feeling lol..
I don't get that either.
I track most of what I have to get an idea of my fats, Protein n carbs.
And to be accountable

[IveGotThePower 395]

11 months out and I don't track foods. I do stay away from processed sugar and carbs and do full fat, mostly olive oil. While I recognize the benefits of tracking. The reasons that I don't are because I make up my own foods. A large bowl of mixed steamed veggies and a Protein with seeds. Or a salad with a protein. I love veggies, just make sure I have protein too. and it is a pain and time consuming to weigh each item I put in the bowl and I know these are low calorie foods. I have tracked my food prior to surgery and was somewhat successful for a few months, until I regained all my weight then some. I would however like an app that allows me to add my homemade recipes and portion sizes so I can label my pre made frozen meals maybe once a week. That is on my list of things to do. I sort of take the approach that I'm not in a loosing phase that will convert to maintenance. It's more like I just focus on eating as healthy as I can without overeating and the rest will take care of itself. Practice, practice, practice.