Brandi of the past sends warnings to Brandi of the future, or why I track
Funny. I was cruising through my blog and found this from 12/22009.
Amusingly enough - this thought process that I cultivated then has been a serious saving grace for me. Is it for everyone? Nope. But it could be helpful for someone.
Yum, avocados. Or - "Why I journal my foods N feelings" [Edit Post]
posted on 12/19/09 8:37 am
This was in response to a post, but you know - its some good information - and maybe one day, if I get to big for my britches (literally!) then I can remember what I thought..once.. when I was not too big for my britches..
Post Date: 12/19/09 8:20 am
Last Edit: 12/19/09 8:32 am
For me - understanding why its a GOOD thing helps me do a thing a lot easier/better/more consistently than forcing myself.
Why is it a good thing? Its a good thing because there are no surprises. If monday morning I wake up 10 pounds heavier - I can look back and know that ah yes... Sunday afternoon evening was the party up the street, and the day I chose to have my "anything goes" meal, which means I ate ****POT of simple carbs and high sodium foods.
If I look back and see - hmmm, in August I lost a goodly chunk of weight - what were my calories to exercise ratio for the month?
If I am having issues with being hungrier sooner than I have been, I can look back and see - ah yes - I have added more slidery foods to my meats (sadly, for me slidery foods are well cooked veggies as much as anything - these seem to "escort" the protein down faster than if I ate the protein FIRST and ALONE).
I do not use the information AGAINST myself, I use it to help me understand where I have been, and help me to get where I want to go.
If I am having wild mood swings, maybe I need to look back at the week and see - have I added a new something to my menu that I was not having before? Perhaps I need to limit that again, and check back with myself and see if that was the culprit?
For me, food journaling is not about torturing me, or being "on a diet" its about learning what my body functions BEST with, how to feed myself as if I were an elite athlete and making good/better/best choices for my body ****il my once a week anything goes meal - because betcher booty - aint nuthing good better best there ceptn for what my tongue wants!) .
But even with my anything goes meals - I document all that information, and later that evening, or the next day, I document how I FELT in response - because honestly - even things like "lite" yogurts give me the carb coma and I feel crappy and want to sleep.
Well then, self, cross the "lite" yogurt off the list of what you feed yourself on a regular basis - if it does not create a healthful FEELING, it sure is not doing me any good by calling it healthy, eating it and feeling like supacrap!!
Peee Essss
I used to use www.myfitnesspal.com and really liked it - but now I use the same one that Kikuri mentions - www.dietpower.com
You have to pay for it (a one time fee) but I REALLY like that I can look at all my nutrients and then, say I am low in folic acid (or whatever) I can right click and the program will tell me all foods high in it, and also tell me all of the foods that I LIKE AND EAT CONSISTENTLY that are high in that nutrient.
I am working to get more of my nutrients from food (well, you know, as much as I can) than I was in the past.
I think that also helps me to make good/better/best decisions too - knowing what goodness a food contains so you are not *just* thinking calorie-wise, but thinking in a bigger scope (like - do you KNOW how good avocados are for you? they are breakfast worthy foods! :})
****
So right on, peace out and find the thing that works for you! This thing is a great thing we get to do until we stop breathing! I am for finding the way to make it work!
Amusingly enough - this thought process that I cultivated then has been a serious saving grace for me. Is it for everyone? Nope. But it could be helpful for someone.
Yum, avocados. Or - "Why I journal my foods N feelings" [Edit Post]
posted on 12/19/09 8:37 am
This was in response to a post, but you know - its some good information - and maybe one day, if I get to big for my britches (literally!) then I can remember what I thought..once.. when I was not too big for my britches..
Post Date: 12/19/09 8:20 am
Last Edit: 12/19/09 8:32 am
For me - understanding why its a GOOD thing helps me do a thing a lot easier/better/more consistently than forcing myself.
Why is it a good thing? Its a good thing because there are no surprises. If monday morning I wake up 10 pounds heavier - I can look back and know that ah yes... Sunday afternoon evening was the party up the street, and the day I chose to have my "anything goes" meal, which means I ate ****POT of simple carbs and high sodium foods.
If I look back and see - hmmm, in August I lost a goodly chunk of weight - what were my calories to exercise ratio for the month?
If I am having issues with being hungrier sooner than I have been, I can look back and see - ah yes - I have added more slidery foods to my meats (sadly, for me slidery foods are well cooked veggies as much as anything - these seem to "escort" the protein down faster than if I ate the protein FIRST and ALONE).
I do not use the information AGAINST myself, I use it to help me understand where I have been, and help me to get where I want to go.
If I am having wild mood swings, maybe I need to look back at the week and see - have I added a new something to my menu that I was not having before? Perhaps I need to limit that again, and check back with myself and see if that was the culprit?
For me, food journaling is not about torturing me, or being "on a diet" its about learning what my body functions BEST with, how to feed myself as if I were an elite athlete and making good/better/best choices for my body ****il my once a week anything goes meal - because betcher booty - aint nuthing good better best there ceptn for what my tongue wants!) .
But even with my anything goes meals - I document all that information, and later that evening, or the next day, I document how I FELT in response - because honestly - even things like "lite" yogurts give me the carb coma and I feel crappy and want to sleep.
Well then, self, cross the "lite" yogurt off the list of what you feed yourself on a regular basis - if it does not create a healthful FEELING, it sure is not doing me any good by calling it healthy, eating it and feeling like supacrap!!
Peee Essss
I used to use www.myfitnesspal.com and really liked it - but now I use the same one that Kikuri mentions - www.dietpower.com
You have to pay for it (a one time fee) but I REALLY like that I can look at all my nutrients and then, say I am low in folic acid (or whatever) I can right click and the program will tell me all foods high in it, and also tell me all of the foods that I LIKE AND EAT CONSISTENTLY that are high in that nutrient.
I am working to get more of my nutrients from food (well, you know, as much as I can) than I was in the past.
I think that also helps me to make good/better/best decisions too - knowing what goodness a food contains so you are not *just* thinking calorie-wise, but thinking in a bigger scope (like - do you KNOW how good avocados are for you? they are breakfast worthy foods! :})
****
So right on, peace out and find the thing that works for you! This thing is a great thing we get to do until we stop breathing! I am for finding the way to make it work!
You go girl! Great blog post which points to all the good reasons so many of us are long tem trackers. I love that I can see what my meals looked like two years ago, and how they looked a year ago when I wanted to drop the rest of my weight.
Love you girlie!
Love you girlie!
HW: 249 SW: 229 GW: 149 Age: 63 - Body by Sauceda - 12/2011
The archives are definitely a great tool. Last January when I was at 169, I wanted to drop more weight. I went right back into myfitnesspal to see what was working best for me and I took myself right back to those basics. It worked and I was able to drop the last pounds by being honest and going back to tracking everything.
Hugs to you Hound Mama!
Hugs to you Hound Mama!
HW: 249 SW: 229 GW: 149 Age: 63 - Body by Sauceda - 12/2011
Most Active
Recent Topics
