Recording your food

[lisajade]

Tonight at SW my C said to another member that they don't recommend keeping food diaries after 4 weeks, unless you are struggling.

Has anyone heard of this before? I didn't get a chance to ask him if I heard him correctly. I record obsessively, and I am debating seeing how I get on without a food log.

Any thought?

 

[Jenna88]

Tbh it does make sense that once you get into the swing of things you shouldn't need to write it all down however I personally like to have a record so that if I have a good loss or maybe a not so good gain I can look through my diary to see if I can find a reason so that I can either repeat or avoid it.

 

[justjudith]

I went to class on Tuesday ~ they have a new consultant~ and in IMAGE therapy one person asked for more food diaries .... to which the consultant said that SW do not recommend you keeping a food diary and so unless there were major problems only try recording healthy extras and syns.

Not sure what the logic is about it but....

I say if it ain't broke don't fix it.... if recording works for you then do it....

Also if you have a bad week and don't record how do you know what you've been doing wrong and what can anyone advise you on?

Just my thoughts.... but you heard it right.

JUdith & Pickle

 

[lisajade]

Thanks for responses! The idea of not recording is a bit scary! I am counting down to my wedding at the moment, so maybe I'll reconsider after that

 

[Princess_Stevie]

Completely agree with Jenna. I know from past experience that the weeks where I don't record my food are the weeks I will have "unexpected" gains - or more likely, where I won't stick to plan!

I think the reason your C has probably told you this is because (correct me if I'm wrong) they have to pay for their equipment, such as food diaries, certificates, etc. Perhaps that's why they weren't so keen on giving out food diaries each week. Just an idea though, do you have access to a photocopier? You could ask for a single food diary, and make a load of copies of it, so you have access to it whenever you need it. Or you could make your own on the computer/keep a food diary on here, whatever works best for you!

 

[kim63]

I have a diary on my laptop & have been using it daily since January. It helps me stay on track & stay focused & personally don't see a problem with keeping a diary if it helps you.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using MiniMins

 

[stivesliz]

I stopped writing stuff down a year ago but I sort of know what syns I am having and I also never 'forget' I have had an extra HEB choice etc. However, if you feel you have to - then do it!

My consultant always encourages people to write stuff down and if anyone is struggling then the first thing she will do is ask to see their food diary x

 

[loolahoop]

when i started we were told to only write for the first 4 weeks, then itwas upto us if we wanted to or not, which i didnt, but yeh if someone has a gain n not sure why or gains over a couple of weeks she always asks to keep a food diary xXx

 

[Legomom]

I don't like the diary sheets they hand out anyway lol. I just keep a log online now (thanks minimins!!) and it's mostly so I can look back at the week if needs be. I've always logged no matter what diet ive followed. It's a key part of controlling what I eat. I think the time for me to slowly stop logging is when I start maintenance. If I EVER get to target lol.

 

[Leighthesim]

I think maybe the reason hey say this is because sw is meant to be a way of life rather then an obsessive diet, but if recording your food works for you then the is no reason why you should stop. I like the SW app on my phone since I can quickly log all the syns I have had in each day.

 

[lisajade]

There diary pages are rubbish! I have nice big ring binder with dividers and everything I am so sad!

Thanks for your thought everyone, I enjoy recording and will carry on for now, I was worrying I wasn't learning this way, but I like to experiment with my diet, so I guess a diary is useful to see what works (or not!)

 

[jo-85]

If I don't write it down I always end up going off plan I don't know exactly why but I do think it may be me being able to Convince myself I haven't had something if it isn't written down! I have an a5 book and I keep it recorded in there plus my loss that week and any thoughts or stuff I wanna joy down. I suppose in some ways it's a bit of a diary!

Sent from my iPhone using MiniMins

 

[bilsat]

I also keep a weekly food chart, for over 1 year now, it's good to look up those weeks to see what went wrong!
I have redesigned the SW sheet to include 7 days on one side of a A4 sheet and it makes it easier to read.

 

[jaylou]

Your consultant is quite correct - SW don't recommend that you use the official food diaries for any more than 4 weeks. They say it is not "normal behaviour" to write everything down, and you shuld only need to log A's B's and syns, and we can all count to 10 (or 15)

There's nothing to stop you writing it in a book, online, a diary on here or any other method but the SW food diaries are considered a consultant's tool to help them to help you.

The 4 when you join are so they can make sure you have got to grips with the plan, and they are then given out when you are struggling and cannot see where you are going wrong. They are then to be handed in so they can help you.

 

[soon2bslimmer77]

I have just started yesterday using myfitnesspal to write it all down am not taking any notice what so ever of the cals just so I have something to hand to logg everything i eat I am usless at writing things down on paper lol and always have my phone to hand lol

More so this week as I put on 1 1/2 lb this week grrr

 

[donna88]

I have heard consultants say its not a good idea as you can get obsessed, but it depends what your happy with. Personally I've started writing food plans, I'll plan my meals for the day and then have a space for HEX's and syns, if I know I'm using them in my meal plans I'll write them in so I don't forget that I've allocated them to something else, if not I'll write them in when I have them.

I know lots of people who don't write down everything they eat but write down what syns and HEX they've had

 

[jaylou]

It is most definitely personal choice, I agree. Just giving the "textbook answer" to the OP as to why her consultant would have said this.

Meal planning is the way to go - both diet wise and financially!!!

 

[jennidc]

Personally I find I have less sys's if I don't write everything down. As if i'm writing it down I tend to think of how many syns I have left and how I can have them. Whereas if I have to remember everything it's easier if I have less.

Twisted logic but it works for me so far I started in September 2011 and have gone from 23 st 12 " to 18 st 4 " in 10 months.

 

[clairebrookes]

I use the food diary on the SW website... I like to see how well I'm doing with super free and my syns etc.... Every other time I've done slimming world (this ins my 4th go) I've stopped doing the food diaries after 4 weeks and started slipping then started becoming obsessed... Weird I know but I think I'm more in control this time and it isn't taking over my life as much.

 

[Sparkswillfly]

I went along to a meeting last week and the consultant was offering everyone food diaries.

I personally have a little notebook where I obsessively record EVERYTHING. But I am a utter control freak.