The Tyranny of Food Logging

I’ve kept this blog for a long, long time.

In fact, I started blogging – wow – nearly 20 years ago. My podcast ended ten years ago – before the podcasting “craze” even began.

So there are a lot of posts that revolve around “eating plans” through the years. Or at least, “through the years” since about 2007 – when I started putting on the pounds and trying to stem the tide.

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I have tried a number of “eating plans” (a/k/a diets) via this blog. Pomroy, Working Against Gravity, Sexy Sculpt/Flexible Eating, you name it. One of the things that all these programs incorporate is food logging.

I am on my 476th straight day of Food Logging in My Fitness Pal. This is my longest streak (by far). I do have a couple friends (I see you, Lindsey, Patty, Lane) who put me to shame . . . they’re in the 1,000s of days. I know, because MFP shows you how many days your Friends have logged, how they’re doing (are they over or under their targeted calorie goals?), what they’re doing exercise-wise, when they last logged in.

I realized about a week ago that, with our impending month away at Sanoviv and its restrictive computer use, I won’t be able to track any more. Rather than finding this disconcerting, or upsetting (okay, okay, a little – everyone hates to break a streak . . . ), I’m coming around to realizing that it might be not only liberating, but this whole “logging thang” – for ME – is likely just a chapter of Disordered Eating, dressed up to be socially acceptable.

I think a little food logging can be eye-opening for many. It could point out that – Hey! You are eating a LOT of sugary foods! Or – Hey! You aren’t getting in a lot of protein!

For me, it was just another list to maintain. I’m a Virgo – I love me some lists. I tried (more or less) to be inside the “goals set for me” in all the various diet plans. However, as I already eat organic, grass-fed, low-sugar, low-gluten, etc., there weren’t a lot of “ah-ha” moments.

So what’d logging give me?

It gave me “permission” to find a way to have another glass of wine because – Hey! I’m under my calorie/carb/whatever goal – so bartender, give me another!

I use wine as an example, but it could be another handful of pistachios (carefully weighed and measured) or what-have-you. I still had rules – no alcohol except on the weekends or out with my “Coven” (local girlfriends), no eating past 8 p.m., always eat breakfast – but in general, “food logging” had taken me away from how to eat “naturally.”

My daughter and I were talking about this when we were together for my grandboy’s graduation from high school a couple weeks ago. (So Proud :-) ) She has been using a cookbook by Cassy Joy of Fed And Fit, that she heard about HERE.

One of the main take-aways from this book is that one should eat not until you’re full, but until you’re not hungry. Bob Harper also talks about this in his “Skinny” book series (his latest book, The Super Carb Diet, is covered in a podcast HERE). In other words – you should always be “a little bit hungry.”

Girls Gone WOD Podcast – the folks in the podcast links, and one of my clients – also just did a podcast based on a recent New York Times article on the Wellness Industry – you can find that HERE. This subject is top-of-mind and timely.

The Cassy Joy/Bob Harper “way” is how I used to eat. I didn’t log my food. I didn’t try to exercise more so that My Fitness Pal would give me “minus points” for doing it. I didn’t get out of bed to walk around the block to “make my ring close”/log 10,000 steps. I didn’t eat “three meals and two snacks” a day.

I didn’t obsess.

Well, now that we’re off to Sanoviv, it’s time to regroup.

This all became top of mind (for me) when a dear friend told me that he’d pay for a Premium subscription to My Fitness Pal for me, after I’d opined on Facebook that by leaving, I would be “breaking my streak.” (With Premium, you can put a “hold” on things like streaks.) I was touched, but then the lightbulb went off. I realized that I was actually looking forward to not logging.

Even though (in my head) it was originally that I was “not logging because I couldn’t,” I suddenly realized that I wanted to change the impetus. I’m not logging because I choose not to.

Today is my first day of “choosing not to.” I have another day and a half before we leave, but that’s why I am choosing to stop now. Not because we won’t have access while we’re away. But because I feel that it is not serving me, and in fact has lead to some Disordered Eating.

