K, so I'm wondering if anyone out here has figured out or decided that tracking your food causes too much anxiety or stress for yourself.

I've been obsessive about it for years and had a revelation last night and this morning. I'm a control kind of girl. I feel stuck where I'm at, and I know it's more of a mental barrier. So my solution seems to stop tracking it ALL. Just eat until I feel satisfied and focus on Protein first. It's scary for me to think about tho. It's also super exciting to imagine the freedom associated with zero tracking...just listening to my tiny tummy.

Anyone else deal with anything similar? I see my therapist monthly, but don't see her for 2 more weeks...which is why I'm bearing my soul to you all here.

Thanks guys!

It only stresses me out when I have to track it on the weekends because usually my weekends are my time to just not worry so much. I listen to my tummy and I make good choices when I don't track the food. I have slipped for a couple of weeks and haven't tracked because I found myself way to busy. I think to each their own when it comes down to tracking your food. I know if I don't eat 6 times a day I feel like crap. Its frustrating when you cannot find your meal on lets say MyFitnesss Pal and thats what gets me all flustered.

I track but it is tedious because of the small portion sizes and adjusting MFP for that.

I felt the same way about getting on the scale, but I do track my foods on myfitnesspal to keep me from honest and on track

Everyone's different, whatever works for you and keeps you motivated is what counts.

I used to be able to track every molecule that crossed my lips. Ok maybe not "every" but I know you get my drift. I'd take out my little Moleskine notebook and look through it and make notes and stroke my own ego and basically just love on it. I could do it SO easily, didn't eat anything til I'd written down the calories, gFat, gCarb, gFiber in parenthesis, gProtein, and had run the updated tally for the day so far. If I came in under my goals I had different color stickers I would award myself, and of course my goal was to get one of each color every day.... (Extra blue stickers for Water I drank too!!)

And then I got a different job where I didn't have so much spare brain-power. I did PRETTY well but I'd sometimes have a sticky note and tally at the end of the day.

Then I went back to school. And had NO spare brain cells. And ENJOYED THAT MORE.

And then.... The real blow.... I got pregnant. My baby, already a budding zombie, ATE MY BRAIN. And then I gave birth, and nursed her, and began parenting by the school of "don't sweat the small stuff".

Calories? Who the f* knows. Grams of things? Crap. Things have grams? Huh. What's a calorie again? I cannot possibly think about these things because my boobs are leaking calories DIRECTLY OUT OF MY BODY.

Hand over the f*cking cherry pie and nobody gets hurt.

Well for pregnancy and now 18 months of breastfeeding, I couldn't take Adderall. And I lost every desire to micromanage my nutrition. It's one reason I wanted surgery - there is a level of thought I don't have to put into it.

Asking my doc tomorrow to start back on adderall (very low dose).... But I can barely keep an eye on Protein and water.... I just try to keep my carbs equal to my protein and let fat take care of itself.

I'm having a hard time tracking taking 2 kinds of insulin shots as well as the sgots to check my sugar level. I pray that this will get better after I have my surgery. Fingers and stomach sore from needles

I'm having a hard time tracking taking 2 kinds of insulin shots as well as the sgots to check my sugar level. I pray that this will get better after I have my surgery. Fingers and stomach sore from needles

That was me while pregnant.... Paaaiiiiinnnnn in the butt!!!! Good news is you can set alarms for yourself!

I am starting to think that tracking is not the way to go for me. Tracking just makes me think about food all day. These last few days since I have been preoccupied with my husband's health and not tracking so well, I have been fine with my eating plan. I don't know, it is hard to not track because of the guilt factor.

some people don't track, and hopefully they will post here and give advice. For myself, I have seen indications for higher success rates for people who track food and weight consistently. Just my opinion, but I want to give myself the best chance possible for long term success. If that means tracking my stupid food till I die, guess that's what I'll be doing. I don't want to gain it back.

As for thinking about food all day long, I'm afraid nothing is going to stop that for me. I'm a food addict.

I am starting to think that tracking is not the way to go for me. Tracking just makes me think about food all day. These last few days since I have been preoccupied with my husband's health and not tracking so well, I have been fine with my eating plan. I don't know, it is hard to not track because of the guilt factor.

This is exactly it. All the tracking just makes me feel more obsessed with it.

I used to be able to track every molecule that crossed my lips. Ok maybe not "every" but I know you get my drift. I'd take out my little Moleskine notebook and look through it and make notes and stroke my own ego and basically just love on it. I could do it SO easily, didn't eat anything til I'd written down the calories, gFat, gCarb, gFiber in parenthesis, gProtein, and had run the updated tally for the day so far. If I came in under my goals I had different color stickers I would award myself, and of course my goal was to get one of each color every day.... (Extra blue stickers for Water I drank too!!)

.

Aside from the stickers, this is exactly me. Its making me crazy too. But I'm also thinking about food every waking minute when im not logging it.

Think I may try a week without tracking anything but Protein in my head and see how I feel then.

Would still love to hear from some that don't track food.

I am going to try that, too. I will track my morning coffee in MFP just so that I don't lose my daily login count.

SEE! I am too obsessed with logging.

Isopure drinks have made a big difference in my life. All the protein and the hydration, jolly-rancher flavored. None of the BS of counting things.

I'm going to have my surgery 12 may 14

How many calories should you have in a protein drink and how many grams of sugar so lost.

I'm going to have my surgery 12 may 14

How many calories should you have in a Protein drink and how many grams of sugar so lost.

Congrats on your surgery date!

I think thats best answered by your program nutritionist. Mine was specific with what they wanted...told me to keep my shakes under 200 calories idealy. They haven't said one word about grams of sugar.

My program goes with the hunger trust model for post op. Theu just tell us to trust when our sleeves are hungry..eat til satisfied and be done. Oh, and protein always comes first. They also tell us to limit the meal in size.

Have you met yet with your nutritionist or dietician?

I am going to try that, too. I will track my morning coffee in MFP just so that I don't lose my daily login count.

SEE! I am too obsessed with logging.

Ha! So glad im not alone! I haven't tracked aince before lunch today. Ao far so good. I feel lighter.

We'll see in the morning tho!