SparkPeople has decided I am ready to progress to Stage 4, which is the last (and ongoing stage) of their process. I am wavering on whether to keep tracking my food or not. I would still Quick Track my water, exercise & fruit/veg servings (but I will never meet 8 of those a day, my portions just aren't large enough for that). The theory is that now you have enacted a lifestyle change, and you "check in" every two weeks with your weight as well as how you're doing overall. All of the same resources are still available, though.
It is rather ponderous to enter everything every day. Sometimes I go all weekend without doing it and then come Monday, I have 2 days of food to remember and enter. But I don't know if I'm ready to give that up yet at 4 months out. It's good to see if I'm hitting my protein and calorie goals, but I am not upset if I don't do it every day. It all seems to balance out. One day last week I ate 1200 calories. The next day, it was only 800.
Maybe I will do it for another 2 months and see where I am if/when I get my fourth fill in August. I think I'm doing pretty good overall although I do have my weaknesses. I tend to eat fast food at least once a week, but making better choices about what I get and how much. Those meals are more filling, so I end up eating less the rest of the day. I still eat too much sometimes; I put too much on my plate and then think "Oh, I should finish this" or "I'm getting full, but I want to finish this." Wow, is it ever difficult to break those habits. Sometimes I get the hiccups when I'm full so that's a good reminder. Other "bandsters" get runny noses or other signs that they call "soft stops." Beau does not yet have the hang of portion sizes for me, so if he makes my plate, I sometimes I have to put half of it back.
mental exertion vs physical exertion
8 years ago
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I didn't realize that Stage 4 would entail going off the tracker. I don't know whether I would be ready to do that, either. You have the 'advantage' of the Lap Band; when I've stopped tracking my food intake in the past, overeating has crept up on me. I may just have to keep watching it.
ReplyDeleteYou don't have to go off the tracker; it's just presented to you as an option. This makes sense to me. I don't want to track my food forever. The idea, to me, is that I'll be able to see patterns over time and eventually be able to gave a good idea of how much I'm taking in, without inputting it all every day. Doing it indefinitely starts to feel like a "diet" to me, which is not my intention.
ReplyDeleteIt's true that the band limits my portions and that's an advantage. However, it is still entirely possible to "eat around" the band. There are several high-calorie foods that can be eaten in big quantities with no problem at all. So I still have to follow rules. :)