In talking about the length of the trip to my Mom and Dad (Father’s Day/Mom’s Birthday celebration yesterday), they reminded me that hubby and I had been away for 3 (and 3+) weeks before. When we hiked from Mont Blanc to the Mediterranean. When we had traveled around Turkey and then Austria. When we had taken a trip to Cambodia and Vietnam.

But the difference here is that, while we were gone for the same amount of time in these various “jaunts,” in each, we were constantly on the go, strapping on our hiking boots, getting in the car, seeing new things, running for the plane, and (me) logging it all in photos on Instagram.

This will be different.

For the time we’re gone, we only have one thing that we can do. Concentrate on Health and Wellness.

No packing and unpacking. No catching the bus. No following the map. No getting on the trail. No rushing to see one more museum, church, or sculpture.

So today, I have broken away from the Tyranny of Food Logging. And you know what I feel? I feel like now I have to pay attention. Weird, huh? I think that for a lot of folks, it works the other way around. An example that just popped into my head and gave me a little grin is a Catholic who sins, knowing that if he goes to Confession, he’ll get some prayers and everything will be set right.

But it’s supposed to be that you sinned sort of “on accident,” in a moment of “weakness,” and now you’re trying to make amends.

Me?

I had “sinned” on purpose, with the express idea that, by logging (a la Confession), it was all okay.

Yeah yeah, that’s just seriously weird. Or . . . Disordered!

Time to go pack for Sanoviv. I started putting things together on the floor of the closet yesterday (those of you who know me are already laughing and nodding). It’s hilarious. Since I was told by Admissions that their gym is set up for “cardio workouts” (like salsa, Zumba, and even a group mini-tramp workout) not strength training, I am bringing so many strength-related things! Bands, TRX, EmPack (with 3 bladders and the water bladder), voodoo floss bands, Natural Grips, wrist wraps, Kettlegryp, Lacrosse ball, workout journal, jump rope (we’re checking a bag, don’t worry, I won’t be sternly stopped for having a garrote in my carry-on). (NOTE: I am too lazy to set up an Amazon Associates account – so these links are just so you can see what I’m talking about.)

Since we are only allowed to bring pills “in their original bottles” with a “copy of the prescription,” and “only enough for the stay,” I just went through our prescription meds, assiduously counting out the right number of pills, putting them back into the bottle, and then putting the rest into a ziplock. :-) I printed out Broffman’s supplements prescription for the hubby and counted them out as well, then packed up my Her Vital Way supplements, with the hope they won’t be confiscated (no prescription). Those are on the floor of the closet too.

What else? Two pair swim goggles (hubby wants to try to add that to his routine), the prescribed sunscreen, a couple jogbras and 2 bathing suit bottoms (jogbra + suit bottom = triathlete swimsuit LOL), sunhat, a couple bras and six pair of undies, workout shoes, a lingerie bag and some Woolite, an Express Mail envelope with Advent-esque envelopes to open while gone from a gal pal, and… I think that’s it.

The funniest part of course is that for a “usual” trip packing extravaganza, it’s maybe a Lacrosse ball, and then a closet floor literally overflowing with clothes. As I mentioned before, this involves sitting a BFF on the bed with a “libation,” and giving her a “fashion show” of the various choices so she can winnow them down.

I guess tomorrow when I’m actually getting stuff into the suitcase with my BFF watching I’ll just – What? Model the undies? With a TRX around my neck and an EmPack on my back?

This will be my last post “Stateside.” The next will be from Sanoviv!

By the way – if you leave a Comment, they’re moderated. That means you won’t see what you wrote until I approve it for publication. That also means that if you want to write me something private, you can just put “Private:” as the first word, and I will see it and NOT publish it. I can’t answer “Private” comments on the blog, but if you want to leave one, I will see it.

If you’ve read this far – say a prayer for Coach Al, please. He had a massive heart attack while running, and at this writing is in a cold “coma.” He is a wonderful guy and his wife Trish is one of my besties. So – prayers please.