Food diary's

ntlbell

This is really for people that have food diary's do you find it helps?

I always had huge problems giving up smoking, I'm off them over a year now and I realized one of the best things was I never talked about it.

I stopped making a big deal of it and just said to myself you don't smoke anymore stop going on about it and pretty much forgot about it and it was the best thing I've ever done.

Pretty much now with the "diet" I've tried to not call it a "diet" i'm changing my lifestyle this how it is now and get on with it and for the first time I'm find it relatively easy compared to other times.

So I'm just curious how the diary helps?

neuro-praxis

Actually, as someone who has struggled seriously with out-of-control eating for many years, naming the problem and addressing it daily with each meal choice has been liberating.

I don't talk about it with anyone except my husband - and with him it's because we cook together and we go to the gym together. The other person I discuss these issues with is my sister-in-law who is in the same boat, and battling long-term and having slow success.

Otherwise I just go about my business as usual. I can't help thinking about it a lot, because if I do not think I will not plan, and if I do not plan I will fail. Simple as.

You seem to be saying, can't you all just shut up and get on with it? Frankly, no. For years my silence about my weight and diet problems was the very thing that kept a lid on it, and that's finished. And as an aside - the difference between cigarette addiction and food addiction is that you can give up cigarettes and never have to put one in your mouth again. You cannot give up food so you have to learn to manage it. For me, managing food means thinking explicitly about it, and tracking. These problems do not go away of their own accord.

A food diary isn't just a diet tool.
I tried to start one because I wanted to notice changes in the pattern in things I eat over time.
With the intention of using it to add new things to my diet, and maybe noticing how certain foods affect me.

ntlbell

neuro-praxis wrote: »

You seem to be saying, can't you all just shut up and get on with it? Frankly, no. For years my silence about my weight and diet problems was the very thing that kept a lid on it, and that's finished. And as an aside - the difference between cigarette addiction and food addiction is that you can give up cigarettes and never have to put one in your mouth again. You cannot give up food so you have to learn to manage it. For me, managing food means thinking explicitly about it, and tracking. These problems do not go away of their own accord.

Not really sure I'm happy with you putting words in my mouth.
*I* felt it was easier to give up smoking and change my shocking eating habbits by making the changes and then living my life and trying not to think or talk about it every day like it's a block around my neck, this helped me, I'm not stating it's the right way for anyone and everyone is weak look at me, it's just what is worked for me with other aspects i.e. the smoking and was curious if I'm missing anything by keeping a diary or will it actually affect me in the long run if i keep putting such an importance on food.

I was smoking for 15 years and had the eating problems for about the same.
I'm not putting anyone down here.

neuro-praxis

I apologise if I took you up wrong!

neuro-praxis

neuro-praxis wrote: »

I apologise if I took you up wrong!

In fairness that was the logical assumption from the wording of the post.

ntlbell

Moonbaby wrote: »

In fairness that was the logical assumption from the wording of the post.

then I apologies for my lazy wording!

I think it is nice to see what people are eating too.
I've made a few boards inspired additions to my diet, that I honestly would never have thought of million years by myself.